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What to do if your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch is lost or stolen?

stolen-iphone

If you think your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch might be stolen or if you’ve lost it these are the immediate steps you need to take to locate it or atleast protect your data.

SEE ALSO: How to use iTunes or iCloud to backup your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?

If Find My iPhone is enabled on your missing device

If you had enabled find my iphone before your device went missing, you can use it to locate your device and keep your data secure.

  1. Sign in to www.icloud.com/find on a Mac or PC or use the find my iphone app on any other iOS device
  2. Once you sign in, select your device and view its location on a map.
  3. Turn on Lost mode. Using this setting, you can lock your device remotely with a passcode, show a custom message with your contact number on the missing device’s screen and constantly keep track of it’s location.
  4. Provide your serial number and report it missing to the local cops. You can find your serial number:
      • On the original box or receipt
      • On My Support Profile (supportprofile.apple.com) if you have registered your device with your Apple ID
  5. Erase your device. You can erase the data on your device remotely and prevent anyone else from accessing it. Note that when you erase your device, all of your details will be deleted from the device, and you won’t be able to locate it using Find My iPhone. After you erase a device, you can’t track it
    Be careful not to remove your device from your account after you erase it. This will turn off the Activation Lock and allow someone else to activate and use your device

If Find My iPhone isn’t enabled on your missing device

If find my iphone wasn’t enabled before your device was lost or stolen, your device can’t be located. However, you can protect your data using these steps:

  1. Change your Apple ID password. By doing this you can prevent people from accessing your iCloud data or using other services (such as iMessage or iTunes) from your missing device.
  2. Change the respective passwords for other internet accounts on your device. This includes email accounts and social media accounts
  3. Provide your serial number and report it missing to the local cops. You can find your serial number:
    1. On the original box or receipt
    2. On My Support Profile (supportprofile.apple.com) if you have registered your device with your Apple ID

 

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Md. Abbas

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