The quickest way to turn off Find My Phone

The steps to turn off Find My Phone depend on what device you use and which service you want to disable. On an iPhone, you go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it off. On Android, the process varies by manufacturer — Samsung phones use Find Mobile, Google Pixel phones use Find My Mobile through your Google Account, and other brands have their own versions. Each service stores your location on company servers so you can locate your phone remotely, and turning it off means you lose that ability.

Before you disable it, understand what you're giving up: if your phone is stolen or lost, you won't be able to find it using the manufacturer's built-in tools. You'll also lose the ability to remotely lock or erase your phone if someone gains access to it. Some people turn it off temporarily for privacy reasons, while others disable it because they don't plan to use the feature and want to reduce what's being tracked.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone users disable Find My iPhone in Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone, then toggle the switch off and enter their Apple ID password.
  • Android users should check their phone's manufacturer — Samsung uses Find Mobile, Google Pixel uses Find My Mobile, and others vary — because each has a different menu location.
  • Turning off Find My Phone means you lose the ability to locate, lock, or remotely erase your device if it's lost or stolen.
  • Some services require you to enter your account password to disable them as a security measure, so the original account owner can't be locked out of their own phone.

How to turn off Find My iPhone

Open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name at the top of the screen. Select Find My, then tap Find My iPhone. You'll see a toggle switch — tap it to turn the feature off. Your phone will ask you to enter your Apple ID password to confirm. Once you enter it, Find My iPhone is disabled.

If you're selling or giving away your iPhone, Apple requires you to turn off Find My iPhone before the new owner can use it. If you forget to do this, the new owner will see an "Activation Lock" message and won't be able to set up the phone. You can also remove a device from your account by going to iCloud.com, signing in, selecting Find My, choosing the device, and clicking Remove.

How to turn off Find My Mobile on Samsung phones

Samsung phones use a service called Find Mobile instead of Apple's Find My iPhone. Open Settings, scroll down to Accounts and backup, and tap Accounts. Select your Samsung account, then tap Find Mobile. Toggle it off. You may need to enter your Samsung account password to confirm.

If you don't see Find Mobile in your Accounts menu, your phone may use Google's Find My Mobile instead (some Samsung models do both). In that case, open Settings, go to Google, select Manage your Google Account, tap the Security tab, scroll to Find My Mobile, and toggle it off there.

How to turn off Find My Mobile on Google Pixel and other Android phones

Google Pixel phones use Find My Mobile, which is tied to your Google Account rather than a separate service. Open Settings, tap Google, select Manage your Google Account, and go to the Security tab. Scroll down to Find My Mobile and toggle it off. You'll need to enter your Google password to confirm.

Other Android phones vary widely — some use their manufacturer's own service, some use Google's, and some offer both. Check your phone's Settings menu under Accounts, Security, or a manufacturer-specific section. If you can't find it, search your Settings for "Find My" or the manufacturer's name plus "Find My" to locate the right menu.

Why you might want to keep Find My Phone on

Find My Phone services do more than locate your device. They let you remotely lock your phone, display a message on the screen, or erase all data if your phone is stolen. This is especially useful if your phone contains banking apps, email, or photos you don't want someone else to access. Turning off the service removes this protection.

The location data these services collect is encrypted and stored on the company's servers — Apple, Google, or Samsung — not shared with third parties by default. If you're concerned about privacy, you can keep the service on but check your account settings to see what data is being stored and adjust sharing permissions.

What happens after you turn off Find My Phone

Once you disable the service, your phone stops sending location data to the company's servers. If your phone is lost or stolen, you won't be able to use the manufacturer's app or website to find it. You also won't be able to remotely lock or erase it. You can still use other methods like calling your phone, checking your phone bill for location data, or contacting your carrier, but these are less reliable.

If you change your mind later, you can turn Find My Phone back on by going through the same settings menu and toggling it on. You'll need to enter your account password again. The service will resume sending location data to the company's servers.

Turning off Find My Phone before selling or recycling your device

If you're selling or giving away your phone, you must turn off Find My Phone before handing it over. The new owner won't be able to set up the phone if the service is still active under your account — they'll see an Activation Lock (on iPhone) or Factory Reset Protection (on Android) message. This is a security feature designed to prevent theft, but it means you have to disable it yourself.

After turning off Find My Phone, also sign out of your account completely. On iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. On Android, go to Settings > Accounts, select your account, and choose Remove Account. This ensures the new owner can set up their own account without your data being accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone else turn off Find My Phone on my device?

No. Both Apple and Google require your account password to disable Find My Phone, so someone with physical access to your phone can't turn it off without knowing your password. This is a security feature to prevent thieves from disabling tracking.

Will turning off Find My Phone affect my phone's other features?

No. Turning off Find My Phone only disables the remote location and lock features. Your phone will work normally, and location services for maps and weather apps will continue to work if you have location services enabled in your main settings.

Can I turn off Find My Phone temporarily and turn it back on later?

Yes. You can toggle it off and on whenever you want by going back to the same settings menu. Each time you turn it off, you'll need to enter your account password. There's no limit to how many times you can do this.

What if I forgot my password and can't turn off Find My Phone?

You'll need to reset your account password through the company's website — Apple.com for iCloud, Google.com for Google accounts, or Samsung.com for Samsung accounts. Once you reset your password, you can sign back in and disable Find My Phone.

Does turning off Find My Phone stop all location tracking?

No. Turning off Find My Phone only stops the manufacturer's tracking service. Your phone may still send location data to other apps, your carrier, or your internet service provider depending on what permissions you've granted. Check your location settings and app permissions separately if you want to reduce all location tracking.