Are you planning to give your iPhone to someone else for temporary usage or send it just for servicing? If yes, keep in mind that turning off Find My on your iPhone is crucial to allow the device to accept the changes and reset. Apple has introduced this feature to enhance user security, including location tracking and data protection. Now you might be wondering how to turn off Find My iPhone.
To give detailed instruction keep reading this blog. In this article, we’ll share step-by-step guidelines to help you disable Find My on your device, or remotely on another. Moreover, we’ll share some common issues users face while following the guide with troubleshooting tips!
What is Find My and how does it work?
Find My is Apple’s built-in feature, introduced in iOS 13 in September 2019, that lets users instantly locate their lost devices. It usually works by utilizing a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular signals. Even when the device is offline, it is instantly located by detecting Bluetooth signals.
Core functions of Find My:
- Locate lost devices: Lets you see the real-time or last known location of your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch or AirPods on a map.
- Play a sound: If your device is hidden, such as under a couch, in a bag, or in another room, you can use Find My to play a loud sound and locate it.
- Mark as Lost & erase data: It lets you mark your device as lost and automatically displays a custom message on the screen. Like “This iPhone is lost. Please call +1-XXX-XXX-XXXX.” Someone who finds it can see your message and contact you. Moreover, Find My also shields your privacy by enabling you to remotely erase all personal data.
- Activation Lock: When you enable Find My, Activation Lock is automatically enabled. This prevents anyone else from using, resetting, or reactivating your device without your Apple ID and password.
Why would people turn off Find My on iPhone?
Although Find My is very effective at protecting your iPhone, there are situations where you may need to deactivate it. Let’s dive in and understand the scenarios that trigger the deactivation of Apple’s feature!
- Preparing the iPhone for sale, trade-in, or gifting
If you’re thinking of selling or even gifting your mobile to someone, then activation lock might create a hurdle for the new owner in setting up the device. That’s why turning off Find My beforehand deactivates the lock, thereby ensuring a smooth usage experience for next users.
- Sending the device for repair or servicing
Likewise, if you take your iPhone for servicing, many authorized repair centres require disabling the Find My. Doing so allows the technicians to easily reset software or even replace hardware components.
- Troubleshooting software or Apple ID issues
Sometimes, you’re having software problems on your iPhone, like Apple ID sync errors, iCloud problems, or system glitches. Apple support suggests temporarily turning off the Find My feature to fix issues and then turning it on.
- Personal privacy or short-term device sharing
You can also turn it off by protecting your personal privacy, especially if you are lending your device to a family member or friend. This prevents your location from being tracked during that time.
From setup to security, master the essential settings and set proper restrictions.
How to turn off Find My directly on your iPhone?
Turning off Find My iPhone on the device is the most direct approach, just requiring your Apple ID password, because turning it off removes Activation Lock, which is a major security feature. Here’s the detailed step-by-step tutorial that you must follow!
- Open the Settings on your iPhone, tap your Apple ID.
- From the Apple account settings page, tap Find My.
- Go to Find My iPhone, turn off the toggle, and enter your Apple ID password for confirmation. Face ID and Touch ID won’t work for this step, so if you’ve forgotten your password, reset it.
How to turn off Find My on another device?
However, if you don’t have a mobile in your hand, like when you’ve given it for repair, service, or short-term personal use. In such cases, you can still disable Find My on other devices.
On another Apple device
- On an iPhone or iPad, open the Find My app. Make sure you use the same Apple ID that was linked to the device you want to remove.
- Choose yours from the list of ‘Devices’, then scroll down and tap ’Remove This Device’ or ’Erase This Device. ’
- You’ll then be prompted to enter your Apple ID password to confirm. That’s all! Now, Find My is disabled for that device.
Turn off Find My from a computer
- Open a web browser and go to iCloud.com. Sign in with the Apple ID and password you used on the iPhone.
- Once you’re signed in, you’ll see the iCloud dashboard with several app icons. Go for the Find iPhone service.
- When you open Find My, you’ll need to sign in again for security.
- You’ll see a map showing the locations of all your Apple devices associated with this Apple ID.
- Click “All Devices”, then select your iPhone from the drop-down list.
- Scroll down and choose the “Remove from Account” option. After this, follow the on-screen instructions for confirmation.
How to turn off Find My without the Apple ID password?
Officially, it’s not possible to disable the Find My feature without using the Apple ID password. Apple has designed this feature specifically to protect devices against identity theft and unauthorized access.
If you’re the device’s owner and have forgotten your Apple ID password, it’s best to reset it through Apple’s official recovery service. Here’s how you can do this!
- Open any web browser on your Apple device and go to iforgot.apple.com.
- On the iForgot site, type in the email address or phone number that you use as your Apple ID. Then enter the captcha code > click Continue.
- Now, you’ll see different verification options depending on what’s linked to your account. Select the option you can access.
- Enter your phone number, and you’ll receive a verification code via SMS or call. Enter the verification code when prompted.
- Set a strong new password (Apple will guide you on requirements).
- Once your password is reset, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone > Toggle Find My iPhone off > Enter your new Apple ID password to confirm.
Stay cautious of websites or software claiming to turn off Find My without an Apple ID password. All such third-party apps are highly unreliable and may compromise your privacy. Using them can also violate Apple’s terms and may permanently damage your device.
What happens if you disable Find My?
Disabling the Find My security feature removes the following protection layers from the device!
- No longer locate your device: It would be impossible to track your device’s location in emergency situations, such as if it is stolen, and recovering it becomes much harder.
- Activation lock is removed: Activation Lock is a security feature that automatically turns on when you enable Find My iPhone. Its purpose is to prevent anyone from turning off Find My, erasing your device, or using it without your Apple ID and password.
- Remote protection features stop working: Similarly, after disabling Find My, you can no longer play a sound to locate your device nearby or mark the device as Lost. It’s not possible to lock the device remotely and even erase your personal data remotely
- Personal data becomes more vulnerable: Without Apple Find My, your device would rely solely on local security measures such as a passcode or Face ID. If someone gains access, your personal data gets easily exposed to them.
Why can’t you turn off Find My on iPhone?
If you can’t turn off Find My on iPhone, it might be a settings-related issue. Check the following possible causes:
- Activation Lock is enabled
- The iPhone is still signed in to iCloud
- Incorrect Apple ID Password
- Poor network connection
- Family Sharing restrictions
- Software glitches or bugs
Troubleshooting common issues:
Here are common issues users encounter, their causes, and appropriate solutions for your convenience. Let’s get started!
Find My is greyed out
If you see that the Find My option isn’t working, greyed out. The device may be managed by parental controls such as Family Sharing or Screen Time, which typically restrict these changes.
Solution: To fix this, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. However, if using Family Sharing, it’s best to ask the family organizer to allow changes. If it’s a school/work phone, you may not be able to disable it at all.
Cannot connect to iCloud” error messages
The Find My feature usually works via Apple’s iCloud servers. Sometimes, because of a weak internet connection and busy Apple servers, you receive error messages.
Solution: You can simply switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data. You can also restart your iPhone and try again after some time if Apple’s servers are busy
Password not accepted
You might enter the correct Apple ID password while turning off Find My, but still, the system does not accept it. It usually happens due to Apple ID sync issues or cached login errors, which you can easily fix by following the tips below.
Solution: Sign out of iCloud and sign back in. If it does not work, restarting your device might help. Or reset your Apple ID password as the official recovery process outlined above.
Device not appearing in Find My” app or iCloud
While turning off Find My, if you observe that your device isn’t appearing on the map, don’t worry. You might have signed in with a different Apple ID, and your device is offline.
Solution: Instead of worrying about the just confirm the Apple ID in Settings > (Your Name). Moreover, you need to ensure the device is powered on and connected to the internet
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you fully understand that you can turn off Find My on iPhone directly on your device or via another Apple device. The only thing required is knowing your Apple ID password; if not, you can reset it via iForgot and maintain the security.
However its very crucial to stay cautious and back up your data before disabling Find My. Doing so would remove protections like device tracking, remote locking, and Activation Lock, which help keep your device secure.
FAQs
Absolutely not leaving Find My iPhone off isn’t a safe practice because if it contains your personal data, it raises data security concerns.
It’s worth noting that disabling Find my requires the device to be active and running on a stable internet connection. A dead or offline device can’t communicate with Apple’s iCloud servers to verify ownership.
No, it’s not true, turning off Find My has no concern with the deletion of personal data. It only removes the security layers, like device tracing or activation lock features.
