iCloud: Erase your device remotely

Erase your device remotely

If your device is lost or stolen, you can erase the personal information (such as your contacts, email, and music) and settings on that device to prevent anyone else from seeing or using your information.

Important:   Before you erase all the information on your device, try to locate it or play a sound on it. After you erase the information on an iOS device, you won’t be able to use Find My iPhone to locate it or play a sound. You may still be able to use Find My iPhone to locate your Mac after you erase it.

If you erase your iOS device and then find it, you can restore the information on the device using iCloud Backup (if backup was turned on before you erased it) or iTunes. For more information, see the user guide for your device in Safari bookmarks or on the Apple Support website.

To erase your device remotely, you need to have set up Find My iPhone on the device before it was lost.

Note:   If you set an EFI firmware password on your Mac before it was lost, then erase it and later find it, you may need to take your Mac to an authorized repair center to unlock it before you can use it again.

Erase the information on your lost device

  1. Sign in to icloud.com/find using your Apple ID (the one you use with iCloud).

    If you’re already signed in to a different application on icloud.com, click the iCloud button iCloud button to switch applications.

  2. Click Devices, then select the device you want to erase.

    Image of Find My iPhone Devices list

  3. In the device’s Info window, click Erase Device.

    Image of the Wipe button in the device window

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To erase an iOS device, enter your Apple ID password, then click Erase.

    • To erase a Mac, enter a passcode that you’ll need to use to unlock the device if you find it (to prevent anyone but yourself from using the computer if it’s found), then follow the onscreen instructions.

      When asked to type a message, you may want to indicate how to contact you if the device is found. For example, “This Mac is lost. If found, please call me at yourphonenumber.”

    If the device is online, the remote erase begins within seconds (if the device is a Mac, it also restarts before it’s erased), and a confirmation email is sent to your Apple ID email address (the one you use with iCloud).

    If the device is offline, the information is erased the next time it’s online.

Note:   If you don’t expect to find your iPhone or iPad (Wi-Fi + cellular models), you should contact your wireless service provider to suspend service so you aren’t responsible for phone calls or other charges.