Losing the availability of an iPhone due to loss or theft is a small tragedy: in addition to the economic damage that derives from the considerable cost of the device. There is the disturbing feeling of being violated in one’s privacy due to messages, photos, and documents stored in the smartphone that third parties could read. It is important to know How to block stolen iPhone?
Let’s start with one thing immediately when it comes to blocking a stolen iPhone: Apple, thanks to a series of strict operational choices, makes a mobile device (be it an iPhone, iPad, or laptop) practically unusable without knowing the unlock code.
How to block stolen iPhones?
If you fear that your device could be hacked and resold, know that the hypothesis is absolutely remote because the thief should also know the unlock code and your Apple account password (Apple ID).
On the other hand, all the procedures to lock the iPhone remotely, except in the particular case in which the new “Where is “network has been activated and contact can actually be obtained, also require that it be connected to the Internet Wi-Fi or data connection. Otherwise, the unfortunate situation arises in which those who hold the smartphone, even in good faith, will not know the name of the owner, while the owner will not be able to access it remotely.
Lock iPhone via iCloud
Your iPhone is typically linked to an Apple account accessible either through another Apple device or through a web browser. And one of the functions of the Apple account is to access cloud services, such as device geolocation.
To access it via browser, enter www.icloud.com/find and enter your username and password. You will also be asked to enter a verification code that would appear on the iPhone under normal circumstances if you had it on hand. Since in case of theft or loss this is not the case, Apple still allows you to access the “Find iPhone” function by simply clicking on the bottom left of the screen, as I show you in the screenshot below:
Lost iPhone iCloud and Find iPhone
By clicking on “Find iPhone,” you will be redirected to a page that, after a while ‘wait, will show you on a geographical map the location of all your Apple devices, represented by green dots. Once your iPhone has been identified, click on the relevant dot to display the control window.
Lost iPhone
In the window, which appears at the top right of the web page, you will find some data on the lost device (time since the last contact and remaining battery) and three buttons: “Make a ring, “which makes the iPhone emit a sound (useful if you think of having lost it at home or in the car with the preset “silent” mode), “Lost mode” and “Initialize iPhone.”
We are interested in the “Lost Mode, “which will concretely allow us to communicate with those who find the iPhone and are positively willing to return it to us; furthermore, by activating this mode, the payment cards and other services associated with the device will be suspended. By clicking on the relevant button, you will be asked to set a phone number to allow those who find the iPhone to contact you.
iPhone lost mode
You can also choose to display a personalized message on the lock screen of the device.
Once these operations have been completed, the iPhone will remain protected by the same unlock code that you have always used to access it: it would not make sense to provide for a further block as, without the code, the mobile phone is still unusable.
Lock iPhone via “Where is”
The same blocking operation can be obtained through another iOS device, using the “Where is” app you find pre-installed. If the device is associated with another Apple account, you will first need to log out and log in from the same account configured on the lost iPhone.
To do this, access Settings and press on the username that appears at the top of the screen; then, in the relative tab that will open, scroll down until you find the item “Exit.” At this point, you can log in again with a different Apple account, and by opening the “Where is “app, you should be able to see the location of your device.
Remotely initialize iPhone
As we have seen, next to the button that allows you to set the “Lost Mode, “there is also another that allows you to initialize the iPhone remotely. This extreme measure will delete all your data on the mobile phone and obviously should only be implemented if you are now sure that you can no longer recover the device (for example, because you are certain that it has been stolen).
What to do if an iPhone is stolen
An iPhone is an object like any other, so you can report it stolen if you have evidence that this has occurred. The procedure requires a police report made at a State Police command. You will describe the theft circumstances and typically also provide the serial number of the iPhone, which you find printed as a barcode on the original box or reported on the purchase invoice.
Unfortunately, although the direct connection via iCloud allows you to reconstruct the location of the iPhone with a good approximation, this information is hardly useful for recovering the stolen goods by the police.
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