According to the numbers provided by the Federal Communications Commission, 3 million Americans became victims of phone theft, and twice more lost their devices. Those with iOS devices tried to locate the lost iPhone using the default features, but half of the attempts failed. Location tracker by phone number can be a good solution, but not so many people are familiar with such services. The consequent question arising from this is how to find a lost iPhone without Find My iPhone feature, which is preinstalled on all Apple devices.

Why And How to Use the Find My iPhone Feature?

FMI is the default application installed on all Apple devices, which allows tracking the Apple gadget's current location. In fact, it is called Find My app, as it works with all Apple devices:

• Apple Watches;
• AirPods;
• iPads;
• MACs.

We recommend turning it on as soon as you get the device in your hands for the first time, as it will help you find your gadget, whether lost or stolen. 

Find My is an app to find all the devices linked to your Apple ID. The greatest thing is that it also tracks the devices from accounts added to your family group.

Whenever you realize your device is not in your pocket – display a custom message on its screen, asking the person to return it to the owner or simply block it.

Unfortunately, it is not an always-working way to find your lost Apple product, as it has several considerable drawbacks.

1. You can find your lost iPhone only while the battery is not dead. Even if it is turned off, but the battery has some charge in it – the app will share the approximate location of your lost "digital friend", but as soon as there is no more power – you will only see the last known location of your lost iPhone. If it is important – location history will also be available.
2. To locate your lost Apple product, you need another Apple product connected to the same iCloud account on which you launch the Find My app. In this case, the device will appear on the map. Otherwise, you must check how to locate a lost iPhone without Find My iPhone tracker.
3. If you forget or do not turn on the location share option in Find My settings, you will hardly get any help from this app.

3 Best Ways to Find Lost iPhone Without Using the Find My Application

Luckily for all Apple users, there are other ways to check the location of your iPhone, not using the default location services provided by Apple.

1. Turn to Google Timeline

Although Apple and Google are the biggest competitors in the mobile gadgets market, many iPhone users still have Google Maps on their devices just because they are more convenient. Luckily, it is possible to track your lost iPhone, even from your PC, using this service from Google. The procedure is as simple as a cup of tea:

• go to Google Timeline using your web browser or Google Maps app on your Apple device;
• choose the date for which you would like to check Google Maps location history; you probably need to tap on "today".
• scroll to the very end of the list to see the last location where your iPhone shared the tracking signal.

It is important to mention that location tracking and location services in the Google Maps app should be turned on to locate your iPhone.

2. Try Using Apple Watch, If You Have It

You can find the missing iPhone using an Apple watch if it is not far from you. In the Glances menu of the latter, there is a ping feature, which will help you locate the device with the help of audio and flash signals. Unfortunately, it won't help if the lost iPhone is dead. And if the iPhone's location is far from yours – such signals won't be seen or heard. 

The main application of this feature is if you lose your iPhone at home, at work, or at a party. It won't help you find the device if you have no single idea of where it could be. It is also important to mention that your iPhone and Apple watch should be linked to use this method.

3. Give a Chance to GEOfinder

GEOfinder is a somehow unique application as it allows you to track the lost iPhone without Find My or any other application; the only thing it needs is the phone number. Unfortunately, it won't help if the lost iPhone is turned off, as it requires confirmation from location sharing. Let's look at the tracking process closer:

• open the GEOfinder website and enter the number you want to track; you don't need to know the Apple ID credentials, and the iOS version is unimportant;
• if you haven't yet, pay to use the service – it is only $39.99 per month;
• enter your phone number to receive the report.

An SMS with a link will be sent to the stolen iPhone. You will get the location report once this link is activated. To encourage one to follow the link, compose an engaging SMS, like, "tap the link and win $1,000,000" or another enticing phrase. Thus, if you want to know how to track a LOST iPhone without Find My iPhone app - GEOfinder is not an option, and the phone cannot tap the link on itself.

FAQ

Can I still find my iPhone using the Find My app if the SIM card was removed?

If you use Find My iPhone app, it is not linked with the SIM card in any way. The SIM card can be removed, broken, or changed – it does not matter. You still can locate your lost iPhone while it has at least some power left in its battery.

Can I find my lost iPhone using another iPhone?

You can use the Find My iPhone feature on any device linked to the same Apple ID or any account in the family sharing group. Unfortunately, another iPhone that is not connected to yours won't help in any way.

If I forgot the password and cannot use the Find My application, are there other ways to find my device?

The whole article is about how to find a lost iPhone without My iPhone tracker, so yes, there are ways to find a lost Apple device, believe us. Try to find your iPhone using Google Maps Timeline, or track a stolen phone using GEOfinder. Different features might be more or less useful in different situations, so it is better to have all of them in your arsenal.

Is my dead iPhone still working?

It is a weird question; when the phone is dead – it is actually dead! Of course, if your iPhone goes missing, you can mark it as lost even if it is dead. But if you need to locate a lost phone – that is where your troubles begin. Thus, it can be said you have a short time gap for tracking a lost device before the battery dies, and you need to start looking for an iPhone replacement.