If you find yourself in an unpleasant situation where someone has taken your iPhone away from you, fear not! Your thoughts will surely revolve around where it was stolen and what the pickpocket looked like, but entertaining these thoughts is a waste of energy. Thanks to technological advances in recent years, it's now possible to locate your switched-off stolen iPhone using one or more methods. This article provides you with options that are almost guaranteed to get your smartphone back into your hands.
My iPhone has been stolen and is switched off. How can I get it back?
First of all, you need to understand how to locate your stolen iPhone. Even if it's switched off, you can use integrated or non-integrated applications and third-party services to find it.
If your iPhone's Locate function is activated:
- Access Settings on another Apple device.
- Click on the Apple ID.
- Activate the Locate function.
- To locate a switched-off or offline iPhone, activate the Network Locate option.
- Activate the sending of the last position when battery power is low.
These steps enable you to find your stolen iPhone even if it's switched off. However, this only works if the device in question has the Locate function activated.
If your iPhone is switched off but lost and not stolen:
In case you're not sure if your iPhone is stolen, you can always verify it by trying the following features on another Apple device:
- Ring the device via the Locate app, an Apple Watch, HomePod, or other Apple device.
- Use the Locate app to authorize the use of location data and report the device as lost.
- On iCloud.com, log in with the Apple ID, then locate the device and ring it or mark it as lost.
Ask your family for help.
You may not have any other Apple devices with which you can locate your stolen iPhone. However, if other members of your family do, and in case you're all connected together, there's a good chance you'll be able to:
- Ask a family member to locate the device via family sharing.
- Use HomePod by saying, "OK Siri, where's my iPhone?" to make it ring.
Mark the device as lost.
If this doesn't work and your switched-off iPhone can't be found, you can mark it as lost. To do this:
- In the Locate application, select your lost device and activate the Lost mode.
- On iCloud, select the device in My Devices and click on Report as lost.
- Finally, post a personalized message with contact details to facilitate the return of the mobile.
Note that Lost Mode can be used even if the phone has been stolen. Success depends on the Locate application being activated.
How does it work to locate my stolen iPhone when it's turned off?
With iOS 16, the Locate function makes it possible to find an iPhone even when it's switched off or offline, up to around 5 hours after the battery has been completely discharged. This is thanks to the U1 chip and Bluetooth and NFC technologies. If the above methods are not a viable option for you, please use the following methods:
Google and Google Maps
If you can't locate your stolen, switched-off iPhone with the Locate or iCloud applications, try using Google's non-integrated applications. With these, such as Google Maps and your Google account, you increase your chances of finding it.
The prerequisite here is that you have an activated Google account on the mobile device in question. If this is the case, you can use Find My Device to connect to your account on another device. Your iPhone will then appear on the Google Maps map.
If you're not linked to your stolen and switched-off iPhone by your Google account, you can try to find it by using Google Maps location history to see the phone's last known location.
Third-party platforms
If Google Maps fails to locate your stolen iPhone when it's switched off, use non-integrated applications such as social networks that can give you information about your phone's status.
Social networks
Applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram are capable of showing you your smartphone's location if Real Time Sharing mode is enabled. If it is, ask your contacts to check its location and send it to you.
Geoloc.be
Geoloc.be is a third-party service platform that locates all kinds of devices anywhere in the world. Regardless of phone operator or brand, with just three simple steps, you can locate your stolen iPhone in just a few minutes. All you need to do is:
- Enter the phone number, then press the Geolocate button.
- Ask for the device's location (which may work well if the pickpocket presses the message by chance or curiosity).
- View your location on a map.
You can also try to locate your stolen mobile by using the phone number.
Locating a stolen, switched-off iPhone: what you need to know
In conclusion, losing or having your iPhone stolen can be a stressful experience, but thanks to today's technologies and the multiple options available, it's possible to recover it even when it's switched off. Whether through the Locate function, Google services, social networks, or third-party platforms such as Geoloc.be, you have several tools at your disposal to recover your device. By combining these methods with a proactive approach, you significantly increase your chances of finding your iPhone. Don't forget to take security measures too, such as reporting the loss to the authorities and protecting your personal data.
