Did You Lose Your Mac? Follow These Steps and Find Your Stolen Device
What’s a Mac owner’s worst nightmare? Yes, you already know the answer. There can be nothing more terrifying for you than the loss or theft of your device since all your official and personal information is loaded on that computing device. For many, their livelihood depends on their computer, and nothing could be more heartbreaking for them than having their device stolen. However, the Apple and macOS developers have given this problem some good thought. In Apple’s operating system, you can find a feature called “Find My Mac.”
Find My Mac allows the user to remotely locate their device’s exact location from anywhere in the world. This makes it the best option to protect your device against theft, and in case it is stolen, you can easily find its location with the help of this fantastic feature. But before we get started, you’ll need a few things such as your Apple ID, another computer, an iOS device, and a working internet connection. Now, you are all set to locate your missing device, erase all its data, or lock it.
Here are the steps involved to use Find My Mac efficiently:
Follow These Steps Before Your System Gets Stolen
You have to take a few protective measures after your device gets stolen. The first thing you should start with is remotely locking your device and protecting your data.
FileVault
MAC OS inbuilt software ‘File vault’ will let you encrypt your hard drive. Simply put, it will not allow anyone to access your data until they have the password to your Apple ID. If you have not enabled FileVault on your device, anyone can access your files as long as they have physical access to your device. You must allow the FileVault to feature on your device as soon as you bring it to your home.
Find My Mac
As mentioned earlier, Find My Mac helps you track your device in the event of theft. Furthermore, it enables you to remotely clean all the data from your hard drive when it is stolen. But, make sure that you have enabled it – go to System Preferences > iCloud and switch on the “Find My Mac” option. For a more detailed insight on this subject, follow this link https://setapp.com/how-to/set-up-find-my-mac-and-protect-data and find many ways to effortlessly secure your device. Keep reading for more information:
How to Enable Find My Mac
As mentioned above, to use this feature, you need to turn it on your device. Now that out of the way, let’s find your device by following these steps.
Step #1
To access Find My Mac, go to System Preferences, select iCloud. In case you are not already logged in to your iCloud account, enter your credentials to access it.
Step #2
Ensure you have enabled the option as this will permit iCloud to find your device and perform needed actions remotely on your lost device. After turning it on, Mac OS X will seek your permission to enable it once again.
Step #3
Now, you are logged in to iCloud, and you can be sure that Find My Mac is functional by ensuring the checkbox is ticked. You can find this option at the bottom of the list in front of you.
Let’s Find Your Mac With iCloud
Now you have learned how to enable the feature, it becomes straightforward for you to locate your device using the iCloud website or your iOS device. Let’s start with the iCloud device first and next, and we will show you how to locate your device with your Apple iPhone.
Steps you can take to find your device with iCloud:
Step #1
Log on to iCloud.com and start by entering your username and password. Now, you are in, select find my iPhone. Don’t be alarmed, and we know you are trying to find your MacBook, not your iPhone.
Note: Find my iPhone was initially an iOS service, which has taken a new form recently. It now works fittingly with a MacBook and other Apple devices. Due to its original name, it can cause some confusion to the user.
Step #2
As soon as you click on it, a map will appear, displaying the exact locations of the devices that are connected to iCloud services. All your Apple devices will appear on that map. To find each device’s location individually click on their icon as shown on the map, or click All Devices appearing at the top of the page and select the device you are trying to find.
With the further assistance of Find My iPhone, you can now filter the results you need to see: your device. From here on, you can lock your device remotely, wipe off all the data on your hard drive, and can even play sounds on your computer. Use these features as you deem fit.
Finding Your Mac With an iPhone
To use this feature, first, you have to download an app called Find my iPhone from AppStore. Now you are all set, you can locate, lock and erase all the data on your device remotely. Follow these steps to apply this fix efficiently:
Step #1
After downloading the app on your iOS device, launch Find My iPhone, which you can see on your iPhone’s home screen. It will redirect you to iCloud, enter your credentials to access it.
Note: If you do not have an iOS device at hand, don’t worry you can borrow from your friend or a family member, as it does not save any of your personal information on the device. Hence it is a perfect tool for you to use if you want to locate your missing device.
Step #2
After you are logged in, locating your device is utterly similar to the steps mentioned above. You can also select which Apple device you want to discover by tapping on the icon of that particular device. After selecting your missing device, you can lock erase all the files and the data on it.
The Bottom-Line
The most excruciating pain following childbirth is losing your MacBook. And we know your pain. However, the guide mentioned above can help you deal with this problem or even help you secure your stolen device. Follow these steps to locate your device and secure your data.
