What to Do When Your iPhone is Stolen - Complete Recovery Guide
A complete guide based on my personal experience. Learn the essential steps to protect your data and increase your chances of recovery.
In November 2025, I went through a traumatic experience — my iPhone was stolen. I was at a café in Copenhagen, hanging out with friends. We had a really good time, but since it was getting late, I decided to go home. At the moment when I was next to my bike and wanted to connect my phone to my headphones, I realized that I didn't have my phone with me.
At first, I thought I might have dropped it somewhere and it was lying under the table. I went back to the café and looked for it, but I didn't succeed. Right after that, I tried to see its location via the Find My iPhone app on my friend's iPhone. The phone appeared as offline, even though I knew it was almost fully charged. And then I realized what happened — my iPhone was stolen.
Below I'd like to share essential tips that may be useful when your iPhone gets stolen.
1. Locate Your Phone via Find My iPhone
Ask a friend to log in to the Find My iPhone app and try to locate your phone. If you're lucky and the phone is still turned on, you might find its location on the map.
However, if the phone was already switched off by the thief, it will appear as offline. Remember: Do NOT remove it from the list of your devices. As long as the phone is bound to your iCloud account, it's essentially useless to the thief.
2. Enable Lost Mode
Put your lost iPhone into "Lost Mode" via the Find My iPhone app. This allows you to write a message that will be displayed to anyone accessing your phone. You can input your contact information — consider typing in a mobile number of one of your friends, at least until you get a replacement phone and new SIM card from your provider.
3. Erase Your iPhone Remotely
If you're concerned about the data on your iPhone, use the "Erase iPhone" function, which will activate whenever your iPhone connects to any network.
After a few months, I got a confirmation email from Apple that my iPhone had been erased.
Important: Once you erase your device, you won't be able to track it using Find My iPhone.
4. Lock Your SIM Card
Contact your mobile carrier immediately to lock your SIM card. This prevents the thief from making calls, sending messages, or using your data plan.
5. File a Police Report
Submit a theft report to your local police station. You'll need the case number for insurance claims.
6. Contact Your Insurance Provider
If you have phone insurance, file a claim with your provider. Provide the police case number and any documentation they require.
7. Watch for Phishing Attempts
Be alert for fake emails or messages claiming to be from Apple asking for your password. Thieves may try to trick you into unlocking the device remotely. Apple will never ask for your password via email.
Protect Yourself for the Future
Enable Automatic Backups
As I say, you can divide people into two groups: people that do backups and those that will. I had automatic backup turned on my iPhone, so when I got my replacement, I went through this rather unpleasant accident without any bigger pain.
Make Sure You Have Insurance
Check if your phone is covered by your home insurance or consider getting dedicated phone insurance. The peace of mind is worth it.
Always Enable Touch ID/Face ID and Passcode
A strong passcode and biometric authentication make it much harder for thieves to access your data.
About Magdalena Furman
Software engineer and entrepreneur based in Copenhagen. I build digital products that are both powerful and beautiful. When I'm not coding, you'll find me running, hiking, or exploring new cities.
View my work →Better safe than sorry. While I hope you never experience having your iPhone stolen, being prepared and knowing what to do can make a stressful situation much more manageable.