The iPhone X up until the iPhone XS Max are quite expensive devices and they retain their values for a longer period of time. This is something that Apple devices thrives at. But then losing or getting it stolen might be a really hard reality to deal with especially if the device is your daily driver.

In this day and age we depend on our smartphones to do nearly everything for us and staying connected to the internet is a very important thing on our daily lives. But then when you suddenly get ridden out of the cyber-connection, it’s as though you’re nullified from reality.

And considering what goes along with Apple devices such as the recent announcement from Apple for example with it’s credit card “Apple Card” system which relies solely on the iPhone for everything from beginning like sign up up unto paying bills and so much more, these are common examples of how valuable smartphones had become.

So losing your iPhone suddenly might not be what you’re expecting to happen to you just yet but then we have to consider the fact that things happen without warning sometimes which is why you should take the necessary steps to reduce the risk of losing your iPhone device and one of the key ways to ensuring the safety of your device is using services like the Apple’s Find My iPhone Service which will help recovering your lost phone.

But then you need to have a passcode set up while the Find My iPhone is enabled to ensure you have the best chance of retrieving your stolen or lost iPhone.

Prepare for the worst

Start with a Passcode!

Getting ready from the onset is key to ensuring the safety of your iPhone device. There are of course different methods to ensuring the safekeeping of your iPhone device such as the Face ID or the Touch ID on older iPhone devices. But do note that setting up a Passcode alongside the Touch ID and Face ID is more secured to ensuring the safety of vital information and so forth.

Imagine losing all of the information on your phone such as banking apps, private conversations, the location of your home and office, contacts, emails, photos… the list goes on depending on how close you are with your iPhone. These aren’t the type of information you’d want some random stranger to get a hold of which is why you should do the following to setup your Face ID and Passcode.

Head over to the Settings page and then Click on Face ID (or Touch ID) and Passcode and then follow the Prompt info which allows you to then scan your Finger or Scan your face. That’s all.

Although having to swipe up every time your iPhone is unlocked after using the FaceID might not be what you want (Unlike Huawei Mate 20 X which automatically takes you to the desktop after Face Unlock is positive.) That’s just the min-hiccup you’ll encounter with the iPhone’s Face ID.

Make sure Find My iPhone is enabled

The other thing you should do as a preparation for the worst is ensuring that the Find My iPhone is always enabled although it’s always enabled by default even though you might have accidentally turned it off at some point in the past without noticing so it’s better to be so sure of what you’re doing.

To do that, head to the Setting App and then click on your Name right at the top of the Screen. Then click on iCloud and scroll all the way down until you can locate the Find My iPhone which you would then click on. It opens the option and check if both switches are turned to the On position (Green color). If they are, then fine else, turn them On.

Be good to your iPhone

When you suddenly find yourself in a strange land, keep hold of your iPhone well. You need to get a good phone casing or pouch that you can keep your device in while you can comfortably attach it to your backpack or clothing. Don’t just leave it where someone might grab it and run with it.

But when the worst happens, like eventually losing your phone despite all the security measures taken, don’t panic! Take a deep breath and remember that the Find My iPhone service is made for such situation.

Recovering your lost/stolen iPhone

Find My iPhone is the key

Nearly all of the iOS-powered devices out there has the Find My iPhone built directly into their system settings and can be managed by your iCloud account. What you need to do next after losing your iPhone is to head to the iCloud Find My iPhone website on your computer (or any computer with internet connection).

But id you’re unable to get a computer at that moment, then you can still access the Find My iPhone by either borrowing an iOS-powered device from a friend or family and then use it to Sign into the Find My iPhone application or if you have a Family Sharing set up, a member of your family can view your lost device in the Find My iPhone app on their own iOS device.

You should also note that while using the Find My iPhone either through a website on a computer or using another iPhone device, you must use the iCloud account that is linked to the lost iPhone.

So after signing in, then select your phone from the list of devices to view it’s location but if the device has been turned off, the last known location will be shown. 

But then while viewing the lost device’s location, select Actions at the bottom of the screen and then click on Lost Mode. Then you’ll be asked to enter a phone number and a message that should be displayed on the lock screen of the stolen device that puts it into Lost Mode.

Remember, you’ll be asked to create the Lost Mode and when it’s enabled, Lost Mode will lock the device, prevent notifications and messages from showing up in your lock screen, and continue tracking the phone’s location. The phone will still ring for incoming phone and FaceTime calls. This should help you track down the phone if it’s nearby. Or maybe you’ll be lucky and the person who has the phone will answer it to help get it back to you. 

Your data is safe

Do not worry, your data such as the Credit card information, Debit cards added to Apple Pay, different IDs and Transit Cards usually stored in the Wallet App will all be disabled until you regain the access to the device and log into your iCloud account. But then once the Apple Card is available, it will also be disabled in these circumstances. 

Even when the stolen iPhone is turned off while the Lost Mode is still active, you will receive an alert when the phone is turned back on as well as information about the location if there is data connection on the device.

When you recover your phone, you’ll need to enter the passcode you created when enabling Lost Mode. Then sign into your iCloud account.

Do not confront a thief

For security reasons and life risks, do not confront armed thieves. As a general rule of thumb, do not just follow people around if you’re able to track your device to a location or a house. Calling the police and seeking help is great way to protect yourself from potential harms and threats.

Also, you can contact your carrierd

Another important thing you should do if you’re unable to get your lost or stolen iPhone back is to contact your network providers about the situation of things. This will enable them to Flag the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number by preventing it from working or even rendering the entire device useless for whoever has it.

Keep in mind that if you have your service suspended you’ll lower the odds of tracking the phone unless it’s connected to a known Wi-Fi network. Suspending service is something you should only do after you’re sure you can’t recover the phone.

File an insurance claim

Other things you can do to be on the safe side which we’ve discussed in the past is to file for insurance claims. If you have the AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss or you Pay monthly for your device’s insurance through your carrier, then you should file for insurance claims as soon as possible even though you’ll need to fill out some paperwork and pay a deductible in order to get a replacement device.

To get started with the process of your iPhone’s insurance that has AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss covered, use this website or contact your carrier directly to begin the claim process. Filing a claim (on the Apple website) will erase your iPhone and prevent anyone else from being able to use it. Should you find your phone after filing a claim, you can cancel it. But you’ll need to set up your iPhone as new which means going back to step one in terms of security setup o that the same thing doesn’t repeat ones again. Hope this helps you.