- Set Up An iCloud Account
- Turn On iCloud Features From The iCloud Control Panel
- Set Up iCloud To Sync App-Specific Data
- Turn On The iCloud Backup Feature
- Set Up and Use The Find My... Feature
- Take Advantage of the iCloud.com Website
- Access All iTunes Store Content Purchases via iCloud
- Cloud-Based Alternatives To iCloud
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Set Up and Use The Find My... Feature
To set up the Find My iPad feature on your tablet, launch Settings, tap on the iCloud option, and then from the iCloud Control Panel turn on the virtual switch that’s associated with the Find My iPad feature.
Now, at any point, if your iPad gets lost or stolen, you have two options. From your iPhone (or another iPad), use the free Find My iPhone app to pinpoint the location of your tablet. Or, it’s possible to access the iCloud.com website, log in using your iCloud account username and password, and then click on the Find My iPhone icon.
Whichever method you use, as long as your tablet is turned on (or in sleep mode) and it has access to the Internet (via a cellular or Wi-Fi connection), a detailed map will display the location of all Apple Macs and iOS mobile devices you have linked to your iCloud account.
The green dot(s) on the map indicate the locations of your devices. You can zoon in on the map to view more detail, select an alternate map view (Standard, Satellite, or Hybrid), or click on one of the dots to access additional features. From the banner that’s displayed above the green dot you click on, you can see the name of the device and when it was last located. Tap on the Info (“i”) icon to view a new menu window that offers three additional options (shown in Figure 12.4).
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FIGURE 12.4 The Find My iPhone feature is shown here using Safari on a MacBook Air. It’s tracking the location of an iPad.
Depending on the Apple computer or device that’s being tracked by the Find My... feature, these options include: Play Sound, Lock (Mac), Lost Mode (iOS device), and Erase.
The Play Sound option will cause the missing computer or device to emit a sound to help you locate it. The Lock option (available for Macs) allows you to lock down your Mac with a password to keep unauthorized people from accessing it.
The Lost Mode option (available for iOS mobile devices) allows you to create and activate a Passcode feature, which will prevent anyone from using the device without the proper code. You’ll also have the option to enter a phone number (which will be displayed on the phone’s screen, so the person who finds it can contact you). A custom message (asking for the iPad to be returned, for example) can also remotely be set up to display on the tablet’s screen.
The Erase option allows you to remotely erase all content on the lost or stolen computer or device. Once the iPad, for example, is recovered, you can then Restore it using iCloud Backup for the iTunes Sync process, assuming you’ve maintained a backup.