How To Delete Find My Iphone

(Pocket-lint) - Not everyone is a fan of Find My iPhone - which is now known as Find My after the Find My Friends and Find my iPhone apps were combined in 2019.

The Find My service makes it easy for you to track down your lost or stolen Apple device, but, for whatever reason, some people don't want that ability.

If you find yourself among that crowd, no worries, we'll help you figure out how to turn off Find My for your iPhone, or any other Apple device you want to turn it off for. If you're no longer using an Apple device, and you want to remove it from Find My, we can help you with that, too. This guide covers everything.

How to turn off Find My iPhone

Those of you who own an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, or Mac and want to turn off Find My feature can do so via the steps below.

iPhone or iPad users

On an iOS device, go to Settings > [your name] > Find My > Toggle off Find My [iPhone/iPad]. You can also remove your device by turning off iCloud completely on that device. Turning off Apple's iCloud subsequently turns off all iCloud features on the device.

Mac users

On a Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > click Apple ID > and then deselect Find My Mac. You can also remove your device by turning off iCloud completely on that device. Turning off Apple's iCloud subsequently turns off all iCloud features on the device.

Apple Watch or AirPods users

To turn off Find My for Apple Watch or AirPods, you have to remove them from from Find My iPhone on iCloud.com. So, turn off Apple Watch or put AirPods in their case to make them go offline, then log in to iCloud.com, go to Find My iPhone, click All Devices at the top, select the offline device, and click Remove from Account.

If you don't see Remove from Account, click All Devices again, then click the "x" button next to the device.

How to remove your device from Find My iPhone

If you no longer have the iOS device, Mac, Apple Watch, or AirPods because you gave it away or sold it, you can still remove it from your Find My iPhone app. However, you need to remotely erase the device first. You can do this from iCloud.com or the Find My iPhone app.

iCloud.com

Now, select the device you want to erase. To erase an iOS device or Apple Watch, enter your Apple ID credentials and answer the security questions or enter the verification code that is sent to your other devices. To erase a Mac, do the same thing. If either device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it's online. You receive an email when the device is erased.

Finally, when the device is erased, log back into iCloud.com, click All Devices, find your device, and click Remove from Account.

Find My iPhone app

Again, you need to remotely erase a device before you can remove it. Open the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad > click on the Devices tab > Tap the device you want to erase > Swipe up from the card at the bottom of the display > Tap on Erase This Device > Follow the instructions. If the device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it's online.

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When the device is erased, open the Find My app again > click on the Devices tab > Tap the device you have just erased and want to remove > Swipe up from the card at the bottom of the display > Tap on Remove This Device > Follow the instructions.

Writing by Maggie Tillman. Editing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published on

27 May 2018.