Lost/stolen Apple Watch dead but still showing location

Wow. I'm speechless. This completely circumvents any utility FindMy may have. Why on earth wouldn't it just stick with the last know location?? If it did I might have a prayer of finding my **** watch. 😡

As super stressful as this is, I just wanted to share my experience, in hopes that it may help someone else. When accessing "Find My" app from my iPhone, similar to most of you, I was very confused as to why my "dead" Apple Watch seemed to always be in the same location as my iPhone; yet, it was nowhere to be found. Concerned that this iOS's feature/app could somehow be sending me incorrect information, I decided to compare, both:

1. The data obtained from iCloud.com's "Find My" feature, accessed via my Mac, to
2. The data that I previously received from the "Find My" app, accessed via my iPhone

Surprisingly, the data from my Mac, DID NOT correspond to the information that was obtained from my iOS Device. Upon immediate accessing the iCloud.com's "Find My" feature via my Mac, I was able to see the "LAST KNOWN LOCATION" before my Apple Watch went dead/offline. Something I was unable to do with my iOS device and after reading the previous responses I now understand why.

In conclusion, what I learned from this entire fiasco is that, once an iPhone is disabled or id dead:

1."Find My" app installed on the watch's paired device, (i.e. iPhone) will be of NO USE.

• Mainly, because once the device is disabled, the watch's location is then assumed to be wherever the "paired device" is; which may or may not be the watch's actual location. Therefore, once the watch is disabled, utilizing the "paired device" as a means to locate the watch, may only lead to further confusion because it will always appear as if the watch is with the "paired device" or at one of its most recent locations; dependent mostly on, factors such as, wifi eligibility.

2.Determining the last known location, prior to the device being disabled, may be achieved by accessing the iCloud.com's "Find My" feature; using a device that is NOT PAIRED with the Apple Watch. At least, this was my saving grace.

3.The "PING or Playing Sound" feature located in "Find My" DID NOT work, while trying to locate my disabled apple watch. However, once the watch was REBOOTED, the feature DID work.

As mentioned previously, this is a horrible design flaw, one that I hope is fixed with the newest update. Being that we have come to expect so much more from apple, it's highly frustrating when mishaps like this occurs. Hope you guys can find this info somewhat helpful.

Pardon my frustration, but who designed this feature? I lost my series 7 weeks ago and have turned my car inside out because it seemed to be following me. At no point was it ever indicated that it was actually tracking my phone instead of the watch. I fail to see how this would be helpful in any way.

So it updates where your phone is until it is charged? Why does it not show the last known location like other devices. My watch is LTE enabled and has its own phone number assigned to it. You would think that at least would allow it to show its location or last known. Apple needs to fix this. It doesn’t make sense to keep updating it because it was paired. The watch should send its last known location before running out of power and leave it at that. 🤦

Because when you look at Find My, your location displayed is your iPhone and Apple Watches. Once the Apple Watch's battery is dead, it will show your iPhone location due to the pairing of the devices. That is why it appears that it is following you. Until the Watch has its battery charged, it will not display its location again.

Uggghhhhh I’ve literally been doing the same thing. Was considering accusing the weird kid that lives below me of stealing my watch from my apt. That’s how bad my paranoia had gotten. Thanks for sharing this.

1. On another device, other than the one the Apple Watch is paired to, access "FindMy." I accessed "find my" from my Mac and was immediately able to see my watch's last known location, prior to dying.
2. keep in mind that this only can be done once. When trying to Re-Access the same info for the second time, using my Mac again. Instead of showing me the actual last location, it showed that my watch was in the same location as the paired device, my iPhone; which of course was incorrect.

well there should be a reserve battery that can be activated in the case it is marked as lost. Just like when the watch can keep showing the time even when it needs charging. And I would like its "last known location" to be available even after 24hrs. What is so good about GDPR and privacy if my watch is lying on the ground somewhere free to be picked up by a stranger whilst Apple, in the name of privacy laws, is not allowed to let me - ME the owner of the watch - access the whereabouts of its last known location after 24hrs 🤦🏻‍♀️

Findmy can only tell you where your watch is as long as the watch is transmitting a signal,if it's dead then it can't report it's position so findmy tells you the watch's last known position when it was online.

Findmy can't possibly know that your battery is about to go flat so it does the next best thing which is to tell you it's last known position when it was receiving signals from the watch.

That's how it works,if you want it to work some other way then suggest here by all means;

aurelie1101 wrote:

well there should be a reserve battery that can be activated in the case it is marked as lost. Just like when the watch can keep showing the time even when it needs charging. And I would like its "last known location" to be available even after 24hrs. What is so good about GDPR and privacy if my watch is lying on the ground somewhere free to be picked up by a stranger whilst Apple, in the name of privacy laws, is not allowed to let me - ME the owner of the watch - access the whereabouts of its last known location after 24hrs 🤦🏻‍♀️

There's no room for an additional battery. When your watch is in Power Reserve, it's using the main battery but in very small amounts. It would take far more battery power than that to connect to a network, receive a signal and then emit a sound.

You can certainly let Apple know your thoughts on the matter here:

Product Feedback - Apple

I’ve done the same steps and I am a experiencing the same thing. I recently returned from a vacation and flew over 2000 miles. Find my app on my phone shows the watch located at the hotel I staid at 🤦 this a bug needs fixing? iCloud.com/findmy has no location shown for the watch.

I have been going insane looking for my Apple Watch….

same thing, went to “find my watch” and seeing it was updating random places i went. Obsessing over this.

I remember the day I lost it, it had been sitting on the ledge in my porch for months Uncharged. I decided to take it to work with me and was going to charge while I was at work. I never did wear it. When I went to look for it a few days later it wasn’t in my bag, not on my desk or any coat pockets…. It’s gone.

I’ve been looking for it for about 6 weeks. I knew it was dead but desperately kept trying to refresh find my watch.

then thought it was in my van.

o wish it updated the last place it wasZ this is horrible.

Hello msilvest1216,

We'll be glad to help with your questions about your lost Apple Watch.

Here's a great article to help with locating your Apple Watch: If your Apple Watch is lost or stolen

The Watch app is not what gets updated with regards to the location, but the actual device itself.

Take care!

OzGrrr wrote:

the real funny thing , obviously Apple doesn’t bother even reading these forums, for me the best feed back they can get to improve the product.

That's correct. Apple doesn't read here in these forums for feedback or suggestions. They have a dedicated page for that:

Product Feedback - Apple