Apple has always been known for its ability to redefine user experience. With every software update and product reveals, they never fail to introduce state-of-the-art features that surpass its predecessors. With several phones, watches, laptops, and tablets under their rich ecosystem, Apple made the lives of its users easier and more comfortable.

To give you the best experience possible, Apple installs built-in applications on its devices to optimize your daily productivity. Notes allow you to list information with ease, Health enables you to track your steps and sleep cycles, and Mail lets you access multiple inboxes in one centralized platform. But, out of all the useful features in every Apple device, Find My is the one that often goes under the radar.

Gadgets can be easily lost or misplaced, and Apple recognizes this dilemma. As you go through everyday life, there may come a time when you can't find your phone or laptop, and those moments can be pretty frustrating.

With the help of iCloud, Find My will allow you to track your devices wherever they may be, saving you from many headaches. To get you started, the guide below will discuss this app in detail and discuss how you can maximize its features for your everyday needs.

What is the "Find My" App?

Find My is a built-in app found in every Apple product that lets you track the location of your devices and friends.

Since your MacBook, iPad, and iPhone are mobile in nature, you'll likely take them from one place to another. Over time, you may unconsciously leave your laptop inside a conference room, or your phone may accidentally get trapped under the sofa. For both situations, Find My will help you track your devices with ease.

In case you can't find the person you're meeting with, Find My will let you know your friend's location in an instant. Instead of calling over the phone and asking for directions, you can just follow the map to save time. Unlike before, when there were two separate versions for tracking gadgets and locating friends, the latest version of Find My condenses both into a single application.

"Find My" Features

For Devices

1. See the location of all your gadgets in a map

Can't find your MacBook at home? Maybe you left it somewhere else. To give you an idea of where your laptop is, Find My lets you see the location of all your Apple devices in a map. In case its battery runs out, Find My will pin your device's latest location, helping you find it offline.

2. Play a sound to find your gadgets

If you know that your Apple device is within reach, but you still can't find it, it's time to put your ears to good use. If you're tracking smaller gadgets, such as AirPods, Find My's play-a-sound feature will help you find your devices if ever they get lost between cluttered spaces.

3. Put it in Lost Mode

Has your Apple Watch gone missing? Put it in Lost Mode. Apart from locking and tracking your gadget, this feature allows you to display a message on your device's lock screen. If you lost your iPhone, you could add your contact details, so whoever found it could contact you immediately.

4. Erase content for lost Apple devices

In the unfortunate case that you lose your MacBook, don't panic. Find My will prevent your laptop from falling into the wrong hands.

If you've stored important information on it, such as your credit card details and social security numbers, you could rest easy knowing that you could remotely restore your computer to factory settings. If you're able to recover your device, you can restore the data you've erased through your backup on iCloud. It should go without saying, but you need to backup your data regularly.

5. Lock the lost device

To add a layer of protection, Find My comes with an activation lock feature. If your device gets lost, enabling Find My will prevent other users from accessing your device. It will ask for your Apple ID and password before anyone else can tamper or sell it, giving you a stronger sense of security.

For Friends

1. See the real-time location of your friends

Meeting up with a friend? Find My will let you meet up instantly. As long as both of you share your locations, you can easily track each other through the application's map.

2. Get notifications based on location

Find My enables its users to set up notifications whenever a contact leaves or arrives at a particular place. In case your friend is driving home from your party, or if your child leaves school, you'll immediately be notified the moment they're in transit.

Safety of the Find My App

Apple has always been known as the more secure option. Their devices are designed to keep malware at bay and are built with highly-capable security features to protect your valuable data. Given that Find My uses sensitive information, such as a person's details and location, you may be wondering how safe this app is.

Luckily, Apple uses the right technology and techniques to bolster your privacy. Since Find My is heavily reliant on Maps, the app uses end-to-end encryption, prohibiting others from knowing your whereabouts or accessing personal information. Paired with other security features, such as facial recognition, activity deletion, and tracking prevention, Find My is relatively safe to use.

How to Set Up the Find My App

Phone/iPad/iPod

1. Open Settings on your device.
2. Tap your name, then Find My.
3. If you want to share your location with your friends and family, turn on Share My Location.
4. Tap Find My [device], then turn on Find My [device].
5. Turn on Enable Offline Finding and Send Last Location to know the location of your device even when the battery is low or runs out.
6. To find your lost device in a map, make sure to turn on your Location Services by going to Settings > Privacy > Location Services.

Mac

1. Open the Apple Menu on the top left corner and go to System Preference.
2. Select Security & Privacy, then click on the Privacy Tab.
3. If the padlock in the lower left is locked, click it, then enter the name and password of the administrator.
4. Select Location Services and tick the Enable Location Services checkbox.
5. Go to System Services, then click Details.
6. Tick the checkbox next to Find My Mac, then click Done.
7. Return to the System Preferences window. Click Apple ID, then iCloud.
8. Select the checkbox next to Find My Mac.

Please refer to this Find My setup guide for iOS12 or earlier and macOS Mojave or earlier.

Apple Watch and AirPods

If you own a pair of AirPods or an Apple Watch, you don't need to tweak anything. Once they are connected to your iPhone and you turn on Find My, they are automatically set up and activated.

Harness the Power of Find My

Find My is one of Apple's best applications, yet it is often snubbed. Apart from providing maximum convenience and security, the app will save you costs from purchasing unnecessary trackers. If you want a hassle-free experience with your iPhone, MacBook, or iPad, then utilizing this app is a must.

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