Turning off Find My iPhone on your device
To deactivate Find My iPhone, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name at the top, then select iCloud. Scroll down and tap Find My, then toggle off Find My iPhone. You will need to enter your Apple ID password to confirm — Apple requires this step to prevent someone else from disabling the feature remotely.
The toggle switch will turn from green to gray when it is off. Once it is off, your device will no longer send its location to Apple's servers, and you will not be able to locate it using Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, or the Find My app on another device.
Key Takeaways
- Find My iPhone turns off in Settings under your Apple ID name, then iCloud, then Find My.
- Apple requires your Apple ID password to disable the feature, even if you are on your own device.
- Turning it off means you cannot locate your device if it is lost or stolen.
- You can turn it back on the same way if you change your mind later.
- If you are selling or giving away your device, you should disable Find My iPhone before handing it over.
Why you might want to turn it off
Most people keep Find My iPhone on for security, but there are situations where you might disable it. If you are selling your iPhone, you must turn it off before the new owner can use the device — otherwise it will remain locked to your Apple ID. If you are concerned about location privacy or do not want Apple tracking your device location, turning it off removes that connection.
Some people also disable it temporarily when troubleshooting other problems, though this is rarely necessary. If you are having issues with location services or battery drain, turning off Find My iPhone is usually not the solution — the problem is more likely in your cellular or Wi-Fi settings.
What happens when Find My iPhone is off
With Find My iPhone disabled, you lose the ability to locate your device on a map using another Apple device or a web browser. You also cannot play a sound on your iPhone remotely, lock it from a distance, or erase it if it is stolen. The Find My app on your other devices will show your iPhone as offline or unavailable.
Your device will still work normally for calls, messages, apps, and everything else — only the location-tracking feature stops working. If you turn it back on later, it will resume sending location data to Apple immediately.
Turning it off before selling or giving away your device
If you are selling your iPhone or giving it to someone else, you must disable Find My iPhone before they can use it. Even if you erase the device completely, it will remain linked to your Apple ID and locked until Find My iPhone is turned off. The new owner will see a message saying the device is "Activation Locked" and will not be able to proceed.
The correct order is: turn off Find My iPhone first, then sign out of iCloud, then erase the device. After you erase it, the new owner can set it up with their own Apple ID. If you forget to turn off Find My iPhone and have already handed over the device, you can still disable it remotely by visiting iCloud.com, signing in, and using Find My iPhone to remove the device from your account.
Re-enabling Find My iPhone later
If you decide you want location tracking back on, the process is identical to turning it off. Go to Settings, tap your name, select iCloud, tap Find My, and toggle Find My iPhone back on. You will need your Apple ID password again. It takes a few seconds for the feature to activate and begin sending location data.
Once it is back on, you can use Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, and the Find My app to locate your device. If you have other Apple devices like an iPad or Mac, they will also appear in the Find My app once their location services are enabled.
If you cannot turn it off
If the Find My iPhone toggle is grayed out or will not respond, the most common cause is that you are not signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. Check that you are logged in under Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud. If you are logged in but the toggle is still stuck, try signing out of iCloud completely and signing back in.
Another reason the toggle might be unavailable is if your device is managed by a school or workplace. If your iPhone is enrolled in Mobile Device Management (MDM), your organization may have locked down certain settings, including Find My iPhone. Contact your IT department or school to request that the restriction be removed if you need to disable it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone else turn off Find My iPhone on my device?
No. Turning off Find My iPhone requires your Apple ID password, so only you can disable it. If someone else has your device and your password, they could turn it off, but the feature itself is designed to prevent unauthorized access to your location data.
Will turning off Find My iPhone affect my other Apple devices?
No. Each device has its own Find My iPhone setting. Turning it off on your iPhone does not affect Find My on your iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. You control each device independently.
What if I forgot my Apple ID password and need to turn off Find My iPhone?
You will need to reset your Apple ID password at iforgot.apple.com before you can disable Find My iPhone. Once you reset your password, you can sign back into iCloud and turn off the feature. If you cannot access your Apple ID account, contact Apple Support for help.
Does turning off Find My iPhone delete my location history?
Turning off Find My iPhone stops future location tracking, but it does not delete any location history Apple may have stored. If you want to manage your privacy settings more broadly, you can review what data Apple has collected in Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
Can I turn off Find My iPhone remotely from another device?
No. You must disable Find My iPhone directly on the device itself using your Apple ID password. However, if you have lost your device and cannot access it, you can visit iCloud.com and use Find My to remove the device from your account, which will disable the feature remotely.