How to track your iPhone when turned off or on airplane mode: Find my iPhone

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This simple trick will let you track your iPhone ANYWHERE in the world – even if it’s turned off or on airplane mode

  • Popular iPhone tips and tricks account shared a hack that can track lost phones
  • The video went viral and has over 1 million views and thousands of comments
  • The tip is to toggle off Control Centre and USB accessories when unlocked
  • It is also recommended to ensure location services are always on  

By Shania Obrien For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

An Apple expert has revealed a simple hack that allows iPhone users to track their device even when it is turned off or set to airplane mode.  

Niels van Straaten, better known as @appledsign on Instagram, detailed the trick in a video on his account, in which he took his followers through a quick series of steps in order to make the hack work. 

First, Niels went to ‘Settings’ and then ‘Face ID and Passcode.’ He then toggled off access to the control centre and USB accessories when the phone is locked – which will prevent thieves from ever switching the phone to airplane mode. 

‘The first thing a thief would do is toggle on Airplane Mode to disconnect from the internet,’ he notes. 

Airplane mode is often used by thieves in order to prevent a person from tracking or accessing their device once it has been taken. Typically, this mode can be activated when a phone is locked, however Niels’ trick prevents that from being done.    

Ensuring 'Location Services' is always on will make it easier to track lost or stolen iPhones

Niels van Straaten, better known as @appledsign on Instagram , has shared a hack that lets users track their iPhones even if it is turned off or on airplane mode

How to track your phone even if it’s turned off or on airplane mode

In a few easy steps users can learn how to track their iPhones at all times

  • First, go to ‘Settings‘ and ‘Face ID and Passcode‘
  • Toggle off ‘Control Centre,’ ‘USB accessories,’ and ‘Siri‘ when the phone is unlocked
  • Go to ‘Location Services‘ and make sure it is always toggled on
  • Next, go to ‘Find My‘ and ensure all three subsections (find my iPhone, find my network, and send last location) are toggled on

Should that step fail however, he asked users to ensure that ‘Location Services’ is always on, 

The ‘Find my iPhone’ section has three subsections – and Niels warned that people usually only have the first setting toggled on.

‘It’s important to have ‘Find my network’ and ‘Send last location’ on as well,’ he said.

These settings lets users locate their iPhones when it is offline, in power reserve mode, and even after power off. It will also share the phone’s location with Apple when the battery is critically low. 

These settings lets users locate their iPhones when it is offline, in power reserve mode, and even after power off and will also share the phone's location with Apple when the battery is critically low

These settings lets users locate their iPhones when it is offline, in power reserve mode, and even after power off and will also share the phone’s location with Apple when the battery is critically low

The video has over one million views and thousands of comments, many of which share useful tips that help users keep their phones secure.

‘Make sure to turn of Siri when the phone is locked,’ one man commented. ‘She turned airplane mode on without me having to use the control centre.’ 

‘People think leaving your location on drains your phone’s battery but this is not true,’ added another. ‘Better to be safe than sorry.’