Find My can find powered-off or wiped iPhones in iOS 15

In iOS 15, users will be able to find a lost or missing iPhone in Find My — even if it's powered off or factory reset.

Along with a new separation alert feature, Find My in iOS 15 is getting an upgrade with a tracking mechanism that allows users to trace an iPhone when it's powered off. The alert pops up when an iPhone is running low on power after updating to iOS 15.

"Locate your devices using the Find My network even after they have been turned off. This can help you locate a missing device that was low on battery power or that may have been turned off by a thief," Apple says.

Apple notes that users can change the functionality in the Find My pane of the Settings app.

Additionally, in iOS 15, Apple says that Find My tracking will work even when an iPhone is reset to factory settings if Activation Lock is enabled.

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12 Comments

sedicivalvole 18 Years · 231 comments

About 3 years ago

Now this looks very good!

1 Like · 0 Dislikes

doozydozen 12 Years · 540 comments

…but how?

genovelle 17 Years · 1481 comments

repressthis said:

…but how?

I’m guessing using UWB and the same tech used by AirTags so other Apple devices pings and reports it to the network. This why when it’s shut off it goes into super low power mode and only powers the Bluetooth low power.

2 Likes · 0 Dislikes

zimmermann 10 Years · 353 comments

I do a factory reset before I sell the phone. How can I still track the device, or even want to track it?

entropys 14 Years · 4400 comments

genovelle said:

repressthis said:

…but how?

I’m guessing using UWB and the same tech used by AirTags so other Apple devices pings and reports it to the network. This why when it’s shut off it goes into super low power mode and only powers the Bluetooth low power.

No doubt. Next time I am hunted by the fascist imperial State Thought Police, turning of the phone won’t be enough, I will have to throw it in a passing truck bed unless I have a pencil.

/too many movies.