The Apple Find My tool made its official debut back in 2019 as an easy way for Apple users to locate their devices. This tool is a very important one for every Apple user, and understanding how it works is also great. In this article, we’ll show you what this tool is, how to set it up, and how you can make good use of it when looking for any of your Apple devices.
Often we misplace our devices or accessories and getting a new one costs a lot. With the Apple Find My tool, you can find where you last left your devices and where it currently is. You can then use this tool to track and find your missing devices and accessories instead of purchasing a new one.
Let’s now have a look at what the Apple Find My tool is, how to set it up, and how to use it. This guide will enable you to better make use of this tool when searching for any of your Apple devices. This guide is only for Apple devices that exist under the Apple Find My network.
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What is Apple Find My
Apple Find My is a device tracking service from Apple that helps users locate their missing devices. This service became available back in 2019 with the launch of the iPhone 11 series and the release of iOS 13. Ever since this service went public, it has been the go-to call for lots of Apple users when looking for their missing devices.
Because this is a tracking service from Apple, it makes no sense that it only tracks iPhones. This is because Apple offers more than just iPhones in its portfolio of products. Part of the products that Apple offers are MacBooks, iPads, Apple TV boxes, AirPods and so much more.
For this reason, the Apple Find My service covers not just iPhones, but all Apple products that you can own. So in the event of misplacing any of your Apple devices or accessories, you can easily make use of the Find My service to find it. Now let’s have a look at how easy it is to make use of this service that Apple offers its users.
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How to use the Apple Find My service
Using this service is very easy as it comes pre-installed on your iPhone and can be accessible from other Apple devices. So as long as you’re using an iPhone or any iPad, you have access to the Find My service for easy usage. Despite this service being automatically active for all Apple devices, you can adjust it to suit your preferences.
To make any adjustments to the Apple Find My service on your iPhone, simply take the following steps:
- Go to your settings page
- Click on the first option that has your name and profile picture on it
- Select the Find My option
- Next, tap on the first option, Find My iPhone
- From here you can toggle the service on or off adjust your network or save your device’s location if the battery runs out
As long as you have the Find My iPhone option toggled on, this service will be active on all your connected Apple devices. So, you’ll be able to find all Apple devices that use your Apple ID, have been previously connected to your iPhone and registered as your devices. This is especially important when searching for accessories like your AirPods or Beats headphones.
Once you’ve set Find My service to your preference, you can now proceed to navigate the app. The logo for the app on your device is a green proximity circle with a blue radar within. You can also search for it using the search feature on your Apple iPhone app list.
From the app, there are a lot of things you can do as well as a few options to use. You can share your location with others (using the People tab), see the live location of your devices (using the Devices tab), and see your items that have an AirTag on them (using the Items tab). There are also a few controls that this service gives you when looking for a lost device.
From the Devices tab, you can tap on the device you’re searching for. This will pull up an option window where you can perform the following actions:
- Play Sound: To help you locate the device
- Directions: To help you navigate the device from the built-in map
- Notifications: This will send a notification to your other devices when one is missing or left behind
- Mark As Lost: This will help you to lock your device and link it to your Apple ID to prevent others from getting access to it (note that the device must have an internet connection to use this option)
- Erase This Device: Always a last resort when you can confirm that the device is lost. This will erase your data from the device, preventing access to it from others/
To share your location with others, all you need to do is perform the following steps:
- Tap on the People tab
- Tap the add icon
- Click on the share my location option from the popup
- Select or type in a contact you want to share your location with
- After selecting the contact, you should tap the send button
- From here you can choose the time duration to share your location with the said contact
- After you select the time option you want, the contact will get a notification that you’re sharing your location with them.
With these steps, you’ll be ready to put the Apple Find My service to good use. This service will be accessible from whatever Apple device that you own and is connected to your Apple account. So if you own more than one Apple device, you can access it across all of your devices at the same time.
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