To turn off Find My iPhone, open Settings, tap your name at the top, tap Find My, tap Find My iPhone, and toggle the switch off. You will be asked for your Apple Account (Apple ID) password to confirm. The whole process takes about 30 seconds, and it does not erase anything on your phone. Below is the exact path, when you actually need to do it, and how to switch it off remotely if the device is no longer in your hands.

Step-by-step: turning off Find My iPhone

These steps are the same on current versions of iOS. On recent releases, “Apple ID” is now labeled “Apple Account,” but the menu path is identical.

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap your name (the banner at the very top of the screen).
  3. Tap Find My.
  4. Tap Find My iPhone.
  5. Toggle Find My iPhone off (the switch turns from green to gray).
  6. Enter your Apple Account (Apple ID) password and tap Turn Off.

On the same screen you will also see Find My network and Send Last Location. Turning off Find My iPhone switches both of those off too, so you do not need to disable them separately.

When you actually need to turn it off

Most people should leave Find My iPhone on all the time; it is your best defense if the phone is lost or stolen. There are only a few times you genuinely need to turn it off:

  • Before selling or trading in the device, so Activation Lock does not block the next owner.
  • Before sending it for repair, if the service provider asks you to (many Apple repairs no longer require this, but some third-party shops do).
  • Before a factory erase that you plan to do from the phone itself, although Settings will usually turn it off for you as part of Erase All Content and Settings.

If you are keeping the phone, there is no benefit to turning it off. If anything, leaving it on is the safer choice.

How to turn it off remotely

If the iPhone is lost, already wiped, or you have already handed it over, you can clear it from your account in a browser:

  1. Go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account.
  2. Click All Devices and select the iPhone.
  3. Choose Erase iPhone and confirm (skip this if it is already erased).
  4. Once the device shows as erased, click Remove This Device to lift Activation Lock.

You can do the same from the Find My app on another Apple device you own. Removing the device this way is what a buyer needs if they are staring at an “iPhone Locked to Owner” screen.

Is it safe to turn off Find My iPhone?

Yes, it is safe in the sense that nothing on the phone is deleted or damaged. The trade-off is purely about protection: while it is off, you cannot locate the device on a map, play a sound on it, mark it as lost, or rely on Activation Lock to deter a thief. That is why you should only turn it off when you have a concrete reason, and turn it back on afterward if you are keeping the phone.

One common mistake is turning off Find My iPhone but forgetting to sign out of iCloud before handing the device to someone else. If you are giving the phone away, the cleanest approach is to back up, then go to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings. That signs you out, removes Activation Lock, and wipes your data in one step.

Troubleshooting: it will not turn off

If the toggle refuses to switch off or the password will not go through, work through these:

  • Wrong password. The screen wants your Apple Account password, not your device passcode. If you are not sure of it, reset it at iforgot.apple.com first.
  • Two-factor prompt. On some accounts you must approve a verification code sent to another trusted device before the change is accepted.
  • No internet. The change is confirmed with Apple’s servers, so connect to Wi-Fi or cellular and try again.
  • Screen Time restriction. If Account Changes are blocked under Settings, Screen Time, Content and Privacy Restrictions, allow them before you can toggle Find My.

Turning off Find My for other devices and items

The same Find My system also covers your iPad, Mac, AirPods, and AirTags. Turning off Find My iPhone on this phone does not touch those; each device manages its own setting. To stop sharing your location with people, that is a separate control under Find My, Me, Share My Location, and switching Find My iPhone off does not automatically stop location sharing with family or friends. Handle each one deliberately so you do not accidentally leave something on, or off, that you meant to change.

Related iPhone guides

Cleaning up before a sale or handoff? It also helps to check your iPhone storage so you know what to back up, and to delete apps you no longer use. If you are securing a new phone, our explainer on passkeys and what replaces your password is a good next read.