Worried that you've lost your iPhone or your Macbook? We show you how to keep tabs on where your devices are
The good news for Apple fans is that its Find My feature is integrated into many of its devices, including iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, Apple Watches and AirPods as well as Macbooks. This means that should they go AWOL, you should be able to track them down.
As with the Google Android and Microsoft Windows equivalents, you can sign in to your account and see where your device is on a map, but Apple has a couple of other tricks up its sleeve, including the option to display a message on the screen in case someone finds your lost device.
How to turn tracking on for your iPad or iPhone
First, you'll have to enable location services: tap the Settings app, then tap Privacy>Location Services and toggle Location Services on.
Then go back to the Settings app and tap on your name at the top of the screen. Then tap Find My iPhone/iPad and toggle the switch to On. Then tap Find My iPhone/iPad to get to the next screen, where you can also turn on Enable Offline Finding, so that you can see your device on a map even when it's not online, and Send Last Location to enable it to send its location when the battery is very low.
What about my Apple Watch and AirPods?
So long as you've paired them to your iPhone, you don't have to take any further steps: they are automatically set up when you enable the Find My feature.
How to find your lost iOS device
If you've got another iOS device - an iPhone or an iPad - you can use the Find My app on that device. It will show where all your devices are, and offer options: you can get the device to play a sound (useful if it's somewhere in the house under a pile of laundry or a pet or down the side of the sofa, or mark it as lost to lock the device and display a custom message on the lock screen - perhaps offering a reward for its return and a contact number. Or you can remotely wipe the device.
Want some more help with securing an Apple device? Our friendly tech team can help you with one-to-one support on a range of tech issues. Find out more here.
You can also log in from any computer or tablet via the icloud.com website using the same username and password you use on your missing phone or tablet. From the dashboard, click on the Find iPhone app - you might have to enter your username and password again. That will take you to a map, and from the dropdown menu in the middle you can choose which device you want to track, or all of them. Click on the device you want to track and a window pops up showing you how much battery it has left, and the options to Play Sound, put it into Lost Mode or Erase iPhone/iPad.
How to turn on tracking for your MacBook
If you want to be able to find a lost MacBook, you'll need to make sure tracking is turned on for that device. On your MacBook, open the System Preferences panel, then click Apple ID on the top right.
Then in the list of apps, click the Options button next to Find My Mac, then click Turn On next to both Find My Mac and Offline Finding, and then click Done once you're finished.
Once this is all turned on, you'll be able to track a missing Mac in the same way as a missing iOS device via either the Find My app on an iPhone or an iPad, or by logging in to icloud.com on another device.