Losing your iPhone can be one of the most stressful situations — especially if you do not have iCloud. Is it even possible to track your phone without iCloud? Absolutely! This article goes through five ways to track your iPhone without iCloud in no time.
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We’ve all been there at one point or another, touch our pockets and discover in a panic that our phone has gone missing. While misplacement is the most common scenario, there is a possibility that your phone has been stolen or lost in some cases. If this happens, you can rest assured that you can track your iPhone using iCloud. But what if you do not have iCloud? We’ll tell you from the get-go that tracking your iPhone without iCloud is doable, although it can be tricky at times. Since this is not the official way to track down your device, you’ll need to get creative and resourceful to ensure you get your iPhone back. If that sounds like a nice challenge, let’s jump right in and find out how to track your iPhone without iCloud.
Track your iPhone using the Find My iPhone App
Find My iPhone is an app that makes tracking your iPhone simple and easy. You need one thing, though — the apple id of the lost iPhone. An Apple ID serves as your personal account for accessing various Apple services, including the App Store, iTunes, iCloud, and Apple Music. It functions as a distinct identifier Apple uses to recognize you whenever you utilize their services. Use the apple id to log in to your lost iPhone. Once logged in, you can track your lost iPhone using GPS.
To use the Find My iPhone app, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Open the app on your iPhone and log in with the Apple Id of your lost phone.
Step 2: Click on the missing iPhone.
Step 3: Click on the “Mark as lost” and then activate it.
Step 4: Next, provide a number and a message that will be shown to the person who will find the phone.
Step 5: You will be presented with on-screen guidelines. Proceed to enable the corresponding options and adjust the settings following the instructions provided.
Track your iPhone using third-party Apps
There are several third-party apps that can help you track your iPhone. Life 360 is one of the most popular apps that promise to do just that. The app comes with a range of features like real-time location tracking, family communication, and personalized safety profiles. A standout feature of Life360 is the ability to create a personalized “Circle” comprising your loved ones and close friends. Within this Circle, you can effortlessly share your iPhone’s location, promoting a sense of security and connectivity. This makes it a great choice for locating your iPhone quickly in the event of an emergency.
The following are three top third-party apps to track your iPhone without iCloud.
- Family Locator
- Spyic (iOS and Android)
- FamiSafe (iOS and Android)
To track your lost iPhone using Life360, follow the steps below:
Step 1: To ensure the functionality, it is necessary to have the application installed on your device prior to the loss of the phone, with location sharing activated beforehand.
Step 2: Use another iPhone which is in the same circle as the lost iPhone.
Step 3: Since the two phones are linked together using the app, you will be able to stream the location of the lost app live.
Track your iPhone using Dropbox Photo Upload
Well, this is more of a hack than a full-proof solution. This is how it works; If you already have the Dropbox app installed on the lost/stolen phone, you will be able to see photos taken by the thief as they will be uploaded directly to your Dropbox account. The photos might contain metadata such as location, date, and time which can help trace the stolen iPhone. We realize this is more of a last option and in no way replaces traditional tracking methods, but trust us; it can actually work for you in a pinch.
To use this trick, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Open your Dropbox account using another device.
Step 2: Check for any file updates and, in particular, photos from your lost device.
Step 3: If there are any photos uploaded to your Dropbox account, download them.
Step 4: Use your file manager to check the location details of the photo. For instance, if you are using Windows, just click on the “Properties” option and look for the Latitude and Longitude coordinates under GPS.
Track your iPhone using Apple Watch
Recognizing the widespread use of iPhones and Apple Watches in tandem, Apple has taken steps to enhance the seamless connectivity between these two devices for user convenience. Your iPhone and Apple watch are usually connected via Bluetooth or WiFi when in close proximity. This is great news as you can use your Apple watch to track your iPhone if you are not sure where you have misplaced your phone, but at least you know it is in your house.
To track your iPhone using your Apple Watch, follow the guide below.
Step 1: Access the home screen of your Apple Watch.
Step 2: Swipe up on the screen to bring up the Control Center.
Step 3: Look for a green text indicator or a green phone icon, indicating that your iPhone is connected.
Step 4: To locate your iPhone, tap on the Pinging iPhone icon.
Step 5: Listen for the sound emitted by your iPhone, which will help you locate its position.
Track your iPhone by enabling Google Maps location history
Take advantage of the Timeline feature in the Google Maps app to keep tabs on your iPhone’s whereabouts. This handy feature allows you to track your phone’s location effortlessly and securely store its location history within your personal Google account. You can simply log in to timeline.google.com to access a comprehensive map displaying the places your phone has visited over time.
Step 1: Download the Google Maps app and sign in with your account.
Step 2: Tap on your profile picture located to the right of the search bar.
Step 3: Under Location settings, ensure that location services are set to “Always.” If not, tap on “Location Services is not set to always” to open the Settings app.
Step 4: In the Settings app, tap on “Location,” then select “location services are set to “Always.” Return to the Google Maps app and check the location history setting. If the feature is off, tap on “Location History is off,” then tap “Turn on.” Swipe through the information screen and tap “Turn on” to enable the feature.
Bottom Line
We hope that at least one of our solutions above will help you track your iPhone without iCloud. If you fail to track your iPhone successfully, consider finding a professional tracking company that can help with this process. Also, try contacting your service provider to locate your phone if it is turned off or the data services have been disconnected.
