You can turn off Find My iPhone without deleting your Apple ID or erasing your device

Find My iPhone is a tracking feature built into iCloud that lets you locate, lock, or erase your device remotely if it's lost or stolen. If you want to stop using it, you have two separate choices: turn it off temporarily (so you can turn it back on later), or remove it permanently from your account. Most people turn it off rather than remove it, because removing it requires you to know your Apple ID password and can make it harder to recover a lost phone later.

The steps differ depending on whether you're working from the device itself or from another computer or phone. Both routes take about two minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Turning off Find My iPhone on your device keeps your Apple ID active but stops location tracking; you can turn it back on anytime.
  • Removing Find My iPhone from iCloud.com permanently deletes it from your account but requires your Apple ID password.
  • If you're selling or giving away your device, you must turn off Find My iPhone before the new owner can use it.
  • Turning off Find My iPhone does not delete any photos, messages, or other data on your phone.

Turn off Find My iPhone from your iPhone or iPad

This is the fastest method if you still have access to your device. Open Settings, then tap your name at the top of the screen. Tap iCloud, then scroll down and tap Find My. You'll see two toggles: Find My iPhone and Find My Network. Tap the toggle next to Find My iPhone to turn it off. Your device will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm — this is a security step to prevent someone else from disabling it without permission.

If you also want to turn off Find My Network, tap that toggle too. Find My Network is a separate feature that helps locate your device even when it's offline, using other Apple devices nearby. You can turn off one without affecting the other.

Once you've entered your password, Find My iPhone is off. You can turn it back on the same way whenever you want.

Turn off Find My iPhone from iCloud.com

If you don't have your device with you, or if it's broken or lost, you can turn off Find My iPhone from any computer or phone by visiting iCloud.com. Sign in with your Apple ID and password, then click Find My. Click Find My iPhone in the left sidebar. At the top of the screen, click All Devices to see a list of all devices linked to your account.

Click the device you want to remove from Find My, then click Remove from Account at the bottom of the details panel. Confirm by clicking Remove again. This permanently removes the device from your Find My account — it will no longer show up in your device list, and you won't be able to locate it remotely.

This method actually removes the device from your account rather than just turning off the feature. If you later want to use Find My iPhone on that device again, you'll need to set it up fresh by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My and turning it back on.

What happens when you turn off Find My iPhone

Turning off Find My iPhone stops Apple from tracking your device's location. You won't appear in anyone's Find My Friends list, and you won't be able to use the Find My app to locate your own device if it's lost. If your phone is stolen, you won't be able to lock it or erase it remotely.

Your Apple ID remains active, and all your data stays on your device. Your photos, messages, contacts, and apps are not affected. You can still use iCloud to back up your device, and you can still sign in to other Apple services like Apple Music or the App Store.

If you're concerned about privacy and location tracking in general, turning off Find My iPhone is one step. You may also want to check your location services settings — go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services to see which apps have permission to access your location.

Before you sell or give away your iPhone

If you're planning to sell your device or give it to someone else, you must turn off Find My iPhone before handing it over. A device with Find My iPhone still active is locked to your Apple ID, and the new owner won't be able to use it without your password. This is a security feature designed to prevent theft.

After you turn off Find My iPhone, you should also sign out of iCloud on the device. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > scroll to the bottom and tap Sign Out. You'll be asked whether to keep or delete data stored in iCloud on that device — choose based on whether you want the new owner to have access to your photos and other files. Then tap Sign Out again to confirm.

Once you've signed out of iCloud and turned off Find My iPhone, the device is ready for the new owner to set up with their own Apple ID.

If you forgot your Apple ID password

If you want to turn off Find My iPhone but don't remember your Apple ID password, you'll need to reset it before you can proceed. Go to iforgot.apple.com and enter your Apple ID email address. Apple will send you a link to reset your password, or you can answer security questions if you set them up previously. Once you've reset your password, you can turn off Find My iPhone using the steps above.

If you can't access your email or answer your security questions, you may need to contact Apple Support. They can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account. This process usually takes longer than resetting your password yourself, so if possible, try the password reset first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off Find My iPhone delete my data?

No. Turning off Find My iPhone only stops the tracking feature. All your photos, messages, contacts, apps, and other data remain on your device. Your iCloud backup continues to work normally.

Can I turn Find My iPhone back on after I turn it off?

Yes. Go back to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it back on. You'll need to enter your Apple ID password again.

What's the difference between turning it off and removing it from my account?

Turning it off keeps the feature on your device but disables it — you can turn it back on anytime. Removing it from iCloud.com permanently deletes it from your account. If you remove it, you'll need to set it up again from scratch if you want to use it later.

Will my family still be able to see my location if I turn off Find My iPhone?

Find My iPhone and Find My Friends are separate features. Turning off Find My iPhone stops location tracking, but if you're sharing your location through Find My Friends, that continues separately. To stop location sharing with family, open Find My > People and remove yourself from their list, or ask them to stop sharing with you.

Do I need to turn off Find My iPhone before I factory reset my device?

It's a good idea to turn it off first, but if you factory reset without turning it off, the device will still be locked to your Apple ID. The new owner will see an activation lock screen and won't be able to use the device without your password. If this happens, you can remove the device from your account at iCloud.com.