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Lost/misplaced iPhone 6 S

StarShot

StarShot

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 31, 2014
1,151
397
Today I seem to have lost my iphone 6 S and have a question about "find my phone". I've loaded that program in 2 of my other devices and it shows it "off line". I've attempted to call it and it immediately rolls to "message" mode what I left a brief message about returning the phone to me.

I have put the phone in "lost mode" wth Notify when found. So far I haven't gone "nuclear" with Erase iPhone because that mode says it turns off the "find my phone" feature. On my boot up screen, I have a picture with 2 numbers to call if someone wanted to return it. My BIG question is if I were Erase the phone, would my boot screen message remain on when someone attempts to power it up?
 
StarShot said:
Today I seem to have lost my iphone 6 S and have a question about "find my phone". I've loaded that program in 2 of my other devices and it shows it "off line". I've attempted to call it and it immediately rolls to "message" mode what I left a brief message about returning the phone to me.

I have put the phone in "lost mode" wth Notify when found. So far I haven't gone "nuclear" with Erase iPhone because that mode says it turns off the "find my phone" feature. On my boot up screen, I have a picture with 2 numbers to call if someone wanted to return it. My BIG question is if I were Erase the phone, would my boot screen message remain on when someone attempts to power it up?
Click to expand...

No. Erase Phone can be considered the "nuclear option" - use it only if the security of your info is more important than getting the phone back.

You've done the best you can for now, presuming you'd like to get the phone back. Since it's currently off line, it's not currently connected to either the cellular network or wi-fi - most likely, a dead battery (or you cancelled cellular service). If/when someone charges it, you want them to get the message - if you switch to Erase, they never will.
 
ApfelKuchen said:
No. Erase Phone can be considered the "nuclear option"

If/when someone charges it, you want them to get the message - if you switch to Erase, they never will.
Click to expand...

I guess that means they won't see my boot up screen with the message "Reward for return, with my home landline number" if I go nuclear. It's not the end of the world as I also have a 5S to get me to Sept for the iPhone 7.

Does "Erase" actually make it into basically a new iPhone? It will piss me off if the finder ends up with the equivalent of a new iPhone 6S. If I don't hear/see my phone on Find my Phone by noon tomorrow, I think I will erase it.

Thanks for the info...
 
Yes, Erase makes it into the equivalent of a new iPhone.

If you leave Lost Mode turned on, it prevents the finder from erasing the phone and using it. Ever. I consider this to be the "scorched earth" approach - If I can't use it, nobody can. If they're not willing to call my phone number to return it to me, screw 'em.

Further, while in Lost Mode it cannot be unlocked - they can't get lucky and guess your passcode. If you were to get the phone back, you'd have to turn off Lost Mode before even you could use it. So the chances of someone breaking into your phone and getting your info are quite slim.

Personally, in this situation I'd leave it in Lost Mode. Period.
 
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OK, you've convinced me to leave it in "LOST" mode. Thanks for all the help you've been. On the off chance that the finder can somehow boot up and get into the phone, I'm going to change all my important passwords (read financial).

I'm not sure of the operational status of the phone at this time. IF I remember correctly, the battery was 20% or less. While I see on Find My Phone that it is offline, whether the finder turned it off or the battery is dead, I can't tell. When it is turned back on, he/she will see my boot up page with a contact number plus the lost mode message (both mentioning a reward).

So, keeping my fingers crossed, but mentally I've moved on (spilt milk and all). Thankfully I kept my old IP5 S which I'll "ride" until September when the new phone comes out. Somewhere on a post about this problem I also saw an option where the phone will send it's location to Apple just before the battery dies. Wondering if Apple does get that info, how I would/could find out the result?
 
StarShot said:
OK, you've convinced me to leave it in "LOST" mode. Thanks for all the help you've been. On the off chance that the finder can somehow boot up and get into the phone, I'm going to change all my important passwords (read financial).

I'm not sure of the operational status of the phone at this time. IF I remember correctly, the battery was 20% or less. While I see on Find My Phone that it is offline, whether the finder turned it off or the battery is dead, I can't tell. When it is turned back on, he/she will see my boot up page with a contact number plus the lost mode message (both mentioning a reward).

So, keeping my fingers crossed, but mentally I've moved on (spilt milk and all). Thankfully I kept my old IP5 S which I'll "ride" until September when the new phone comes out. Somewhere on a post about this problem I also saw an option where the phone will send it's location to Apple just before the battery dies. Wondering if Apple does get that info, how I would/could find out the result?
Click to expand...

Even if the lost phone is reset, it will be stuck on the setup screen due to Activation Lock. It can never be used again unless your Apple ID and password is entered.
 
They could have try to restore it with itunes already.
In that case you have no way to track it any more but they also have no way of using it.
Make sure to never remove it from your icloud account at findmyiphone so they are stuck with a useless paperweight.
 
RedOrchestra said:
This isn't the same as "Erase after 10 failed passcode attempts", is it?

Should that "Erase after 10 failed passcode attempts" be toggled on OR toggled off?
Click to expand...
No, a Find My iPhone reset isn't the same thing as a failed passcode reset. The clue is in the name, LOL.
 
RedOrchestra said:
This isn't the same as "Erase after 10 failed passcode attempts", is it?

Should that "Erase after 10 failed passcode attempts" be toggled on OR toggled off?
Click to expand...

I never turn that feature on.
If someone takes your phone and accidentally puts the password wrong too many times then everything on the phone is erased and with no way to retrieve it. You have to restore it with itunes and then load the last backup you have available.
So all your latest photos, texts, phone number are all gone.
 
Applejuiced said:
I never turn that feature on.
If someone takes your phone and accidentally puts the password wrong too many times then everything on the phone is erased and with no way to retrieve it. You have to restore it with itunes and then load the last backup you have available.
So all your latest photos, texts, phone number are all gone.
Click to expand...
Thing is, the phone would have been disabled for many hours before 10 incorrect attempts.
 
AmazingKerem said:
What?
Click to expand...

I was saying we dont really know what happened with the OP's device.

But to what you said above it would not take many hours before it reaches 10 incorrect attempts.
To be exact it would take 1 hour and 21 minutes.

  • 1-5 incorrect passcode attempts: No problem.
  • 6 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 1 minute.
  • 7 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 5 minutes.
  • 8 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 15 minutes.
  • 9 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 60 minutes.
  • 10 incorrect attempts: “iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes” or iPhone is completely erased if Erase Data is turned on in Settings.
 
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Applejuiced said:
I was saying we dont really know what happened with the OP's device.

But to what you said above it would not take many hours before it reaches 10 incorrect attempts.
To be exact it would take 1 hour and 21 minutes.

  • 1-5 incorrect passcode attempts: No problem.
  • 6 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 1 minute.
  • 7 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 5 minutes.
  • 8 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 15 minutes.
  • 9 incorrect attempts: iPhone disabled for 60 minutes.
  • 10 incorrect attempts: “iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes” or iPhone is completely erased if Erase Data is turned on in Settings.
Click to expand...
This was actually changed with iOS 9. Now, all you need are 5 incorrect attempts to disable the phone. So that should add another hour or two, I think.
 
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AmazingKerem said:
This was actually changed with iOS 9. Now, all you need are 5 incorrect attempts to disable the phone. So that should add another hour or two, I think.
Click to expand...

Yeah I dont like that change. It's a bad idea especially if you have kids.
I have a cydia hack installed called "disabled".
It's to avoid situations like that.
it will prevent your iPhone from locking you out ever even after the ten failed passcode attempts.
 
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Newtons Apple said:
It would be really nice if Apple would go one more step and when a lost iPhone is turned back on it immediately emails or texts the owner and sends the location of the device.

Would not be hard for Apple to do.
Click to expand...

Or if they implemented many things offered by the Cydia hack "igotya".
Like Take a pic with the front facing camera when someone enters the wrong passcode and email it to your email address along with gps coordinates and time.
Display a message to the founder with info to return device to owner and what number to call etc...
 
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