How To Retrieve Your iPhone If It Is Lost Or Stolen

iPhones are expensive devices these days, and as such are highly sought-after targets by thieves. So it can be heartbreaking to find out that someone swiped your phone when you weren't looking. 

It doesn't hurt any less when you realize you lost your phone simply because of your carelessness. Such useful device can not only provide the best apps like https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pdf-scanner-app-scan-docs-id/id1495971405 but protect itself. Whether it's theft or distraction, your smartphone contains so much information about you that losing it can be an irreparable disaster. 

What can you do if this happens to you? 

Call  

Before hitting the panic button, I want to try a few simple solutions. In such a situation, an easy solution would be to call. You wouldn't believe how many times I was sure the phone was long gone, only to find myself sitting on it. 

The only time it doesn't work is when the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode. If you like using Do Not Disturb mode, make your home phone number or your spouse's cell phone number favorites in your iOS contact book. 

Then in the Do not disturb settings, allow anyone in Favorites to call regardless. 

Using Find My iPhone 

If ringing your phone didn't show it, you should assume it's lost. So now is the time to take some preventive steps. 

To do this, you need to use Find My iPhone, a  tracking system built into iOS to find the exact real-time location of your iDevices. Apple turns this device on by default when you first use it, so do yourself a favor and don't turn it off. It cannot be turned on later if there is no device. 

I usually don't like to turn on location services, so I usually have my iPhone in a Faraday bag when I'm not using it. But because of the Find My iPhone feature, I never completely turn off location services. If you don't have the money to buy replacement phones every time you lose your phone, you can't turn it off. 

Assuming  Find My iPhone has been turned off for some reason, it's very easy to turn it back on. Go to Settings > iCloud > Find My iPhone. 

Enable both options: Find My iPhone and Send Last Location. 

"Send Last Location" is a good feature because it makes sure you can see the phone's last known location on the map when the battery dies. 

Phone Tracking  

With Find My iPhone turned on, you can start tracking your phone to see where it's gone. You can use another iDevice, such as a friend's iPhone or iPad, or go to iCloud.com and log in with your Apple account information. If you want to use another iDevice, look for an app called "Find iPhone". 

When you open it, you'll see a map of your area after a few compass turns (make sure you tell the app your location). iCloud will then try to find all your registered iDevices. To get the exact location of the street, zoom in on the map with your fingers. 

Play Sound 

Since the phone is clearly in my home, the best option is to select Play Sound. It works even when the sound is turned off. It overrides the phone's volume and produces an ear-splitting ringtone. My dog jumped ten feet in the air when he heard that. 

On the other hand, if you see on the map that your phone is on the other side of town, in another city or on the other side of the world, it's time to take plan B. 

Lost Mode 

Lost Mode allows you to lock your device, mark it as " lost" and send a remote message from your iPhone on the screen to the person holding it. This can be anything from a threatening message to an attractive message offering a reward for the safe return of the phone.

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