Updated Jul 9, 2024, 7:30 AM EDT
Mahnoor Faisal is a tech journalist covering AI and productivity tools with bylines at XDA, SlashGear, MakeUseOf, Laptop Mag, and Android Police.
She's been writing professionally since she was sixteen, and has since penned hundreds of articles. This includes in-depth coverage of AI tools like NotebookLM to breaking news across the AI space. Her passion for technology started when she received her first iPod Touch (4th generation) on her 8th birthday, and she's been deep in the tech world ever since.
Currently pursuing a degree in computer science, Mahnoor brings both a journalist's eye and a technical foundation to her coverage of how AI is reshaping the way we work and learn.
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Setting up Find My on macOS
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How to Locate People With Find My on Mac
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How to Locate Your Apple Devices With Find My on Mac
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How to Locate Items With Find My on Mac
Summary
- To set up Find My on macOS, all you need to do is enable Location Services for the app and add your Mac to the Find My network.
- You can use the pre-installed Find My app to locate contacts and track missing Apple devices or items such as AirTags.
Most of us can relate to panicking the minute we can't find our devices. Luckily, Apple's Find My feature can help you easily locate your lost Apple devices. Below, we'll teach you how to set it up on your Mac.
Setting up Find My on macOS
Apple's Find My app comes pre-installed on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. You can use it to keep track of all your Apple devices, take appropriate steps like factory resetting them in case you're unsuccessful in locating them, and even locate people who've shared their location with you.
First, you need to ensure you've turned on Location Services for Find My. Follow the instructions below to do so:
- Click the Apple logo in the macOS menu bar and go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Toggle on the switch next to Location Services.
- Enable Find My by toggling on the switch next to it in the list of apps.
To locate your Mac using any of your Apple devices, you'll need to add your Mac to your Find My network. To do so, follow the steps mentioned below.
- Click the Apple logo in the menu bar and go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud.
- Click the Show More Apps button under the Apps Using iCloud heading.
- Click the arrow next to Find My Mac.
- Hit the Turn On button once the pop-up appears.
That's it! You've successfully set up Find My on your Mac.
How to Locate People With Find My on Mac
When you open Find My on your Mac, you'll see a list of people, devices, and items on the left side of the window and Apple Maps on the right.
If you have friends and family who use Apple devices, they can share their location with you by sending you a request. When you accept it, you'll see their names when you switch to the People tab. You'll be able to see their exact location on Apple Maps on the right when you click on their names.
By clicking the Info icon next to their names on the map, you can get directions to their locations and set up alerts so that you get a notification whenever they leave or arrive at a certain location, add them to your list of favorite contacts, and end location sharing.
Click on Share My Location at the bottom of the window to share your location with people. Type the Apple ID of the person you want to share it with and click Send.
Note that you can only share your location with people from your Mac if you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
How to Locate Your Apple Devices With Find My on Mac
Locating your Apple devices with Find My is the app's most useful feature. For instance, you can use the Find My app to find your lost or stolen iPhone. When you switch to the Devices tab, you'll be able to see all of your Apple devices with Location Services enabled.
If any of your Apple devices don't show up in the list, we recommend you set up Find My on it immediately, as you won't be able to track its location if you lose it without enabling Location Services.
The Device section works the same way as the People section. Click on any of your devices in the list on the left to see its location on the map on the right. When you click on the Info icon next to the device, you'll see a list of actions you can perform.
You can make the device play a sound, get directions to it, enable notifications so that you get notified when the device is found, or factory reset it. You can also mark it as lost and activate Apple's Lost Mode so that anyone who finds it can see your contact details on it.
If there's a blue circle around your device on the map, it means the location isn't precise. A device's location is only updated when it's online, which means if you lose it, you'll see its location from when it was last online.
How to Locate Items With Find My on Mac
You can locate any item on Find My using Apple AirTags or Find My-compatible third-party trackers. However, you'll need an iPhone or iPad to add an AirTag or a third-party tracker to your Find My network. Find My prompts you to name your items while registering them so that it's easy for you to know.
Once you've connected your items, they'll appear in the list on the left. You can see their location on the right. Click the Info icon to perform different actions, such as making the items play a sound, enabling notifications, getting directions, and marking them as lost.
Depending on the tracker you own, you might see more options. You can also reset an AirTag using Find My.
Find My is perhaps the greatest way to keep track of all your Apple devices and items. From the option to ping your devices to staying updated about the whereabouts of your friends and family, the Find My app is a must-have on any Apple device, including your Mac.