How to Track Your Lost iPhone—Even If It's Powered Off or Battery Dead

Apple's Find My app is a game-changer for recovering misplaced or stolen iPhones, and its expansion to AirTags has made it even more versatile.

With iOS 15 and later, you can now locate compatible iPhones even when the battery is drained or the device is turned off—a major upgrade in peace of mind.

This works on these models:

• iPhone 11
• iPhone 11 Pro / iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 Mini
• iPhone 12 Pro / iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 / iPhone 13 Mini
• iPhone 13 Pro / iPhone 13 Pro Max

Confirm the feature is active: When powering off, look for "iPhone found after power off" below the button.

Enable Find My on Your iPhone

If you're setting it up for the first time:

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My.
• Tap Find My iPhone.
• Toggle on Find My iPhone. For iOS 15+, enable Find My network (for offline tracking) and Send Last Location (shares position on low battery).

Once set up, track your iPhone via the Find My app on another Apple device or at iCloud.com/find using your Apple ID.

On the web, tap the green dot for your device, then the info (i) icon to play a sound, erase data, or activate Lost Mode—which locks the device and displays a custom message and contact number.

The Find My app offers the same tools in a sleek interface, plus map directions to your device.

Best of all, with iOS 15+, tracking works even on powered-off or dead-battery devices.

Safety tip: Use Find My for personal safety features like location sharing and arrival alerts. See our guide: "How to Use iPhone Location Tracking."

Updated September 29, 2021 3:30 PM ET: Added details on post-power-off tracking for compatible iPhones.