iPhone Tip: Use Find my iPhone MobileMe to track lost or stolen iPhone Guide

By admin on September 6, 2011 in General iPhone Tips and Tricks

iPhone message display

If you’re not familiar with it already, MobileMe is Apple’s answer to a remote syncing service for the iPhone, allowing you to keep contacts, calendar appointments, images and more constantly synchronized to your iPhone on the go. Probably the best reason to have MobileMe at the moment aside from syncing is FindmyiPhone, a service that allows you to track your lost or stolen iPhone, send the thieves love notes and alert the police as to their location with a handy Google map. Here’s how to do all of that cool stuff with FindmyiPhone..

First of all, you will need a MobileMe membership to use these cool features, it runs $99 a year. You can get one here.

If you’re already a MobileMe user, let’s get started…

On Your iPhone

1. Tap on Settings>Mail
2. Tap your MobileMe account.
iPhone MobileMe account
3. Move the Find My iPhone switch to the ON position.
4. If asked to confirm press the Allow button.
iPhone allow

Now you’re all set up to use MobileMe to control your iPhone. If you ever have a need to do it, here’s how.

On Your Computer

Visit www.me.com

1. Enter your MobileMe username and password then click the Login button.
2. Click the Settings icon at the top left of the screen.
iPhone mobileme login
3. Enter your password again and click the Continue button.
4. Click Find My iPhone on the left hand side of the window.
iPhone find my phone

MobileMe will now bring up a map showing the location of your iPhone.

You now have a few options:

Option 1: To send a message to your iPhone:

Click the Display a Message… button.
A popup will appear asking you to enter the message you would like displayed on the device.
If you would like a sound to be played on the iPhone for two minutes check the box labeledPlay a sound for 2 minutes with this message. Click the Send button to send the message.
iPhone display message
You’ll see the message pop up on your iPhone a few seconds later.
iPhone remote lock

Option 2: To Remotely Lock Your iPhone:

If you leave your iPhone behind at a location and you can’t get back to it, use this option to lock your iPhone with a passcode until you can retrieve it.
Click the Remote Lock button.

iPhone set password

Choose a Passcode for your iPhone.

Confirm the Passcode.

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Your iPhone now has a Passcode applied.

Option 3: To Remotely Wipe Your iPhone:

If you believe your device has been stolen you can click the Remote Wipe… button.

iPhone remote wipe

This will bring up another popup asking you to confirm that you would like to permanently erase all media, data, and settings on your iPhone. If you are sure you would like to do this, check the box then click the Erase All Data button.