Setup unique Find my iPhone account free on your 3G or 3GS! (requires your iPhone 4)

[milani]

UPDATE: Apple apparently only allows you to setup 3 accounts from your iPhone 4. The accounts are registered via your iPhone's serial number. Once you have registered 3 accounts, you will not be able to setup any more accounts from your iPhone 4. To date, there is no way to reverse the limit, should you reach it. Be warned, people!

Ok, so Apple released Find my iPhone as a free feature for the iPhone 4 today - along with iOS 4.2.

It's a great feature, and allows you to use a GPS web app to track your devices (should you lose your phone in a park, for instance). Any iPhone you own can have access to the Find my iPhone packaged with MobileMe (Apple's pay service).

With this tutorial you can setup unique Find my iPhone accounts for your older iOS devices - presuming you don't want to track all of your older devices from the same MobileMe account.

From your iPhone 4:

1. The phone will need to be updated to iOS 4.2

2. Download 'Find my iPhone' app from the App Store (free).

3. Go to Settings> Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account...> MobileMe>

4. At the MobileMe login menu, input the Apple ID you want to setup on the older device:

5. Press Next to setup the account.

6. Click the link in Apple's verification email.

7. You should now see your account on the new iPhone (in the settings menu).

8. Do NOT turn on Find my iPhone from your iPhone 4 (if you have MobileMe, doing so will override your current Find my iPhone, though it can be turned back on later).

From your older iPhone/iOS device!

1. Go to Settings> Mail, Contacts, Calendars > Add Account...> MobileMe>

2. At the MobileMe login menu, input your AppleID and password (the same account you use to log into and download apps from the App Store).

3. Press Next to setup the account.

4. You should now see your account on your older iPhone/iOS device (in the settings menu).

5. Download 'Find my iPhone' app.

6. Open Find my iPhone app on your iPhone.

7. Input the same Apple ID and password you used before.

Your iPhone 3G/3GS has now been added to your new Find my iPhone account. The last step is to delete your login information from your iPhone 4, just to make sure that they don't ever conflict.

You can now login to your account at http://me.com using your ID and password, and you will be able to track your 3G/3GS!

 

[Applejuiced]

Nice, so you tried this on 3G and 3GS iPhones?

 

[milani]

Nice, so you tried this on 3G and 3GS iPhones?

I have only tried it on a couple 3GS devices. My old 3G died long ago, but since I had MobileMe from the start with GPS tracking, I have no reason to think it wouldn't work on a 3G exactly as it does on a 3GS.

For the 3GS devices that I setup it works perfectly. And it still works once you delete the account from the donor iPhone 4. Just make sure that you DO in fact delete that information from the iPhone 4 - you don't want people to access your email, after all!

 

[Applejuiced]

Very nice

 

[milani]

Very nice

Cheers! Let me know if you run into any problems!

 

[scotmahoney]

this is going to sound stupid but could someone register a mobile me account on there iphone or ipad as i only ahve a 3gs:/ i can provide all required information sorry if this sounds annoying

 

[milani]

this is going to sound stupid but could someone register a mobile me account on there iphone or ipad as i only ahve a 3gs:/ i can provide all required information sorry if this sounds annoying

PM me.

 

[scotmahoney]

PM me.

i tryed to couldent find a pm button left a msg on your user page

 

[milani]

Sorry about that! I'll improve it when I have more time. I just wanted to get it up so people could use it right away! I'm glad it worked for you!

 

[milani]

i tryed to couldent find a pm button left a msg on your user page

Ok I'll have a look just a sec.

I think it's because you are a new member so you can't PM people yet.

Just email me at jonomilano@hotmail.com <--- an old address (so I don't get SPAMMED hard, but I'll check it then we'll get you setup right away). Just send the Apple ID and password (and don't worry, I'm not going to rip you off or anything else - I have better things to do lol).

 

[scotmahoney]

emailed you thanks

 

[milani]

emailed you thanks

Well this is not good at all.

My iPhone says that I have activated the maximum number of accounts. Apparently Apple tracks the number of accounts that are activated from the device. Good to know AFTER the fact. Anyone else run into this problem activating other people's else's device? Any idea how to bypass this?

 

[saving107]

Ok, so Apple released Find my iPhone as a free feature for the iPhone 4 today - along with iOS 4.2.

It seems quite unfair that only iPhone 4 owners should get the GPS tracking capabilities for free - every iPhone has the capability. And now I'm going to show you how every iPhone can have access to this free service. It's incredibly simple to do!

it is a free feature for All Apple Mobile Devices running iOS 4.2 or later

Steps 5, 6, 7

I don't understand why you are making things more difficult than they have to be? Every iOS device running 4.2 or higher work with Find My iPhone, you just need a current generation iPhone/iPad/iPod touch to setup the account initially, but once it has been setup and the email address has been verified, you can log on to that same account from your other (older) devices without any problems.

your method is not a work-around, Apple is allowing this.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/

 

[Applejuiced]

Well this is not good at all.

My iPhone says that I have activated the maximum number of accounts. Apparently Apple tracks the number of accounts that are activated from the device. Good to know AFTER the fact. Anyone else run into this problem activating other people's else's device? Any idea how to bypass this?

Wow, good info bro.
So basicly they only let you activate one account per device I guess.

 

[macsrcool1234]

it is a free feature for All Apple Mobile Devices running iOS 4.2 or later

Steps 5, 6, 7

I don't understand why you are making things more difficult than they have to be? Every iOS device running 4.2 or higher work with Find My iPhone, you just need a current generation iPhone/iPad/iPod touch to setup the account initially, but once it has been setup and the email address has been verified, you can log on to that same account from your other (older) devices without any problems.

your method is not a work-around, Apple is allowing this.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/

Can't read?

I've bolded the key parts of your message, which is also at the bottom of the webpage you linked (in so many words). The message implies that Apple only allows it on the latest generation, all the OP is doing here is clarifying the procedure to doing so.

I've seen some of your posts here and all you do is troll all over other people's suggestions while offering useless advice that nobody asked for in the first place.

 

[milani]

^ No sense in feeding the troll, but thanks just the same.

Wow, good info bro.
So basicly they only let you activate one account per device I guess.

I activated three other devices (three 3GS phones). I'm not very impressed that Apple wouldn't publish this information. I'm going to submit a bug report - that's the best way to get a response from an engineer. If he says that they do enforce a limit I'm going to ask that they clear mine out because that information wasn't published.

Still, in principle this works great. If you have to use this procedure to setup a non iPhone 4 device, you would be best to go to some place like BestBuy and use one of their demo phones to do the procedure.

 

[cranie]

OK know title says 3g / 3gs but worth a shout:

I created an account on iPad using a ymail account. (via create free find me link). This works and can see iPad and view it from the iPhone. As a jailbreaker I would rather not upgrade just yet, so tried to put the same settings in the iPhone 4 on iOS 4.1 and this does not work (as it is not an @me.com address). Any ideas, tips? Using my Apply ID does not work (it is a single word rather than a mail address.

Will have a play tonight when have access to iTunes but any ideas / help before hand would be great.

 

[swimboy1]

Ok I'll have a look just a sec.

I think it's because you are a new member so you can't PM people yet.

Just email me at jonomilano@hotmail.com <--- an old address (so I don't get SPAMMED hard, but I'll check it then we'll get you setup right away). Just send the Apple ID and password (and don't worry, I'm not going to rip you off or anything else - I have better things to do lol).

I've emailed you too - hope that's ok

 

[Tex-Twil]

Hi,
is it possible to set it up with a trial MobileMe account ?

cheers,
Tex

 

[nphscorps09]

stuck with my 3gs

if anyone would be so kind as to make me a free mobile me account on thier iphone 4 so i may use find my iphone on my 3gs it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tomietie]

is this totally free?

 

[Belthazor28]

What if i dont own an iphone 4 or know anybody who does? Is there is another way to set up the me account for a 3gs? Can someone help?

Thanks