Last Updated on December 28, 2019 by Jay
.What is Lost Mode on iPhone? What does it do? Are there any requirements for us to it? And how do we use it? This article is made to answer all these questions and maybe even more than that. If you’re interested in it, feel free to keep on reading!
What is Lost Mode on iPhone?
As some of you may have already guessed by the name, Lost Mode is a feature that can be used to locate and manage a lost Apple device. It’s not only available for iPhone devices, but also for iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, and Mac computers as well!
With that being said, do keep in mind that Macs can’t be located or erased unless they are near a previously used Wi-Fi network.
This feature is built-in to Apple devices for security reasons. There is obviously the fact that you don’t want a stranger to get his hands on your phone. But, most importantly, you don’t want anyone to see private documents, photos, or anything that involves privacy for that matter.
Apart from being able to track, locate, and erase a lost iPhone, you can also use Lost Mode to display a custom message. So, you can maybe use it to leave some contact information, and, hopefully, anyone who finds it will be courteous enough to give it back.
You can find Lost Mode under “Find My iPhone” which is available on iCloud. Of course, this means that you must have that feature enabled before you end up losing the device.
The phone must also be connected to a network in order to be located – unless Offline Finding is pre-enabled. But, more on that later.
Do keep in mind that even if the location service is turned off, it will be temporarily turned on in order for the device to be located.
How to use Lost Mode
First of all, Lost Mode requires your phone to be running at least iOS 6. That’s the minimum requirement for Lost Mode in particular while other features such as “Find My iPhone” ask for at least iOS 8!
Other than that, you’ll also obviously need an Apple ID in order to use iCloud’s Find My iPhone feature in order to get access to Lost Mode.
With that out of the way, here’s how to use it:
- by using a computer, log in to iCloud and head over to Find My iPhone
- Select “All Devices”
- Click on your lost iPhone
- Select “Lost mode
- Follow the on-screen instructions
- And that’s about it
At this point, it’s worth mentioning that if you don’t already have a password/passcode on your iPhone, then you will be forced to create one remotely. It’s important that you don’t forget it or you’ll be forced to head over to a repair center just to get the phone unlocked.
As we mentioned above, it’s highly recommended that you’ll insert a message and a number that someone can use to reach you if he finds your phone. Alternatively, you could also mention an email, social media name, or anything like that.
What Happens When Lost Mode is Enabled?
Apart from you being able to lock and locate a lost iPhone, enabling Lost Mode also puts a few other security measures into play.
Apple Pay is going to be completely disabled – which means that any credit or debit cards (And anything in between) will be suspended for as long as Lost Mode is enabled. Once Lost Mode is active, it doesn’t matter if the phone is online or not – these effects will stay in place until you disable them.
Other than that, the phone will stop displaying alerts, notifications, and won’t play any sound when something new is received. However, this is not going to affect calls.
As we mentioned above, the phone’s location will keep on getting tracked – even if the Location Services are turned off. The situation is not nearly as good for Mac computers. But, you can still erase them or locate them if they are connected on a known Wi-Fi. That obviously doesn’t help too much. But, hey, don’t hate the messenger.
Wrapping Up
With everything said and done, all that remains is to learn how to disable Lost Mode after finding your phone. To do that:
- Either enter your passcode on the now found iPhone
- Or log back into iCloud’s Find My iPhone, head over to your device, and select “Stop Lost Mode”
Do keep in mind that the thief needs to be online. If there is no Wi-Fi or cellular connection, then Lost Mode will not be able to work. It’s fine to go offline after you activate it – but not before that.
Thankfully, chances are that the culprit will eventually be forced to go online or the phone will be useless. But don’t forget that a tech-savvy person may still be able to find a way or two to get around this.
That’s all for now. If you have any questions, feel free to let us know about them in the comments section down below. WTLS will get back to you as soon as possible.
Also, if you liked this article, feel free to share it with your friends.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-k-8246a1169/
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