While Find My iPhone (also called Find My) is a useful feature, there can be situations when you may need to turn it off
Find My is a great tool for finding lost Apple devices and personal items. It can also be used to share one's location with family and friends. However, in specific situations, you may need to turn off Find My iPhone. For example, you may need to do this when your iPhone or Apple device may be undergoing repairs or service.
You may need to turn off Find My iPhone also when you may be selling or trading in your device. Sometimes, this action could also be required for troubleshooting purposes. There can be privacy related or personal reasons as well. Let's take a look at how to turn off Find My iPhone in legitimate cases.
Turn off Find My directly from your iPhone
If you already have your iPhone with you and need to disable Find My for technical or personal reasons, you can follow these steps. You need to access Settings and go to your Apple Account. You need to tap Find My iPhone and toggle to turn it off. You will need to enter your Apple Account password when prompted.
You can also turn off Find My network (allows the device to be found even when offline or powered off via the broader Apple network). Send Last Location can be disabled separately. In case the toggle is grayed out, you have to first disable Stolen Device Protection. You can do this via Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) and entering your passcode. If you are at a different location, you may need to wait up to 1 hour (security delay).
Turn off Find My iPhone via factory reset
This method is best in case you are selling your phone or giving it to someone else. Just access Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Next, tap on Erase All Content and Settings. Follow the prompts and enter your Apple Account password when asked. Once you confirm, all data and settings will be erased including Find My.
Remotely turn off Find My iPhone
In this method, you need to visit icloud.com/find on a computer or another device and sign in with the same Apple Account. Next, you need to select All Devices and choose your iPhone. If the device is online, you can play a sound. Other options include using the Lost Mode or erase the data. To fully remove it from Find My / your account, you need to choose Remove This Device or Remove From Account. If the device is offline, the Remove option may only appear after an erase is requested or once it comes online briefly.
What happens when you turn off Find My iPhone
Once you have turned off Find My iPhone, the device will no longer appear on the Find My app or iCloud. Moreover, the Activation Lock is also removed. This means that a new owner can set it up with their own Apple Account. Location sharing is also erased when you use this option. You can again turn on Find My, but for that, you need to sign in to your Apple Account. For security reasons, it is highly recommended that you keep the Find My ON at all times. Only for repairs, service, troubleshooting, selling or giveaway, you can turn off Find My iPhone.
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