If your Mac is lost or stolen, use Find My as soon as possible. Open the Find My app on another Apple device, or visit iCloud.com/find in a web browser. Select your Mac to view its approximate location, play a sound, mark it as lost, or erase it remotely.
Do not try to recover a stolen Mac yourself. If the location points to a private residence or another unfamiliar place, provide the information to law enforcement.
Quick Answer
- Open Find My on an iPhone, iPad, or another Mac, or go to iCloud.com/find.
- Select your missing Mac under Devices.
- If it is nearby, choose Play Sound.
- If you cannot retrieve it immediately, turn on Lost Mode by selecting Mark As Lost.
- Contact the police and provide the Mac’s location, serial number, and identifying details.
- Use Erase This Device only when you decide that protecting your data is more important than continuing to track the Mac.
The Mac must have been associated with your Apple Account and have Find My Mac enabled before it went missing. If Find My was not set up, Apple generally cannot locate, lock, or erase the computer remotely.
Before Your Mac Goes Missing: Set Up Find My
Find My must be enabled in advance. Setting it up after the Mac disappears is not possible.
On the Mac:
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Click your name at the top of the sidebar.
- Select iCloud.
- Click See All next to Saved to iCloud.
- Select Find My Mac.
- Turn on Find My Mac.
- If prompted, turn on Find My network and Send Last Location.
The names and availability of some options can vary by Mac model and system configuration.
What these options do
- Find My Mac lets you locate, lock, or erase the Mac through Find My.
- Find My network can help locate some devices when they are offline. Nearby Apple devices can detect a missing device using Bluetooth and privately relay an approximate location.
- Send Last Location can send the Mac’s location to Apple when its battery is critically low.
Your Mac also needs Location Services enabled. To check:
- Open System Settings.
- Select Privacy & Security.
- Click Location Services.
- Turn on Location Services.
- Make sure location access is allowed for Find My or system services related to finding the Mac.
For the best protection, use a strong Mac login password and enable FileVault. FileVault encrypts the startup disk, helping prevent someone from reading your files if they remove the storage device or try to access it outside your account.
Locate a Lost Mac
You can use the Find My app on another Apple device or a web browser.
Use the Find My app on an iPhone or iPad
- Open Find My.
- Tap Devices.
- Select your Mac from the list.
- Review its location on the map.
- Tap Directions if you are going to a location where you have permission to search.
The map may show the Mac’s current location, its last known location, or an approximate location reported through the Find My network. A location is not necessarily precise, especially indoors or when the Mac is offline.
Use Find My on another Mac
- Open the Find My app.
- Select Devices in the sidebar.
- Click your missing Mac.
- Review the location and available actions.
Use iCloud.com/find in a browser
This is useful if you do not have another Apple device.
- Go to iCloud.com/find.
- Sign in with the Apple Account used on the missing Mac.
- If asked to enter a verification code sent to the missing Mac, select Find Devices instead. This option can let you continue without using the missing computer.
- Choose your Mac from the device list.
- Review its location and select an available action.
If the Mac is offline, Find My may show its last known location. The location can remain unchanged until the Mac connects to the internet or is detected through the Find My network.
Play a Sound on a Nearby Mac
If you believe the Mac is close—for example, in your home, office, car, or a nearby room—use Play Sound.
- Open Find My or iCloud.com/find.
- Select the Mac.
- Choose Play Sound.
The Mac plays a sound when it is online and able to receive the request. If it is offline, the sound may play when it reconnects.
Before using this option, make sure you are not in a situation where the sound could alert a thief or create a safety risk. A sound is useful for finding a misplaced Mac, but it is not a substitute for contacting the police after a theft.
Mark a Stolen Mac as Lost
Lost Mode, called Mark As Lost in Find My, locks the Mac and lets you display contact information on its screen. It also helps prevent another person from using the Mac normally.
Turn on Lost Mode
- Open Find My or iCloud.com/find.
- Select the missing Mac.
- Choose Mark As Lost or Lost Mode.
- Follow the instructions.
- Enter a phone number or email address where you can be reached.
- Add a short message, such as “This Mac is lost. Please call [your number].”
- Confirm the action.
Do not include sensitive information in the message. Avoid displaying your home address, passwords, or other details that could put you at risk.
Marking the Mac as lost can also suspend payment cards and other Apple Account-related services associated with Apple Pay on the device. The Mac may need to be online before the lock and message take effect.
What happens after you mark it as lost
- The Mac is locked with your existing passcode or a new lock code, depending on the device and the available Find My options.
- Your message and contact information appear on the screen when supported.
- The Mac can continue reporting its location when it connects to the internet or is detected by the Find My network.
- You can continue checking Find My for updates.
If you recover the Mac, follow the on-screen instructions to unlock it. You may need your Apple Account credentials or the passcode used when you enabled Lost Mode.
Activation Lock Helps Protect the Mac
Activation Lock is an anti-theft feature connected to Find My. When it is active, your Apple Account credentials are required before someone can turn off Find My, erase the Mac, or activate it for use with another Apple Account.
Activation Lock is available on supported Mac models and depends on Find My being enabled. It is one reason you should not remove the Mac from your Apple Account while it is missing. Removing it can make the computer easier for someone else to activate and use.
If you sell or give away a Mac, remove Activation Lock only after you have backed up your data and completed the proper transfer or erase process. For a stolen Mac, keep it associated with your Apple Account unless Apple or law enforcement instructs you otherwise.
Erase a Lost or Stolen Mac Remotely
Remote erase permanently removes your files and settings from the Mac when the erase command reaches it. It is useful when you believe the computer will not be recovered or when protecting private information is your highest priority.
Important warning
Remote erase deletes data and may prevent you from continuing to track the Mac. Back up or recover any data you still need before using it. If the Mac is offline, the erase may be pending; it can begin when the computer reconnects.
Erase the Mac
- Open Find My or iCloud.com/find.
- Select the missing Mac.
- Choose Erase This Device or Erase Mac.
- Read the warning carefully.
- Confirm the erase.
- Follow any prompts to enter your Apple Account password or a phone number and message.
Do not remove the Mac from Find My after erasing it if you want Activation Lock to remain enabled. Removing it may allow another person to set it up with a different account.
An erased Mac may stop providing useful location information after the erase is completed. If there is a realistic chance of recovery, you may want to use Mark As Lost first and delay erasing it until you have considered the tracking consequences.
If Find My Shows a Location
A location is evidence, not an invitation to confront anyone.
- Take screenshots of the map, device status, and timestamps.
- Record the Mac’s serial number and identifying details.
- Contact your local police department or the appropriate law enforcement agency.
- Explain that Find My is showing the location of a stolen computer.
- Provide screenshots and any available ownership documents.
- Ask whether the police need the location shared in a particular format.
- Do not enter private property or attempt to retrieve the Mac yourself.
Locations can be delayed or approximate. A device may also be inside a nearby building rather than at the exact point shown on the map.
Find the serial number
You may find the serial number on:
- The Mac’s original packaging or receipt
- An Apple or retailer purchase record
- An Apple Account device list
- A previous backup or inventory record
- The Mac’s original invoice
You can also check another Apple device:
- Open Settings on an iPhone or iPad.
- Tap your name.
- Scroll through the device list and select the Mac.
The exact information displayed depends on your account and device records.
Protect Your Apple Account and Personal Data
A stolen Mac may contain saved passwords, email sessions, documents, browser data, and access to other accounts. Take these steps promptly.
Change your Apple Account password
Change it from a trusted device or browser:
- Open System Settings on another Mac, or Settings on an iPhone or iPad.
- Select your name.
- Choose Sign-In & Security.
- Select Change Password.
- Follow the instructions.
You can also manage your account at account.apple.com.
Use a new, unique password that you do not use anywhere else. Changing it can affect services signed in with your Apple Account, so be prepared to sign in again on your other devices.
Review trusted devices and account details
Check your Apple Account for unfamiliar devices, phone numbers, email addresses, or account changes. Remove devices you do not recognize, but be careful not to remove the missing Mac from Find My if you want Activation Lock to remain active.
Change important passwords
From a trusted device, change passwords for:
- Your primary email account
- Banking and financial services
- Password managers
- Cloud storage
- Work accounts
- Social media
- Shopping accounts
- Messaging and communications services
Start with your email account because it may be used to reset other passwords.
Contact financial institutions
If the Mac had access to banking, payment, investment, or tax information, contact the relevant providers. Review account activity and report anything suspicious.
Notify your employer or school
If the Mac belongs to an employer, school, or organization, contact its administrator immediately. The organization may have mobile device management, remote-lock, remote-erase, or account-revocation procedures.
Be alert for phishing messages
Someone who has your Mac may try to impersonate Apple, the police, or a finder. Do not enter your Apple Account password or verification code into a link sent by text or email. Apple will not need your password or verification code to tell you that a Mac was located.
Troubleshooting
The Mac does not appear in Find My
Possible causes include:
- Find My Mac was never enabled.
- You are signed in to a different Apple Account.
- The Mac was removed from the account.
- The Mac was erased before Find My could be used.
- The device was not successfully associated with your account.
Check the device list at iCloud.com/find and confirm that you are using the account previously signed in on the Mac.
Find My says the Mac is offline
The Mac may be turned off, out of battery, disconnected from the internet, or outside the range of the Find My network. Leave Mark As Lost enabled and check again later.
If Find My network was enabled, an offline location may eventually appear through nearby Apple devices. This is not guaranteed, and location updates may be delayed.
The location has not changed
The displayed location may be the last known location rather than a current one. It may also be approximate. Save the information and provide it to law enforcement rather than treating it as proof of the Mac’s exact whereabouts.
Play Sound does not work
The sound request requires the Mac to be online or to receive the request later. If the computer is asleep, powered off, or offline, wait for a connection. Do not repeatedly visit a location shown for a stolen Mac.
You cannot sign in to iCloud.com/find
Use a trusted Apple device to confirm your Apple Account credentials and verification methods. On the Find Devices page, look for an option that lets you continue without entering a verification code on the missing Mac.
If you suspect that someone knows your password, change it immediately from a trusted device.
You already erased the Mac
Continue to keep it associated with your Apple Account if you want Activation Lock to remain enabled. Save the erase confirmation and provide it to law enforcement or your insurer if requested.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find a Mac if Find My was not enabled?
Usually, no. Find My must be set up before the Mac is lost or stolen. You may still be able to identify the computer using its serial number, purchase records, or a business or school management system, but those methods generally do not provide a personal location service.
Can I track a Mac that is turned off?
Find My may show its last known location. On supported configurations with Find My network enabled, nearby Apple devices may help report an offline location. A turned-off or disconnected Mac cannot provide continuous real-time tracking.
Will a thief be able to use my Mac after I mark it as lost?
Mark As Lost locks the Mac and helps prevent normal use. Activation Lock can also prevent a new owner from activating supported Macs without your Apple Account credentials. Use a strong password and keep the Mac associated with your account.
Should I erase the Mac immediately?
Not always. Erasing protects your data but can limit your ability to track the Mac. If the Mac contains highly sensitive information or recovery is unlikely, remote erase may be appropriate. Otherwise, consider marking it as lost first and discussing the situation with law enforcement or your organization’s administrator.
Can Apple locate my Mac for me?
Use Find My or iCloud.com/find to view the available location information. If the Mac was stolen, contact law enforcement and provide the information. Apple Support may help with account or device questions, but you should not delay reporting a theft.
Can I recover files after remotely erasing the Mac?
Only if the files exist in a backup or synchronization service. Remote erase removes the local data, so verify that important files are backed up before using the command whenever possible.
What should I do if someone contacts me about my Mac?
Do not share your Apple Account password, verification codes, device passcode, or recovery key. Arrange any recovery through law enforcement and do not meet an unknown person alone.
Final Thoughts
Use Find My immediately to locate a missing Mac, play a sound, or turn on Mark As Lost. If the Mac was stolen, document its location and contact the police rather than attempting recovery yourself. Protect your Apple Account and other online accounts, and use remote erase only after weighing the loss of local data and possible tracking against the need to protect your information.