If your stolen iPhone goes unreported, the thief will be able to use your device and rack up phone and data charges to your account. The "Find My iPhone" application aims to thwart unwanted phone usage, and your cell phone provider can always deactivate your device. If your iPhone has a SIM card, the thief can easily disable "Find My iPhone" by removing the card, so it is important to locate the phone as soon as possible.
1.
Enable the "Find My iPhone" application on your phone while it is still in your possession. You cannot enable the application once the phone is lost or stolen. Go to the "Settings" application on your phone and choose "iCloud" from the menu. Toggle the icon next to "Find My iPhone" to the "On" position by tapping it once.
2.
Go to a computer as soon as possible after you realize your iPhone has been stolen. Point the Web browser to iCloud.com and log in using your Apple ID and password. Click on the "Find My iPhone" icon to initiate a search for your phone. Once your phone appears on the map, click on the "i" icon next to it. Click "Remote Lock" to stop anyone from using your phone.
3.
Call your service provider from another phone if you are unable to get to a computer, or your iPhone does not appear on the "Find My iPhone" map. Because a powered down iPhone, or one with a removed SIM card, will not appear on the iCloud map, it may not always be possible to locate your device using the "Find My iPhone" application. Your service provider, however, can always deactivate your SIM card and stop anyone from using your cellular account.
If there's no chance of getting your iPhone back, there are a few things you need to do to keep your data from falling into the wrong hands, to report the iPhone lost or stolen, and to make an insurance claim if necessary.
By Olena Kagui Updated 06/30/2022
Losing an iPhone or having it stolen can be an incredibly stressful experience. Not only is an iPhone expensive, there is also a lot of sensitive data on it. Plus, it is likely linked to your other Apple devices, which could put those devices at risk. There are several steps to take once a phone is stolen and cannot be retrieved using Find My app. These include protecting your data by erasing the phone, and removing it from your iCloud as a trusted device. It is also important to reset your Apple ID password and potentially file a claim if the phone is insured. Check out the following steps for what to do when your iPhone is stolen.
Related: How to Find Your iPhone Even If It’s Dead or Offline
What's in This Article:
- How to Tell if an iPhone Is Stolen
- How Do I Erase Data From My Lost iPhone?
- How to Cancel an iPhone Erase if You Find Your Phone
- How to Report a Stolen iPhone
- How to Make an iPhone Insurance Claim
How to Tell if an iPhone Is Stolen
The first thing to do if you think that your iPhone is stolen is to check if the iPhone is lost or stolen. If your iPhone is located somewhere unexpected or is on the move and no one is picking up when you call it, it was likely stolen. If this happens, mark it as Lost in the Find My app immediately. This will keep the data on it safe from whoever took it. If you end up finding it, you can always unlock again using iCloud. If your iPhone isn’t on and you suspect it was stolen, make sure to mark it as lost just in case.
How Do I Erase Data From My Lost iPhone?
Once you confirm that your iPhone was stolen, erase your iPhone’s data. While it may not seem like all of the data is too important, consider that photos and messages may contain details of your location. Plus, many users have their credit cards saved with Apple Pay for easier purchases. Erasing all data on your lost iPhone is an important step that should not be skipped.
- Sign into the Find My app. You can use a friend’s phone or another device to do this, just make sure to sign in using your Apple ID.
- Go to the Devices tab.
- Select the device that has been stolen or is missing.
- Swipe up to access the full menu and select Erase This Device near the bottom.
- Details about the device will pop up and you will have to select Continue at the bottom of the screen.
- In order to erase the device, you will be asked to verify your Apple ID password.
- Enter a phone number in case someone finds your iPhone, then tap Next.
- Next you'll have the opportunity to enter a message that will be shown on your device when someone recovers it.
- Finally, select Erase.
- You will have to log in with your Apple ID password one last time to confirm.
If the iPhone was off when it was lost or stolen, all data will erase once the phone is turned on and online.
How to Cancel an iPhone Erase if You Find Your Phone
If the device is found before it goes online and the erase is set up, it is still possible to cancel the erase following these steps:
- Sign into the Find My app using iCloud on someone else's device, or on a computer.
- Go to Devices if you are not already there.
- Select the device that you want to cancel the erase for.
- Select Cancel Erase.
- Enter your Apple ID password to verify your identity.
How to Report a Stolen iPhone
Marking an iPhone as lost on Find My App will not automatically report the theft to the police. In order to officially report a stolen iPhone, you need to notify local authorities. If you are in the United States, you can call the non-emergency line for local law enforcement or visit a police station in person. The police will ask for some information about the lost iPhone including its IMEI number. You can call your phone provider to get this number if you aren’t sure. Make sure to record the crime reference number once the report is filed, since this number will be needed if you make a claim with your insurance.
How to Make an iPhone Insurance Claim
The best way to protect your iPhone is with insurance. You can get it through a third-party company, but it is most common to insure your phone through the AppleCare program. AppleCare doesn’t always come with insurance, but it is an optional add-on for just a few dollars a month. If you signed up for the insurance prior to the theft, you can file an iPhone Theft and Loss Claim. You can do this by going to Apple’s support website, signing in, and filling out the claim.
It can be stressful when your iPhone is stolen or lost. First, you should check that the iPhone is actually lost by checking its location and if it’s on. Once theft or loss is confirmed, it is the most important to immediately erase iPhone data to protect your privacy. The next step is to report a stolen iPhone with the local authorities. If your device is insured, you can then use the police report to create a claim with Apple.
Master your iPhone in one minute a day: Sign up here to get our FREE Tip of the Day delivered right to your inbox.Can stolen iPhone be used?
Even if your iPhone is fully erased, the person who has it can't use it. Activation Lock stays on and there is no way to bypass it. As soon as the iPhone boots up, it asks for an Apple ID and password and it won't go past the activation screen without the information.Can a stolen iPhone be tracked?
If you erase a device that had iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later installed, you can still use Find My to locate the device or play a sound on it. Otherwise, you won't be able to locate the device or play a sound after you erase it.What happens to iPhone when stolen?
When you mark your device as lost, it will be locked remotely with a passcode, keeping your information secure. This will also disable Apple Pay on the missing device. And you can display a custom message with your contact information on the missing device. Mark your device as lost.Can Apple deactivate a stolen iPhone?
The good news is that Apple has software that can make it easy to track down a lost iPhone, and if it has been stolen you can use that software to wipe the iPhone and lock it down so that your data is protected.