Deleting data from stolen iPhone (2024)

TheLittles

192,627 points

paulii20 Said:

"Deleting data from stolen iPhone: A week ago my iPhone 13 was stolen. I activated Lost Mode but it is still yet pending since it still has to connect to Wifi. I also blocked my phone through IMEI so that the thieves can’t use it, or that’s what I think it does. I want to know if it’s recommended to Erase or Remove my device from all my devices? Would any of these make unlock my phone to the thieves??"

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Cancel the Service to this Cell Phone:

If you no longer have this associated to your Apple Account, then cancel the service to this iPhone. Contact your carrier for this.

About Credentials:

If it was turned off, then apparently, someone knows your credentials. So, modify them...

Secure your Accounts:

When it comes toAccounts, you should modify the credentials every-so-often, for security purposes. So, what to do...

A.Verify Your Devices:

Verify that your the devices logged in to your account or officially yours, by using this link:Check your Apple ID Device List to See where you're Signed in -Apple Support

B.Consider Modifying your Credentials:

Having been stollen, someone likey has your credentials. So, by all means, consider modifying them, starting with a new password.

• Modify:your login credentials (Using Both aNew eMailand aNew Passwordfor each and all sites)
• Associate:adifferent method of paymentto your account
• Enable:Two-Factor Authentication for Apple IDand for all other accounts that have such an applicable option

TheLittles

192,627 points

paulii20 Said:

"Deleting data from stolen iPhone: Thank you! But, I’m sorry. I just want to be 100% clear. Erasing the device is also not a good idea? Also, if not, when will it be appropriate to do so? Or I just don’t do that at all for the remaining time?”

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Verify Your Devices:

Verify that the devices logged in to your account are officially yours, by using this link:Check your Apple ID Device List to See where you're Signed in -Apple Support

Consider Modifying your Credentials:

If this device is not shown, then that person has removed it from your account. To have done this, they’d have to have access to your credentials and accounts. So, by all means, consider modifying your credentials, starting with a new password.

• Modify:your login credentials (Using Both aNew eMailand aNew Passwordfor each and all sites)
• Associate:adifferent method of paymentto your account
• Enable:Two-Factor Authentication for Apple IDand for all other accounts that have such an applicable option

TheLittles

192,627 points

paulii20 Said:

"Deleting data from stolen iPhone: I just got a notification that my stolen iPhone was seen in Find My but it’s still pending to be marked as Lost in it. What does this mean?? I haven’t erased the device from all my devices. It still shows the last location where it was days ago, but now I’m concerned by this notification. Should I erase my device? Also in Find My I select Notify when Found and it turns off by itself even when I turn it on again”

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Contact Apple Support:

I don’t recall any posts of the word “pending” being reported on these forums when it comes to Find My. So, see if they can assist you with Find My and why this is coming up as such.

• Contact Us - Choose Locations
• Proceed from there as necessary
• Note:Phone calls are taking a bit to go through at the moment, due to lots of calls. And that makes sense, because with theCoronavirus Pandemic,many are at home at the moment, with much time on their hands to contactApple. So, just stay on the line, and you will get through :)

Servant of Cats

7,641 points

paulii20 wrote:

I just got a notification that my stolen iPhone was seen in Find My but it’s still pending to be marked as Lost in it. What does this mean?? I haven’t erased the device from all my devices. It still shows the last location where it was days ago, but now I’m concerned by this notification. Should I erase my device? Also in Find My I select Notify when Found and it turns off by itself even when I turn it on again

I believe that there are a couple of ways that Find My locates an iPhone: Find My iPhone and Find My network.

Set up Find My on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac - Apple Support

The Find My network can help you find the location of your device even when it is not connected to the Internet. Apple says

"The Find My network is an encrypted, anonymous network of hundreds of millions of Apple devices that can help you locate your device."

It takes advantage of Bluetooth. Your iPhone doesn't use Bluetooth to set up connections to the Internet – it uses Wi-Fi and cellular data (wider-area network technologies) for that. But even when it Is turned "off" and is "offline", it might send out periodic Bluetooth messages. If any other Apple devices happen to be close enough to hear the Lost one, they may use their Location Services software/hardware, and their connections to the Internet, to report the location of the Lost iPhone.

https://www.howtogeek.com/725842/what-is-apples-find-my-network/

This is the same way that AirTags work.

My guess is that if there is a location update, but Lost Mode is still pending, it means that your iPhone still is not connected to the Internet – but some other iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac happened to come close enough to hear a BlueTooth signal and report the location, AirTag-style.

Servant of Cats

7,641 points

paulii20 wrote:

And, how do I pair my watch with the new phone? Since it was stolen I obviously can’t unpair it, to connect it to the new phone.

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

You can erase your Apple Watch – restoring it to its factory settings.

"If you don't have the paired iPhone, you can erase your Apple Watch, but Activation Lock will remain." That is, after you erase the iPhone, and try to set it up again, it will require you to input the password for your Apple ID.

Someone who stole an Apple and tried to reset the Apple Watch without the help of the paired iPhone would be locked out by Activation Lock. Since you're the owner of the Apple Watch and presumably know your Apple ID password, you should be OK.

It does seem inconvenient that you have to erase the watch to repair it.

Servant of Cats

7,641 points

paulii20 wrote:

That’s very reassuring! I just have a doubt. There’s just one thing.. in Find My in Notifications where it says Notify When Found it deactivated by itself. I turn it on again but when I leave the app it turns off or when I’m in the app it turns off by itself right away after I turn it on. Does this mean anything?? It wasn’t like this until I received the updated location from my phone yesterday and I got a notification, even on my watch (that is still paired to my stolen phone) saying “Find My was seen” after that the Notify When Found started turning off by itself.

You'd have to ask someone else about that – maybe Apple.

This thread indicates that the option is only available when a device can't be located. Perhaps whenever there is any update, the option shuts itself off?!?!?

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253832197

TheLittles

192,627 points

paulii20 Said:

"Deleting data from stolen iPhone: Thank you so much. I already did all of that as soon as I got into my iCloud. I just read over the internet that it’s 'good idea apparently to Erase my device (Not remove it, now I know) but I don’t want the thieves to use my phone at ALL."

You are most welcome!

Excellent job troubleshooting!

Servant of Cats

7,641 points

paulii20 wrote:

A week ago my iPhone 13 was stolen. I activated Lost Mode but it is still yet pending since it still has to connect to Wifi. I also blocked my phone through IMEI so that the thieves can’t use it, or that’s what I think it does.

If your carrier blacklisted the IMEI, that will prevent the thieves from getting cellular phone, text messaging, or data service from that carrier – or any other carrier who acts on the first carrier's blacklist.

It won't prevent the thieves from unlocking the phone with your regular passcode to try to take a look at any locally-stored personal or financial data. Hopefully they don't know the passcode – and that will lock them out. Then there is the pending Lost marking to lock them out if the phone connects to the Internet using Wi-Fi.

I want to know if it’s recommended to Erase or Remove my device from all my devices? Would any of these make unlock my phone to the thieves??

Do not remove the phone from the list of devices associated with your Apple ID. That will remove Activation Lock – allowing the thieves to reset your phone and "make it their own."

Mark it as Lost (as you did). Try to remotely Erase it (if you feel that you must). But leave it on your account so that if the thieves do not know your Apple ID and Apple ID password, it will be a brick.

Note 1: If there is any chance that your Apple ID password was compromised, change it now.

Note 2: Sometimes thieves will contact the person they stole a phone from, claiming to be from "Apple Support" or the like, and supposedly wanting to reunite the owner with the lost phone. This is a phishing attempt to get you to remove the Activation Lock, to give them the credentials needed to remove Activation Lock, and/or to get personal and financial information that they can use to scam you further.

Servant of Cats

7,641 points

No. Do not “erase” your stolen phone from your list of devices - that will let the thieves “make it their own.”

Just make a remote Erase request while leaving the phone marked as Lost, and still on the list of your devices. Keep your Apple ID password secure, and don’t fall for “phishing” attempts. Then the phone will brick itself (as soon as it finds out it should), and stay bricked.