How to Find Lost iPhone 7? Here are the Tips to Find and Secure Your iPhone

Losing your iPhone 7 in a mall, street or a cab is not something that you can easily deal with. All your contacts, personal data, and information, important accounts and messages are stored in your device and thinking that someone can access all your accounts and information is definitely unnerving. The problem can become worse if your iPhone or iPad does not require authentication ID to unlock it. There are many iPhone or iPad thefts especially in busy cities like New York, and many people report these cases almost every day.

Since these incidents happen to many people daily, it is important to take precautions to ensure the safety of your iPhone as well as your personal information, contacts, accounts and messages. Some precautions that you can do include:

• Do not use your iPhone 7 in a deserted area
• Keep an eye on your iPhone when in restaurants, cafeteria or mall
• Ensure that your iPhone can be recovered when it gets lost

How to Find Lost iPhone 7 and Tips to Secure Your Information

Read all the tips below to find lost iPhone 7 or to prevent it from happening to you.

Use Find My iPhone

 The Find My iPhone feature is the default way to find lost iPhone or other iDevices with the Find My iPhone app using iCloud. To turn on Find My iPhone feature:

• From Home screen, open the Settings
• Select iCloud and tap the switch next to Find My iPhone. This allows you to track your device using iCloud.

If you have lost your iPhone 7, you can use the Find My iPhone app on your other iOS devices or from the iCloud website to trace the location of your device.

• Navigate to http://icloud.com/#find
• Enter your Apple ID.
• Click the All Devices button and select your iPhone.

You will see 3 options under your device:

Play Sound – If your iPhone is nearby and you just cannot find it, Play Sound option allows you know its location. Your iPhone 7 will play a two-minute sound even if your device is in Silent mode. It also alerts other people that can hear the sound that your iPhone is lost. If the iPhone is offline, it will play the sound when it comes online.

Lost Mode – Tapping this option will automatically lock down your device so no one can steal your data. It lets you set a new passcode, and you can also enter a message that you want to be displayed on the lock screen, such as contact details. The message will not disappear even through a factory reset. Without the original iCloud ID and password, it will prevent the thieves from activating your iPhone so they cannot resell or keep it. This option will also track the movements of your device when it is online.

Erase iPhone – This option will erase all data stored in your iPhone 7. It will remove all personal and business data. You can also set your contact details along with a message on the lock screen after erasing your device so someone can easily call you when they find it.

If your iPhone is off or does not have an internet connection, you would not be able to track the location. But you can send lock or wipe commands and iCloud will perform them when your iPhone connects. Since most iPhones use mobile data connection, it should be tracked easily in real-time.

The same procedure can be done if you have lost your iPad or Mac. You can use the iCloud service to track your device’s location and execute commands. Macs do not have “lost mode,” but you can use “Lock” option. Your Mac will immediately shut down when it receives the lock command from iCloud.

Use Other Apps

Aside from Find My iPhone, you can also install other apps that can also track your iPhone. Even though there is no perfect app, there are many options that you can use to secure your data and easily track your iPhone. These apps also allow you to remote swipe your device to protect your information. The most used apps include:

• iHound
• If Found Lock Screen (this app also uses your photo as wallpaper with contact details so someone can contact you right away)
• Prey
• Device Locator

If your device is already jailbroken, you can also try iProtect from Cydia that sends a message when the thief removes and changes the SIM card on your iPhone.

File a Police Complaint

If you do not have any way to find lost iPhone, file a complaint to the police right away. Although they cannot trace your device for you, the chance of looking your device increases. The cops can get information from your service provider which is also beneficial in tracking your iPhone 7.

Check SIM/IMEI Lockdowns

After informing your carrier about your lost iPhone, they will automatically lock your SIM down so the thief cannot use your card. Also, you can also check IMEI lockdown. When filing a complaint to the police, they may ask your IMEI number. It is best to write it down somewhere. You can find it in Settings app and tap About iPhone.