Have you ever misplaced your Apple Watch and wasted time frantically searching for it? We all have our absent-minded moments of losing track of devices, keys or other everyday items. Fortunately, Apple has a tracking feature called Find My that makes locating a lost Apple Watch easy breezy.
In this handy guide, I’ll walk you step-by-step through how to find an Apple Watch using your iPhone. I’ll use simple instructions and helpful screenshots so you can quickly master the Find My app. Knowing these steps can give you peace of mind if your watch ever goes missing.
Let’s get started!
Step 1: Open The Apple Watch App
The first step is to open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. This app allows you to customize settings, install apps, change watch faces and more for your Apple Watch.
To find the app, go to your iPhone‘s home screen and search for the "Apple Watch" app icon. It looks like a tiny Apple Watch screen. Tap the icon to launch the app.
Once the Apple Watch app opens, you‘ll see the name of your Apple Watch at the top of the screen.
Step 2: Tap The Information Icon
With the name of your Apple Watch displayed, look in the top right corner of the screen and you‘ll see a small gray “i” icon.
Go ahead and tap this information icon. Tapping it opens a menu with a few different options.
Step 3: Select "Find My Apple Watch"
In the menu that pops up, select the option that says “Find My Apple Watch.”
This will open the Find My app and start trying to locate your Apple Watch.
Step 4: Login With Your Apple ID
After tapping Find My Apple Watch, you‘ll be prompted to sign in with your Apple ID.
Enter the email address and password associated with your Apple ID. Then tap Next in the upper right corner.
Logging in with your Apple ID allows the Find My app to locate devices connected to your iCloud account, like your Apple Watch. This step is required to search for the watch.
Step 5: View The Map Showing Your Apple Watch Location
Once you log in, you‘ll be taken right to a map screen showing the approximate location of your Apple Watch.
The map won‘t necessarily show the exact spot of your watch, but it gives you a good general idea of the nearby area to search. This can help narrow down its location immensely.
Tip: For the best accuracy, use an Apple Watch model with cellular capabilities like LTE, such as Series 3 or later. This allows the watch to pinpoint its location using mobile data, rather than just Bluetooth which has a limited range.
According to Apple, all Apple Watch models from Series 2 and on have a built-in GPS. So even without cellular, these watches can still report location back to the Find My app.
Step 6: Make Your Apple Watch Play A Sound
The map screen gives you a general location, but how do you pinpoint the exact spot of your Apple Watch?
Use the "Play Sound" feature to make your Apple Watch emit a loud pinging tone.
Start by looking at the bottom of the Find My app screen and tap the Actions button.
This opens the Actions menu. Tap the option for Play Sound.
After selecting Play Sound, your Apple Watch will emit a loud pinging noise. Use your ears to follow the sound to locate your watch! It will keep pinging every few seconds so you can easily track it down.
Such a simple but genius feature for finding lost devices buried under couch cushions or in another room.
Step 7: Stop Sound And Lock Your Apple Watch
Once you’ve located your lost Apple Watch and have it safely in hand, go back to the Find My app if you‘ve closed it out.
We need to stop the pinging sound, so tap Actions again and select Stop Playing Sound.
This will silence the pinging and return your Apple Watch to normal.
While we have the app open, take an extra security step by putting your Apple Watch into Lost Mode.
Tap Actions > Enable Lost Mode.
You‘ll be prompted to enter a phone number and custom message to display on the watch screen. This ensures that if your Apple Watch is lost again in the future, whoever finds it can contact you.
Finally, tap Activate to enable Lost Mode. This locks the watch with a passcode that only you know.
With sound disabled and Lost Mode enabled, you can relax knowing your Apple Watch is protected in case it goes missing again.
What If Find My Isn‘t Enabled?
Before panicking about a lost Apple Watch, double check that Find My is turned on. The Find My app can only locate devices that have the feature enabled in iCloud settings.
To check Find My on your Apple Watch:
- On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on your Apple Watch name.
- Scroll down and check if Find My Watch is toggled on (green).
If Find My isn‘t enabled beforehand on your watch, unfortunately there is no way to remotely track its location after losing it.
Here are a few things you can try if your lost Apple Watch can’t be located through Find My:
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Place it in Lost Mode on iCloud.com – You can remotely lock your watch and add a message with contact info that will display on the screen. To do this, login to iCloud.com and click Find My. Even if you can‘t track its location, Lost Mode still helps secure the watch.
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Change your Apple ID password – This prevents anyone from accessing your iCloud account and data if they have your watch. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security on your iPhone to change your password.
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Report it to local authorities – File a report about your lost Apple Watch with the police or campus security, if applicable. Provide key details like make/model and serial number. This creates a formal record of the lost device.
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Know the serial number – If your watch is turned in to authorities or Apple, the serial number helps identify that it‘s your specific device. To find it, go to Settings > General > About on your Apple Watch. Make note of the serial number in case you need to reference it.
According to estimates from lost-and-found service Crowdfind, Apple products like iPhones, AirPods and Apple Watches make up nearly half (48%) of all lost devices. Having Find My enabled can help you avoid becoming part of this statistic if you lose your Apple Watch.
To Summarize…
Let‘s briefly recap the steps to find your Apple Watch using the Find My app on your iPhone:
- Open the Apple Watch app
- Tap the information icon
- Select “Find My Apple Watch”
- Login to your iCloud account
- View the map showing your watch‘s approximate location
- Make your watch play a sound to pinpoint its location
- Stop the sound once found and enable Lost Mode for security
Following these simple steps in the Find My app can help you breathe a sigh of relief if your Apple Watch goes missing. Enable Find My ahead of time for the best results.
And be sure to use Lost Mode when you find your watch to add an extra layer of protection in case it slips off your wrist again.
I hope this guide gave you confidence for tracking down a lost Apple Watch. Let me know if you have any other questions!