Solved: Does Find My iPhone Work If SIM Card Is Removed

“Does Find My iPhone work if sim card is removed?” - A commonly asked question in the Apple Forum.

Find My iPhone is a vital feature of the Apple devices that helps the owner find their phone when it is lost or stolen. But does this function when the sim card in the iPhone is removed? Well, the answer is both yes and no. Keep reading the article to find out further explanation.

Does Find My iPhone Work If SIM Card Is Removed?

Before answering this query, you need to know how the Find My iPhone feature works. The feature basically utilizes the iCloud account and the built-in GPS in the iPhone. When you lose or misplace the phone, you can simply log in to your iCloud account and view the phone's exact location on the map.

But there is a constraint. The phone must be connected to the internet for the Find My iPhone feature to work. The Find My iPhone feature will not work when the sim card is removed, and the phone is not connected to Wi-Fi. However, if someone finds the phone and connects it to the internet, the feature will start working. You can locate the iPhone as well as erase data or lock the phone and display a custom message.

Can A iPhone Be Tracked If SIM Card Is Removed?

Yes, you can track the iPhone if the SIM card is removed. The only requirement is that the device is connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or another cellular network. As soon as the phone is online, its GPS coordinates will be shared with the Apple server. As a result, the phone's previous owner can perceive the location through their iCloud account. That means you can track the phone without a SIM as long as the Find My iPhone is on.

And, the good news is even if you lost the phone and someone else found it, they will not be able to turn off the feature. Connecting to the internet and knowing the Apple ID and passcode is required to attempt turning off the feature. As a result, you can easily track down their location whenever they attempt to turn off FMI.

How Can I Track My iPhone If SIM Card is Removed?

Most iPhone owners consider their iPhone precious, and losing the phone is definitely heartbreaking. However, because of the well-equipped security features on the iPhone, the chances are high that you can regain access to it easily. Especially if there are inserted SIM cards on the phone and the internet is on, you should locate and find it through "Find My iPhone easily".

If your iPhone is stolen or lost, here is what you need to do without further ado:

1. Open the browser on another phone/PC which is connected to the internet.
2. Browse iCloud.com and sign in to your Apple ID.
3. Click on "Find My iPhone". You will see all the devices connected to iCloud.
4. Find the lost iPhone from the list and turn "Lost Mode" on it.

Once the lost mode is on, Apple will start tracking the device and share the location with the connected iCloud account.

How to Prevent My iPhone from Being Maliciously Locked?

Apple's automatic lock is considerably enough to prevent unrestricted access to your phone. However, for additional security, you can consider turning on some other security features:

• Two Factor Authentication: Turning on the 2F authentication can make your iPhone more secure. When someone tries to access your account, they will require going through the process even after correctly entering the Apple ID credential.
• SIM Card Lock: Your iPhone will not recognize other SIMs except the original one when the SIM card lock is on. You can turn on the SIM card lock from the Settings.
• Security Questions: Additionally, you can set up security questions. As you will be the only person to know the answer, it will be pretty impossible for others to access the account.

More FAQs about Find My iPhone & SIM Card

Q1. Can I track a lost iPhone if the SIM is changed?

Yes, you can track the phone even if the thief replaces the SIM card. As soon as the phone is connected to the internet, the lost mode will come to action and lock the phone immediately and show the custom message if it is set.

Q2. Can I track an iPhone that has no service?

Tracking an iPhone without service is not possible as it requires an internet connection to update its location. However, various third-party tools and solutions are available to assist iPhone users in locating misplaced or lost devices. To summarize, while it's feasible to track an iPhone without a SIM card, internet service is a requirement.

Q3. What happens to the phone calls when the SIM card is detached?

The SIM card on a phone works as the "key" to register the device to a specific carrier. As long as the SIM is inserted, the phone will receive messages and calls. And, when the SIM is removed, the phone will act the same as it does when it is off.

Q4. Does changing the SIM card delete everything on the iPhone?

No. SIM cards are interchangeable, and data stored on your phone will not be erased after removing or changing the SIM card. The only information you will not be able to access is the one that is saved on the SIM.

Q5. Can thieves turn off Find My iPhone?

It is almost impossible to disable Find My iPhone for someone who doesn't have your Apple ID access. However, they might be able to disable the function by utilizing third-party tools.

Bonus: Remove Find My Activation Lock without Previous Owner

You may encounter a situation where you have purchased an iPhone from someone else, but the device still has Find My iPhone (FMI) and Activation Lock enabled. But unfortunately, contacting the previous owner for assistance turning off FMI is not an option.

If you find yourself in such a predicament, a third-party tool like Tenorshare 4MeKey can help. It's an activation lock bypass tool that allows you to disable Find My iPhone without requiring an Apple ID or password. Once FMI is turned off, all iOS capabilities will become accessible. Here are the steps to bypass activation lock:

Step 1: To begin, download and install Tenorshare 4MeKey on your computer. Once installed, select "Start to Remove."

Step 2: Next, the "Remove iCloud Activation Lock" window will appear. Please note that the device will need to undergo a jailbreak process, and you should only connect one iOS device at a time.

Step 3: Before proceeding with the jailbreak, read the Jailbreak precautions carefully. Once you've read them, accept the terms and click "Next."

Step 4: Connect your iPhone to your computer using a high-quality USB cable, ensuring a secure connection at both ends.

Step 5: Now, proceed with the jailbreak process. Ensure that your computer is not running any other applications. The jailbreak tool will download on Mac and initiate the process. Click "Start Jailbreak" and follow the on-screen tutorial provided by Tenorshare 4MeKey.

Finally, the iCloud activation lock will be removed within a few minutes.

Conclusion

As discussed above, the Find My iPhone feature doesn't depend on the SIM card on your device, and it only needs internet connectivity. If your device is lost, you can still track it whenever it gets connected to the internet.

If you're looking to unlock a locked iPhone and disable the Find My iPhone feature, Tenorshare 4MeKey is an effective tool to accomplish this task. It can bypass the activation lock screen, even if you don't have access to the Apple ID and password.