Apple Find My Locates iPhones for Hours After Battery Hits 0% on iOS 15+
Updated
Updated · CNET · Jun 10
Apple Find My Locates iPhones for Hours After Battery Hits 0% on iOS 15+
2 articles · Updated · CNET · Jun 10
Summary
iPhones running iOS 15 or later can remain traceable for several hours after shutdown or a dead battery, using Apple’s Find My network rather than the phone’s normal powered-on connection.
A low-power Bluetooth signal keeps broadcasting after power-off, and nearby Apple devices relay that location to iCloud; iPhone 11 and newer models with ultra-wideband add offline finding support, with several SE and E-model exceptions.
The feature works only if Find My iPhone, Find My Network and Send Last Location were enabled in advance and the user is signed in to an Apple ID; devices that have not reported in 7 days may show no location.
From the Find My app or icloud.com/find, users can play a sound, get directions, mark the phone lost, or erase it, while Mark As Lost locks the device, suspends Apple Pay and shows contact details.
Apple also points users to Stolen Device Protection and disabling Control Center on the lock screen while traveling to reduce the chance a thief can cut connectivity before the phone is recovered.