Add or remove a device in Find My on iPhone

Before you can use the Find My app to locate a lost iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, or AirPods, you need to add them to Find My.

For your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac (with macOS Catalina), and Apple Watch, Find My also includes a feature called Activation Lock that prevents anyone else from activating and using your device, even if it’s completely erased. See the Apple Support articles Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, About Activation Lock on your Mac, and About Activation Lock on your Apple Watch.

Add an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

For a device with iOS 13, iPadOS 13, or later, follow the instructions below. For a device with iOS 12 or earlier, see the Apple Support article Set up Find My iPhone on all of your devices.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My.
If you’re asked to sign in, enter your Apple ID. If you don’t have one, tap “Don’t have an Apple ID or forgot it?” then follow the instructions.
Tap Find My [device], then turn on Find My [device].
Turn on any of the following:
- Enable Offline Finding: When your device isn’t connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, Find My can locate it using Bluetooth.
- Send Last Location: If your device’s battery charge level becomes critically low, its location is sent to Apple automatically.

Add a Mac

On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Do one of the following:
- With macOS Catalina: Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.
- With macOS 10.14 or earlier: Click iCloud.
If you’re asked to sign in, enter your Apple ID. If you don’t have one, click “Don’t have an Apple ID or forgot it?” then follow the instructions.
Select Find My Mac, then click Allow.
When you select Find My Mac on a Mac with macOS Catalina, Offline Finding is turned on. Offline Finding allows your Mac to be located using Bluetooth when your Mac isn’t connected to Wi-Fi. To turn off this option, click Options, then click Turn Off next to Offline Finding.

Add Apple Watch or AirPods

Apple Watch: Pair your watch with an iPhone on which you’re signed in with your Apple ID.
AirPods: Pair your AirPods with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch on which you’re signed in with your Apple ID.

Add a family member’s device

You can see your family members’ devices in Find My if you set up Family Sharing first. See Set up Family Sharing on iPhone. Their devices appear below yours in the Devices list.

You can’t add friends’ devices to Find My. Friends who lose a device can go to icloud.com/find and sign in with their Apple ID.

Remove a device

When you remove a device, Activation Lock is turned off.

Remove an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: On the device, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My, then turn off Find My [device]. Enter your Apple ID password, then tap Turn Off. (On iOS 12 or earlier, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.)
Remove a Mac: On the Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences. Click Apple ID, click iCloud (or just click iCloud on macOS 10.14 or earlier), then deselect Find My Mac. Enter your Apple ID password, then click Continue.
Remove an Apple Watch or AirPods: Turn off Apple Watch or put AirPods in their case. Then, in Find My on your iPhone, select the offline device and tap Remove This Device, then tap Remove.
To prevent an Apple Watch or AirPods from reappearing, unpair them in Bluetooth Settings on all your devices.

Note: You can also remove your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac by signing out completely on that device in Settings or System Preferences. Signing out turns off all iCloud features on the device. See the Apple Support article Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac.

Remove a device you no longer have

If you no longer have a device because you gave it away or sold it, you need to remotely erase it before you can remove it.

In the Devices list, tap the device you want to remove.
Erase the device.
Because the device isn’t lost, don’t enter a phone number or message.
If the device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. You receive an email when the device is erased.
When the device is erased, tap Remove This Device, then tap Remove.
All your content is erased, Activation Lock is turned off, and someone else can now activate the device.

Helpful?

iPhone User Guide