My iPhone was stolen, what to do, how to find it. Wiretapping and searching for iPhone using GPS: capabilities of special programs. How to find a lost iPhone with a dead battery

How to find an iPhone if it is turned off - there are several simple methods to solve this problem. Some of them are associated with special software services that are available to any user. Others require documents, IMEI and contacting special services.

Modern mobile devices from Apple are equipped not only with a wide variety of useful functions, but also with security features, including searching for a lost gadget. In this they are much superior to ordinary mobile phones, which can only be found by filing a complaint with the police. It’s worth taking a closer look at several ways to find your iPhone even if its power is turned off.

One of the most popular services that will help you find a lost iPhone is icloud. This is the official cloud storage developed by Apple.

Therefore, many users trusted him with the described problem. To connect to the service, go to icloud.com and follow the instructions.

This application allows you to save all the necessary information and settings of your mobile device in cloud storage and then access them online from a personal computer or other gadget with Internet access.

Before the device is completely turned off, the device sends data about its location; the information can be tracked using your account on icloud.com.

If the lost iPhone is located close to the computer on which the search is carried out using this service, then a corresponding sound signal is given.

You can listen to it in advance during settings. If the loss is far away, for example the device was dropped on the street or it was stolen, then all the information contained on it and access to basic functions is blocked. But it will be possible to call it to contact the finder.

For this purpose, the “Lost Mode” function is provided. The device will not be completely turned off, it will be able to call or receive calls to the specified number, and a corresponding message will appear on the display of the lost device.

Find My iPhone feature

This feature is provided by the icloud.com service. The Find My iPhone feature is completely free and does not require separate installation. It is already included in the set of operating system programs on a mobile device.

But for it to work, you must activate this service in advance. With Find My iPhone, you can save the necessary information to cloud storage, erase data from a lost iPhone, password protect it, and indicate the detailed location of the mobile device.

The Find My iPhone function will allow you to completely block its operation if you lose your mobile device, and no one will be able to use it fully. Initially, when purchasing a new iPhone, it is not activated; to activate it, you must have an Apple ID account.

On the contrary, the current “Find iPhone” function can be disabled, for example, for sale or repair. To do this, in the settings you need to press the corresponding shutdown button, having first entered the password for your Apple ID account.

Ways to find using IMEI

You can also find a lost device using IMEI - International Mobile Equipment Identity. This is the most famous and oldest method from the times when mobile phones were still primitive and did not have a wide range of security features.

But this method is considered the most ineffective and labor-intensive. It's just generally accepted that changing this identifier is difficult. But tracking the location of the phone by IMEI without sophisticated equipment is problematic, if not impossible.

To search by IMEI, mobile operator companies can track its location even when the battery is turned off. But the owner must definitely contact the police, and, as experience shows, this method is not always successful.

If the owner nevertheless decides to take advantage of this opportunity, then before finding the turned off iPhone, he must write a combination of numbers of his identifier in the application.

For Apple products it can be found in the following places:

on the back of the branded packaging;
under the battery;
in the warranty card.

You can also write out this code in advance by typing the key combination *#06# on your iPhone that has not yet been lost.

The search may take a long time, and the IMEI in the mobile device chip can be reprogrammed by specialists in a short time.

Other ways to find

Modern mobile devices have blocking functions for any user other than the real owner. For example, discreetly photographing someone who is trying to get into the menu or SMS message from a newly inserted SIM card to a pre-specified number. This way, the person who finds the iPhone will not remain anonymous.

Apple also plans to introduce a new effective method for finding a lost iPhone in the near future. It is called “zombie mode” and is based on the fact that the lost device is visually turned off, the display does not work and there are no “signs of life” at all.

But in reality, the owner receives information about the location of the device or takes a photo of the person trying to unlock it.

block a SIM card if no protection measures are enabled using its number;
replace all access passwords to Internet resources that may be stored on the missing device;
It’s better not to save personal information on your iPhone in advance, but to store it in special Internet services, such as cloud storage.

Such methods, in addition to the loss of personal belongings, will eliminate other problems associated with access to personal information.

We don’t wish this on anyone and we hope that you will never need this instruction. Nevertheless, everyone should know the actions that need to be taken in the event of the loss of an expensive device.

Imagine something terrible happened - you lost your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. What should you do to not only maintain the confidentiality of information, but also try to get your gadget back? Especially for such situations, we have prepared step by step instructions.

With the release of iOS 4.2.1, all owners of Apple mobile devices now have access to the service "Find iPhone". True, in order for it to be used, the service must be activated on your device. Based on this condition, there are 2 possible scenarios.

1. Find My iPhone is enabled

In order to use the “Find iPhone” function, you need to go to this address or launch the application of the same name on your iOS device. To authorize, you need to use the Apple ID to which the lost device is linked.

Step 1 - Search for your device

Launch the Find My iPhone app to select your device and view its location. All devices that are linked to your Apple ID will be displayed on the map. Those that are online are highlighted in green, and those that are offline are highlighted in gray. The latter also display the time at which they last connected to the network.

If the device is nearby, you can play it on it sound signal to find it by sound. To do this, select the device you are looking for and in the menu that opens in the upper right corner, click on the “Play sound” button.

Taking into account the fact that it is impossible to use Apple maps, you must select the “Hybrid” mode in the lower right corner. As a result of this action, you will at least see houses and street names. By overlaying this data on any other map, you can accurately determine the position of the device.

If the lost iOS device is offline, you can activate the function "Notify me of a find". In this case, when the device is connected to the network, a notification will be sent to the email specified in your Apple account that the device has been detected. However, it is more advisable to use the next step.

Step 2 – Turn on Lost Mode

With its help, you can not only remotely lock your device with a 4-digit password, but also track its geolocation, and also display a custom message with a contact phone number on the device screen.

A feature of this mode is that when activated, if geolocation services are disabled on the device, they will immediately included to determine the geoposition of the device.

In order to use this mode, you need to select the lost device and click on the button in the menu that opens "Lost Mode". After this, you need to indicate a telephone number for contact, and also write a short message. If your gadget does not have a 4-digit unlock password, you must enter that as well.

By clicking on the “Finish” button, the online device is immediately put into lost mode - all notifications are blocked, and the data you entered appears on its screen.

If the device is offline, blocking and tracking (if possible) will be activated when it is connected to the network.

You will be notified of the successful activation of Lost Mode by email specified in your Apple account.

Now comes the fun part. Everyone knows very well that in many countries there are no houses on Apple maps, which is why in some cases the company still uses Google maps.

A similar letter arrives after discovering a device with “Lost Mode” activated. As you can see from this screenshot, there are houses on the map. In addition the letter contains the exact address locating the device.

As soon as you receive this data, you must immediately hand them over to law enforcement agencies. In most cases, this will be enough to find the missing device.

Step 3 – Erase all data from your device

This is an extreme measure that must be used if it is not possible to obtain information about the location of the lost gadget, or it is located in a hard-to-reach place, for example, far abroad. All you need to do for this action is to select the desired device and click on the appropriate button in the drop-down menu.

Attention! Once you delete all data from the device, you will no longer be able to obtain its geolocation, and accordingly, the device cannot be tracked.

If the device is online, the data will be deleted immediately, offline - the first time you connect to the Internet. Also, under no circumstances You should not delete the “cleaned” gadget from your account. In this case, activation lock will be disabled and attackers will be able to activate and use your iPhone or iPad.

2. Find My iPhone is not activated

Unfortunately, if you have not previously activated this feature, you will not be able to find your lost device using it. However, it is still possible to protect some data.

Step 1 – Change Account Passwords

First of all, we are talking about the password for the Apple ID, changing which prevents third parties from gaining access to iCloud, iMessage or iTunes data. Other important accounts that require updating access include email accounts, social networks, etc.

Step 2 - Block the ability to send messages and make calls

To do this, contact your mobile operator. This step will protect you from possible costs for calls that could be made by attackers.

Step 3 – Report your lost or stolen device to law enforcement

Although it seems trivial and useless, it is still worth doing. At a minimum, you will have a chance, albeit small, to return your favorite gadget.

If it is your iPhone that is lost, then the first thing you need to do is call it. The likelihood that you will get an answer is quite high.

Finally, some tips, which will not only help protect your personal data, but will also significantly increase the chances of returning your lost device.

Apple products have always had a special status among customers. Even the price, which is quite high for the average audience, does not stop them - status is above all. But when such a coveted phone disappears, due to personal absent-mindedness or theft, its owners begin to puzzle over how to return it. Fortunately, the company itself has helped somewhat in this regard - every iPhone has a beacon or geolocation function “Find My iPhone” (in the Russian version - “Find iPhone”).

The search is carried out via the Internet, provided that the smartphone itself is turned on and has an active connection to the network. In this case, the service will provide the exact coordinates of the device, but what to do and how if it is physically turned off (for example, the battery is low) or does not have an Internet connection? We will try to find answers to this question in this article.

What's the main problem?

Despite the fact that smartphones running Android OS make up more than 80% of all those sold, and their average cost is 4-5 times less than current iPhone models, they do not even have a hint of the search capabilities of Apple gadgets. Undoubtedly, there are developments in this direction, but this is rather third-party software, not always free.

As for iPhones, the “Find My iPhone” function was implemented as an “on-board” feature back in 2010. Today it is an integral part of any Apple gadget, including iPad and Mac. In new models running iOS8 and higher, it is tied to the iCloud cloud data sharing service. However, every iPhone owner should know that this feature is not enabled by default. It is present in the “Settings” system menu in the “iCloud” tab, where it can be found and activated. The manufacturer itself strongly recommends doing this as soon as the phone is turned on for the first time.

The main problem with this is that most of the functionality and options implemented in the iPhone, especially the latest generations, are tied to the Internet. For example, the same search function operates through the network, cloud service iCloud. To activate the standard search procedure, the following conditions must be met:

The phone must be turned on, that is, the battery charge must be sufficient for the gadget to function;
It must have an Internet connection and a search beacon activated;
You need an additional device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, PC, not necessarily made by Apple), with Internet access to connect to the iCloud website.

If at least one of the first two conditions is not met, then there is no point in using standard search methods, since they will not give results. However, it is necessary to briefly remind you about them, since at any moment someone can find and turn on the gadget.

Standard search operation

If a loss is discovered, you need to start activating the “Find My iPhone” search option by visiting the official iCloud website. The first thing the user will encounter on his way is the authorization dialog in the system, where he will have to enter the login and password of AppleID - a single account. If the function was activated earlier, then an account has probably been created, otherwise it is impossible to access the company’s services (iTunes, AppStore, etc.).

After logging in, you need to select the appropriate menu item and a map will open in the window with a dialog for selecting a device to search. Let us remind you that you can connect several different Apple gadgets (phone, tablet, etc.) to a single account and synchronize via a cloud service. In this case, you will have to select the one that was lost/stolen from the drop-down list.

If at the time of entering the service the smartphone is connected to the Internet, the point on the map will be colored green, and the battery charge icon will be displayed in the menu. Otherwise, the dot will be gray, and the indicated position will indicate the location of the last access to the Internet. The menu will display the time that has passed since that moment and a request for notification - if the phone suddenly turns on and after a while there is an attempt to connect to the network, then an e-mail with exact coordinates will be sent to the owner’s email address.

In the Find My iPhone menu itself, there are three options:

Play sound. The iCloud service sends a command to the gadget to play a loud signal that can attract the attention of others.
Lost Mode. The main action in case of loss of a smartphone. When activated, a notification will be sent to your iPhone asking you to call the specified number about the find. The smartphone itself will be locked with a security password. If it has not been entered previously into the “iCloud” menu, the program will prompt you to do this through a dialogue.
EraseiPhone/ iPad/ Mac. An extreme measure in case it is not possible to find a lost gadget. In this case, all documents and personal data of the user will be deleted from the smartphone. After performing this action, the geolocation function will no longer be able to track the gadget.

In conclusion, I would like to remind you that all these options will only be executed when the iPhone connects to the Internet.

Other search options

If the battery on the missing iPhone is not working, then what you do next will depend on whether the Find My iPhone feature was activated or not. If the answer is yes, then you definitely need to start with the standard search procedure described in the previous section. Sooner or later, the gadget can be found, charged and tried to access the Internet, then the options will be activated.

If the owner forgot, did not have time, or ignored the protection options available to him, then to be on the safe side, you need to perform the following steps:

Try to dial the number of the lost gadget. The possibility that the phone is somewhere nearby or that an adequate person will find it and return it to its owner always exists and cannot be neglected.
Change authorization dataAppleID. By changing passwords for a single account and accounts for services, email accounts, and social networks, you can prevent unauthorized access to them.
Contact the operator. In order for the person on the other side to not be able to use communication services, you need to block the SIM card through a request to customer support.
Contact the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When submitting an application, you will need to indicate the smartphone model and its IMEI. You can find the code on the back cover of the gadget, on the packaging, or in the system menu.

Obviously, in the case of disabled security measures (search function), only a lucky chance or the Ministry of Internal Affairs can help in the search, the desire to search for which the phone can often also be compared with happiness.

Greetings! Apple mobile devices have a great feature that has already helped (and continues to help) many users find their forgotten (stolen) iPhones or iPads. Many people have heard about it - this is “find iPhone”. But there is also an important component of this option - the loss mode. Not many people have heard about it anymore. Why? The thing is that they usually start using it when the device has already been lost or stolen.

I sincerely hope that it was not such a misfortune (loss or theft) that brought you to this page, but just idle curiosity. I will try to fully satisfy him and tell him about the lost mode in the iPhone in as much detail as possible, let's go!

What is Lost Mode on iPhone?

As I already said, this is one of the components of the “find iPhone” function. Accordingly, it is impossible to use one without the other. This mode allows you to perform two manipulations with your device at a distance:

If your iPhone or iPad did not have a screen lock password, set one.
Display any message on the screen.

The standard entry that appears when you turn on Lost Mode is: “This iPhone has been lost. Please, call me". Plus, the phone number you provide.

Naturally, you are free to change it and write whatever you want, even the most serious curse words.

How does Lost Mode work?

After activating the loss mode (how to do this is written below), the device screen is locked with a password (which was set earlier or the one you specified yourself when you turned on this mode) and an inscription with the text you wrote is displayed on the screen. Now no one will be able to use the device or gain access to it without knowing the password.

If someone wants to remove it, for example (even with ), then of course they will succeed and the password that is set for the screen lock will disappear. However, subsequently, a special window will appear in which it will be written that this device is in lost mode and you need to enter your Apple ID account information to unlock it.

It is noteworthy that such devices are almost impossible to unlock in any way, even through Apple technical support. Receipts, boxes and other evidence that the gadget was purchased by you and belongs to you will no longer help here. Company employees will only repeat one thing - remember your Apple ID and password.

The most important thing to remember. If the iPhone or iPad is in Lost Mode and the credentials are not known, then you can do the following with such devices:

Sell for spare parts.
Just put it on the shelf.

At the moment, it is almost (99%) impossible to make them work.

How to enable Lost Mode on iPhone?

There are two main ways to activate Lost Mode:

Using the iCloud service web page.
Through a special application available for free download in the App Store - “find iPhone”.

Since access to the Internet is much easier to obtain than another Apple device with a special application installed, we will consider enabling the lost mode through the iCloud online service.

P.S. In any case, no matter what actions you want to take with the lost mode - activate or deactivate, the chances of a successful outcome increase with each “like” for this article. Try it! Still have questions? I'm waiting in the comments!

Upon arrival from Thailand, our homeland did not greet us very warmly; at the exit from Domodedovo, my iPhone was stolen.

And to hell with it, but 4,500 photographs showing the birth of Dashaun, a vacation in Thailand and other dear and necessary photographs were incredibly sad.
I didn’t get upset, but rolled up my sleeves and went online to find out what could be done in this case and how to return a stolen iPhone - A procedure that will be useful to everyone who got caught
into a similar situation.

Is it possible to return an iPhone?

Can. At least you can try to do this. But looking ahead, I will say that do not repeat my mistakes and prepare for a possible theft in advance so that you know how to return a stolen iPhone,
when everything has already happened.

How to save and protect files on iPhone?

If you, like me, take a lot of photographs and shoot videos, but for some reason the mac cloud is not suitable for you (it’s not suitable for me because it eats up too much space, and also because there are a bunch of devices on one ID and the cloud drives they are all in one pile).
I advise you to download it from the Apple Store and install the cloud mail

They give 100 GB for free, which is quite a lot. Files are downloaded very quickly and everything will remain safe and sound.
It is also advisable to back up photos and videos in iTunes, which I certainly haven’t done for a year.

How to protect your iPhone from strangers

The first and most important thing is to set a password. Second, download the Find iPhone program and install it on your phone.

Third, find out your IMEI code in advance. You can find out by dialing the number - *#06# and call. Or look under the battery, there is a sticker there. Also, the IMEI code is on the box, if it is preserved.

How to return a stolen iPhone - what to do?

If you did all of the above in advance, then the chances of returning the phone are high.
As soon as you find it missing, go to the icloud website and put your phone in lost mode. You are asked to enter a contact phone number and a message for the person who found or stole the phone. In icloud, in case of loss, there are 3 options - turn on the lost mode, call (the phone will ring as soon as it enters the network, convenient if you cannot find the phone at home), and also - erase the phone remotely.
In fact, the first and last are not much different. I thought that by returning the phone and removing the lost mode, I would be able to recover my photos. This would have been the case if I had connected to iTunes or the apple cloud service on time. If you did not do this, then only the information that was synchronized the last time you logged into iTunes will remain on your phone.

So here it is. There are actually two options for returning the phone: The first is to turn on the lost mode, leave a message about the return for a fee and a contact number (I did this), the second is to contact the police with the IMEI code number. Let's laugh together at the second method and at how suddenly all the employees of your police department will run to look for your phone, but trying is not torture, cases of returning the phone through the police have happened. There is no need to explain that if you have friends who work for large operators such as Beeline or Megafon, then this will also help you. IMEI code is like your phone's fingerprints. If a person threw out his old SIM card, inserted his own and uses the phone, then he can be easily found by IMEI through cellular operators. Find and remotely block the phone or find and try to track it - return the phone with the help of the police.
Friends in the police are also welcome.

How I returned my iPhone

I MEI I didn’t know mine, the box was thrown away a hundred years ago, and of course I wouldn’t have gone to the police.
Therefore, leaving a message to bad people, I began to wait. We didn't have to wait long. Three days later, a notification was sent to the email associated with the apple id that the phone was connected to the network at such and such a time. Great, I thought. I checked the address, children's clinic, hmm.
I wrote a new message in which I addressed the guys at such and such an address with a request to return the phone for a reward (7000 rubles). As soon as the number changed from 5000 to 7000, my new phone rang and with an accent told an amazing story about how my phone was sold to him, and he read my message and of course is ready to return it.
I was terribly happy. To hell with them with seven thousand, choke, you greedy dogs, I thought, but I’ll return the photos!
We made an appointment in the evening, and it’s good that I went with my husband. A flock of tense people of Caucasian nationality gave me a phone and we said goodbye.
Of course, my good Samaritan did not hear anything about the wallet in which the phone was, or about the cards, about 1,500 baht and dollars.

Then the agony began with getting the phone out of lost mode. After consulting with the guys who had repaired our imac a couple of days before, I learned that the photos, bye bye, had sailed away. I should have thought earlier, connected to iTunes and everything I talked about before. In fact, I received content and photos from April 2013, great!

That is. Why the hell should I look for an iPhone, pay to buy it for the sake of photos and files, if they are all stored in the cloud and iTunes? This is not very clear to me.

Take two

Two days later, in the Nike store, in the fitting room, my daughter’s iPhone was stolen. PPC! I blocked him an hour later, but he never came online. I assume that it was immediately used for spare parts.
Yes! Where did this price for my ransom come from? An iPhone 5 locked by the Find iPhone program turns into a brick. There is absolutely nothing you can do with it other than disassemble it for parts. Provided that you have iOS 6 or higher.
The Apple equipment repairmen mentioned above said that the price of such a phone is 5000 rubles. No one wanted to pay me back for five and six, but for seven they returned it.
An iPhone 4, locked in the same way, costs 3,000 rubles.

Now let's repeat:

* Do not neglect the password, it is almost impossible to crack, the phone enters sleep mode after several attempts.

* Install “find iPhone” in advance, if you have an Android, this also works.
* Rewrite IMEI code
* Don't forget to transfer files to the cloud email or the one you like best. Sync with iTunes.
* If your phone is stolen, block it quickly, I think the Machine was “merged” before I put it in lost mode.

Better not lose anything!!!

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