The Real Mac Genius

Tracking your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch

Nick Young

One of the key features of the mobile me software extra for iPhones, iPad’s, or iPod touches’ was the ability to remotely locate it. This extra is now free for all 4th generation versions of these devices that run ios 4.2. This means that if you lose your phone anywhere, you can always go onto your computer at home, and find where your phone is. Along with finding your phone, this service also allows you to lock it with a special password, to wipe the memory, or to display a message and play a sound. Now here is a walkthrough that can also be found in <<http://www.apple.com/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/>> .

For the sake of this walkthrough, you are trying to install the tracking software onto your iPhone.

  1. First of all, check if your iPhone is running iOS 4.2, which is the latest software update possible. If you are not sure if you are running this, try to Sync your iPhone and click the button marked with “check for updates”. On another note, if this is the first time you are creating a free account, you would need an iPhone 4.
  2. For the next step, you should turn on your iPhone, and click on the Settings App, which looks like a large gear. Inside that App, choose the Mail, Contacts, Calendars bar.
  3. Inside that, select the Add Account, which will be the first option you get. Inside the Add Account menu, click on MobileMe. On a side note, MobileMe is the software that you would normally buy, and includes many more extras on top of tracking.
  4. Inside MobileMe, follow the instructions and enter your Apple ID and password. If you do not have an Apple ID, click on the Create Free Apple ID on the bottom of the screen. If you are already a MobileMe user, enter your “me.com” or “mac.com” address and password.
  5. Now you have to verify. If your MobileMe account says “not verified”, then check you email that you provided to Apple. Inside, there should be a message from apple. In that message, click verify now, and sign in. If there is no email, click on your MobileMe account and select the option to Resend the Verification Email.
  6. With that done, return to the MobileMe screen. Inside there, switch “Find My iPhone” from off to on. When a permission email appears, tap “Allow”.

Once you have done this, your iPhone is ready for action. Sign in to me.com from a computer, and you will see your phone, where it is, and a list of options. This entire process can be used for iPads and iPod Touches. This amazing software just became free, and if you have the right generation and the right software, it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity.