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If you’re experiencing issues when using iCloud to find your iPhone, this guide will explain some of the basic solutions you can try to remedy the issue. Being able to find your iPhone with iCloud is a real lifesaver in some situations, so having the feature functioning properly for your device is extremely important.
Read on to learn about why Find My iPhone is offline and the various ways to fix it.
Why Is Find My iPhone Offline?
The most common cause for Find My iPhone being offline is because it doesn’t have any devices to find. Always double-check to ensure you connect your device to the program. Otherwise, it won’t know to look for your iPhone.
What Does “Offline” Mean for Find My iPhone?
When using Find My iPhone, if it says “Offline,” it means your iPhone is currently offline. The key thing to remember when this occurs is that multiple things can cause your iPhone to appear offline:
- Your iPhone ran out of battery.
- Your iPhone doesn’t currently have a connection to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- Your iPhone is in an area that Find My iPhone cannot access.
- Your iPhone no longer has its SIM card.
- Your iPhone has no connection to iCloud.
- Your iPhone is set to Airplane Mode.
If your iPhone is experiencing one or more of these issues, it won’t appear on Find My iPhone.
How to Use It to Find iPhone?
Find My iPhone is an accessible program that anyone can easily use after learning a few simple steps. But, contrary to what many people think, you can also use the Find My iPhone app for more than just trying to find your device.
In the section below, we’ll go over the basic functionality of Find My iPhone. You can start using the program if you’re new to its features.
1. Open Find My App
To start, open the Find My app. However, before you do that, go to the settings on your device, select your name, and you’ll see a “Find My” option in the menu. Select that and check to see if the “Find My iPhone” feature is on. If it’s not, turn it on and open the Find My app.
2. Log into Find My
After you open Find My, you’ll have to use Apple login with your Apple Id to locate your device. You can also sign in on iCloud.com/find.
3. Locate the Lost Device
To locate your lost device, navigate to the bottom of the app to find the four following options.
- People
- Devices
- Items
- Me
Select “Devices,” and it’ll bring up a list of your devices and their last known locations on a map. You can scroll through each device on the list to find the one you want and select one to see the list of actions you can take.
4. Play a Sound on Your iPhone
One option you have available is to play sound from your device, and selecting this causes your device to play a loud chime. Using this feature is particularly useful if you’re close to the device but can’t figure out its exact location.
5. Mark Your iPhone as Lost
Another option you have is marking your iPhone as lost. By selecting this action, your iPhone will receive a command to lock itself so that nobody will have access to it. Additionally, your device will display a message on its screen that shows your contact information for anyone who may have the phone in their possession.
However, remember that your iPhone needs to be in a location with internet access for this function to work.
6. Enter a Phone Number and Message
In addition to marking your iPhone as lost, you can turn on Lost Mode for your device and share a message that has your phone number attached in case someone finds your device. It’s best to do this action as soon as you realize your phone is lost, as there is a strong chance of somebody else already finding it.
7. Get Your iPhone To Notify You When Found
Another option in the Find My app allows you to set your iPhone to notify you when it’s found. One thing to keep in mind with this option is that it only works if you allow the Find My app to send you notifications. If you don’t enable this permission for the app, you won’t receive any notifications regarding your device.
8. Erase the iPhone
In the worst-case scenario where you can’t find your iPhone, you have the option to erase the device. Erasing your device means removing all its data, so a thief won’t have the opportunity to steal any of it. If you manage to find your phone after doing this option, you can use your iCloud backup to restore the data to the device.
iCloud Find My iPhone Says Device Offline, but It’s Not
Sometimes your iPhone will appear offline in iCloud even when it clearly isn’t. An iPhone not being connected to a Wi-Fi network is often the most common occurrence of this issue. So, ensure your device’s connection to Wi-Fi is working and stable. If you see that the connection is fine, restart your iPhone and see if it appears in iCloud now.
iCloud Find My iPhone Mac Is Offline While Using Mac
If you experience a similar issue with Find My iPhone while using a mac, it means your mac is offline. To fix this, go to the Apple menu on your mac and select System Preferences. From there, select your Apple ID to sign in and go to iCloud. Now your device should appear online.
Find My iPhone Login From Another Phone
If you set your iPhone to share its location with family and friends, you can use someone else’s iPhone to locate your own. To do this, follow the same process you would use for finding your own phone. You can use the People tab at the main menu of Find My to see where your device is.
Find My iPhone From Computer
To find your iPhone from your computer, go to iCloud.com and use the Find My iPhone function. Use your Apple ID to log in and then find your device in the list of All Devices. If your iPhone is on and has access to the internet, you’ll be able to see it on the map.
How To Find iPhone Without Find My?
Unfortunately, the only way to find your iPhone without using the Find My iPhone program is to retrace your steps. There are alternative programs like Google Timeline and GPS tracking apps, but neither is as direct of a solution as Find My iPhone. The best thing you can do is try to remember where you lost your iPhone and go back to that location to look around if possible.
How To Find the Serial Number?
You can find the serial number of your iPhone in the settings menu. In the menu, select General and then select About. The About section shows you all the pertinent information about your device, including its serial number.
How Can the Police Use Find My?
Police can use Find My to track a device, but they also have the means to simply have your phone carrier track your phone’s current location for them. If you believe someone stole your phone and have run out of options to find it, strongly consider filing a report to the police.
How To Set Up Find My?
To turn on Find My, go to the Settings app on your iPhone and select your name at the top of the menu. The next menu will allow you to turn on Find My iPhone, Find My Network, and Send Last Location. For maximum security, it’s best to have all three settings on.
How To Protect Your iPhone?
Aside from having a good passcode, face/touch ID, and other security features turned on, the best way to protect your iPhone is to keep it close whenever you’re out. Don’t set it down anywhere, and keep it stored away unless you need it.
Conclusion
Even when an iPhone is offline, there are still many different ways to access it; hopefully, this guide provides an understanding of effective methods you can use in the future. Ideally, you never want to be in a situation where you’ve lost your iPhone.
However, if it does happen, you’ll now have the means to navigate the situation and get your device back in short order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can find your iPhone if it’s offline if you have the Find My Network option enabled on your device.
Your iPhone will most likely appear offline if it’s out of battery, disconnected from the internet, or over 24 hours have passed since the last time the device sent its location to Apple.
Yes, you can track a dead iPhone. However, because a dead iPhone cannot provide its current location, you will only be able to find its last known location.
iPhones do not receive a notification if someone checks their location, so you won’t notify anyone when you check their location.
