Locate, lock, and erase devices with Apple Business
When an users’s device is lost or stolen, you can protect the data on it from being accessed, by either locking the device remotely or by erasing the data on it.
There are two ways you can remotely lock an Apple device in Apple Business: Managed Lost Mode (for iPhone and iPad), and Remote Lock (for Mac and Apple Vision Pro).
Also, when a device is in Managed Lost Mode, the built-in device management can use Lost Mode View Location to view the device’s location (even if location services are off).
Important: The ability to locate, lock, and erase devices is available only for devices enrolled in the built-in device management using Device Enrollment or Automated Device Enrollment.
Turn on Managed Lost Mode on an iPhone or iPad
Apple Business can remotely place a supervised iPhone or iPad in Lost Mode (called Managed Lost Mode) enrolled in the built-in device management service. When Apple Business remotely turns on Managed Lost Mode, the device is locked and a message can be displayed with a phone number and other information on the Lock Screen. Managed Lost Mode doesn’t require Find My to be turned on.
If Apple Business turns off Managed Lost Mode remotely, the device is unlocked.
Note: For Managed Lost Mode commands to be received, the device needs to be able to connect to the internet. If the device is unable to connect to the internet, either over a cellular network or Wi-Fi, the commands won’t be received but continue to attempt to send until the device has a connection.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list, then select Lost Mode
.Enter the following:
A phone number to call if the device is found
A message on the Lock Screen
Optionally, an unlock message for the user after the device is unlocked
After the device is in Managed Lost Mode, you can select Play Sound to play a sound on the device or View Location to view its last known location.
Turn off Managed Lost Mode on an iPhone or iPad
You can turn off Managed Lost Mode on an iPhone or iPad enrolled in the built-in device management service.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list.
Select Turn Off to turn off Managed Lost Mode.
Lock a Mac
You can remotely lock any supervised Mac behind a six-digit PIN (personal identification number) code enrolled in the built-in device management service. After the command has been sent to the Mac and the computer restarts, it displays a Lock Screen and a place to input the six-digit PIN code. The user can’t restart into macOS until the PIN has been entered and validated by the Mac. For the lock command to be received, the Mac needs to be able to connect to the internet. If the Mac is unable to connect to the internet, the commands won’t be received but continue to attempt to send.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list, then select Protect.
Select Lock next to Lock Device, then read the dialog.
If you still want to lock the Mac, select Confirm.
Unlock a Mac
After you’ve recovered your Mac, you can unlock it using the six-digit PIN code shown on the device in Apple Business. The device needs to be enrolled in the built-in device management service.
Note: When a Mac is locked, you can’t send any additional command until the device is unlocked and appears in Apple Business. There may be a slight delay between when the device is unlocked and when the device appears.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list.
A banner appears noting the device is locked. To view the PIN, select Lost Mode
.If you still want to unlock the Mac, select Confirm.
Enter the PIN code on the Mac to unlock it.
Lock an Apple Vision Pro
You can remotely lock any supervised Apple Vision Pro. The device needs to be enrolled in the built-in device management service.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list, then select Protect.
Select Lock next to Lock Device, then read the dialog.
If you still want to lock the Apple Vision Pro, select Confirm.
Erase a device
If a supervised device is lost or stolen, you can remotely erase the device. For example, if an user loses their organization-owned iPhone and it has proprietary information on it, you can send a command to erase the device, which removes all data from it. If the device is later found, you can reenroll it again in Apple Business. The device needs to be enrolled in the built-in device management service.
Important: For the Erase Device command to be received, the device needs to be able to connect to the internet. If the device is unable to connect to the internet, either over a cellular network or Wi-Fi, the command won’t be received but continue to attempt to send.
In Apple Business, sign in with a user whose role has permissions to view and manage devices using built-in device management.
To view roles and permissions, see Intro to roles and permissions.
If necessary, search for the device in the search field. See How to search.
After you locate the device, select it from the list, then select Erase.
Read the dialog stating that all data will be erased on the device.
If you still want to erase the device, select I confirm that I want to erase this device, then select Confirm.