TRACKING LOST IPHONE.

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Level 1

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TRACKING LOST IPHONE.

My AT&T (US) iPhone 5S was lost in the Philippines today.

first, I have set a passcode to my phone like i normally do.

The question is, how can Find My iPhone locate it?

The robber can't connect it to the internet because it is passcode-locked by myself, thus, I think find my iphone can't be used.

Second, it was lost in the Philippines so AT&T can't locate it here.

Does GPS help Find MY iPhone to locate it?

Or does connecting it to iTunes helps?

How can I bring my phone back? Help please. Thank you!

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.1.1

Posted on May 15, 2014 5:47 AM

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Answer 1

May 15, 2014 6:13 AM in response to nathans19

Did you have Find my iPhone enabled in your iPhone iCloud settings? If you did, then using a computer go to iCloud.com, enter your credentials, click on Devices and look for your lost iPhone, It will be there with either a green or a gray dot. If it is a green dot it will show the location. If it is a grey dot, the iPhone is offline. From there you can track your iPhone once it gets connected to the internet. You can also send a message to the person who has it asking them to contact you and you can erase your iPhone.

If you erase it, it can no longer be tracked even if it comes online, but at least your information is secure. Do not, however, remove the device from your account as this would enable the thief to re-activate it with his Apple ID.

If you did not have Find my iPhone enabled in the phone's settings there is no way you can track or erase it remotely.

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Answer 2

May 15, 2014 6:17 AM in response to nathans19

Sorry I forgot to add that even if it is passcode locked, it can connect to the internet while locked, unless it had Airplane Mode activated. If data roaming was disabled, then it can only connect to Wifi if it recognizes a Wifi network previously used.

If it cannot get online, then you will be unable to track and erase it, but the thief will also be unable to activate it.

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Answer 3

nathans19 Author

Level 1

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May 15, 2014 6:36 AM in response to nathans19

.

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Answer 4

nathans19 Author

Level 1

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May 15, 2014 6:35 AM in response to Community User

Thanks Rojmer.

I was in the Philippines, so data roaming can't be used. Can't the GPS locate it? Is there any way on how the thief know my contact? I have set the Find my iPhone on my iPhone. The only thing that I wanted to know is how can it be online so that it will show it's location on find my iPhone.

Another thing is, can the thief know my icloud/mail so that there will be a little chance that he/she will email me?

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Answer 5

paulcb

Level 6

19,245 points

May 15, 2014 6:44 AM in response to nathans19

The only way to find a lost iOS device is to use the Find my iPhone app on another iOS device or www.icloud.com on a computer. For this to work, you have to enable Find my iPhone (Settings > iCloud) on the lost device prior to loss. If you didn't do this, there is no way to find it. Neither Apple nor your carrier will find it for you.

Also, if the device is shown offline, you won't find it until it comes back online, if it ever does. If Offline, you can set it to Lost Mode and it will notify you if found.

Setup Find my iPhone: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2697

Find my iPhone Overview: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2696

Use Lost Mode: http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2700

Here's a good tip from Kappy on what to do if you device is lost or stolen: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3362

Good luck.

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Answer 6

nathans19 Author

Level 1

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May 15, 2014 6:52 AM in response to paulcb

Yes, I've log on to icloud and applied Lost Mode. But how can it be online? Data roaming for AT&T is useless since it's lost in the Philippines. Connecting to internet, I think, is also useless because it's passcode-locked and it can't connect to any WiFi available. Does GPS locates it? Or connecting it to iTunes does? Thank you!

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