Before you start
Three things to do while the iPhone is still yours to set up:
- Back up the iPhone to iCloud or a computer.
- If an Apple Watch is paired with it, unpair the watch first. How to unpair an Apple Watch.
- Have your Apple Account password and the iPhone's passcode ready. Apple asks for the password before anyone can turn off Find My or erase the phone.
While Stolen Device Protection is on, Find My cannot be turned off. Apple says to turn it off before you sell, give away or trade in an iPhone: Settings, then Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, tap Stolen Device Protection and turn it off.
Turn off Find My
- 1 of 3Open Settings and tap your name
Your name is at the top of Settings.
Settings › [your name] - 2 of 3Tap Find My, then Find My iPhoneFind My › Find My iPhone
- 3 of 3Turn off Find My iPhone
Enter your Apple Account password when asked. Turning off Find My also removes Activation Lock.
Sign out and erase the iPhone
Turning off Find My is the first half. Before the phone leaves your hands, sign out and erase it:
- 1 of 4Sign out of your Apple Account
On iOS 26, Apple then asks you to choose Erase this iPhone or Sign Out But Don't Erase. On iOS 18 and older, enter your Apple Account password and tap Turn Off.
Settings › [your name] › Sign Out - 2 of 4Erase the iPhone
Enter your passcode, then your Apple Account password when asked.
Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings - 3 of 4Erase the eSIM with it
If the iPhone uses an eSIM, choose the option that erases the eSIM along with the phone. Keeping your number? Sort out the move with your carrier first.
- 4 of 4Remove it from your trusted devices
Last step on Apple's list: take the old iPhone off your Apple Account's list of trusted devices.
Already sold it, and Find My is still on?
The new owner cannot set the iPhone up until it leaves your account. You can do that without the phone, from any computer:
- 1 of 3Go to icloud.com/find and sign in
Use your Apple Account.
- 2 of 3Pick the iPhone and erase it
It is not lost, so leave the phone number and message empty. If it is offline, the erase starts the next time it goes online.
- 3 of 3Select Remove This Device
Once it is erased. Activation Lock comes off right away and the iPhone leaves your Find My list.
iPad and Mac
iPad
Settings › [your name] › Find My › Find My iPad
Turn off Find My iPad, then sign out and erase it the same way as an iPhone.
Mac
On macOS 15 or later: open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, click your name, then iCloud. Next to Saved to iCloud click See All, click Find My Mac, then Turn Off. On macOS 14 or earlier, in the same iCloud settings: click Find My Mac, then Turn Off next to it.
Selling a MacBook? How to wipe a laptop before you sell it.
Questions
Why can't I turn off Find My on my iPhone?
Stolen Device Protection is probably on. While it is on, Find My cannot be turned off. Turn it off first in Settings, then Face ID & Passcode.
Do I need my Apple Account password?
Yes. Apple asks for it before anyone can turn off Find My or erase the iPhone. If you forgot it, reset it with Apple before you sell.
Will BK Wireless buy an iPhone with Find My still on?
No. We cannot accept an iPhone with Activation Lock still on. Turn off Find My before you come in, or we walk you through it at the counter.
Can I sell my iPhone to BK Wireless by mail?
Yes. Send the trade-in form and write mail-in in the notes, and we tell you how it works. Turn off Find My and erase the iPhone before you ship it.
Should I take out the SIM card?
Yes. Take out a physical SIM card before you hand the phone over. For an eSIM, erase it along with the phone.