Find My iPhone is one of Apple’s most crucial security features. It utilizes the device’s GPS to locate a lost phone and implements “Activation Lock,” a security measure that permanently binds the iPhone to your Apple ID. If the phone is stolen and erased, Activation Lock prevents the thief from ever setting it up or using it without your specific password.
Because of this intense security, you must turn off Find My iPhone before you sell, trade in, or give your device away. If you hand an iPhone to a buyer with this feature still enabled, the phone is essentially a high-tech brick; they will not be able to activate it with their own account. You may also need to temporarily disable it before taking the phone in for physical repairs at an Apple Store.
How to Turn Off Find My iPhone (If You Have the Phone)
If the iPhone is physically in your hand and the screen works, turning the feature off takes less than a minute.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on your name at the very top of the screen to open the Apple ID menu.
- Scroll down slightly and tap on Find My.
- Tap on Find My iPhone at the top of the list.
- You will see a green toggle switch next to “Find My iPhone.” Tap the switch to turn it OFF.
- A security prompt will appear. You must enter your Apple ID password to confirm the action. This is the ultimate security check to prevent a thief from simply turning the tracker off.
- After entering the password, tap Turn Off in the top right corner.
The iPhone will briefly display a loading screen, the toggle will turn grey, and the device is now completely decoupled from your location tracking and Activation Lock.
How to Turn Off Find My iPhone (If the Phone is Broken or Sold)
If you already mailed the phone to a trade-in company, or if the screen is completely shattered and you cannot use it, you can remove the lock remotely using any web browser on a computer or tablet.
- Open a web browser and navigate to iCloud.com/find.
- Log in with the exact same Apple ID and password associated with the iPhone.
- You will see a map. Look at the top of the screen and click the dropdown menu labeled All Devices.
- Select the specific iPhone you want to remove from the list.
- A small control box for that iPhone will appear on the screen.
- Important: If the phone is currently online (turned on and connected to Wi-Fi/Cellular), you must click Erase iPhone first to wipe the data.
- Once the phone is erased or if it is completely powered off (offline), look for the option labeled Remove from Account in that control box.
- Click Remove from Account.
- A final confirmation box will pop up, warning you that the device can now be activated by another person. Click Remove to finalize the process.
The phone will instantly disappear from your iCloud account, removing the Activation Lock and clearing it for the next owner.
Troubleshooting: Why is the Setting Greyed Out?
If you are holding the phone, but the “Find My iPhone” toggle in the settings menu is greyed out and cannot be tapped, your phone is being restricted by a secondary security feature.
- Stolen Device Protection: If you enabled this feature, you cannot turn off Find My iPhone unless you are in a “familiar location” (like your home or office). If you are at a coffee shop, you will be forced to undergo a 1-hour security delay before the phone allows you to change the setting.
- Screen Time Restrictions: If the phone belongs to a child and is governed by Screen Time parental controls, or if it is a corporate device managed by an IT department, Account Changes are likely restricted. You must go into the Screen Time settings and allow Account Changes before the toggle becomes active.