Apple The “Find My” network enables Apple device owners to locate AirTags and other lost devices with hundreds of millions of Apple devices already in the world. Although the network is anonymous and encrypted, you can still unsubscribe on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac. Here’s how to do it.
But first: why you probably shouldn’t unsubscribe
RELATED Buy an AirTag, not a Tile Tracker (unless you’re using Android) Apple’s Find My Network is a crowdsourcing system of hundreds of millions of Apple devices connected through the Internet that helps people find AirTags as well as others lost or stolen apple devices . It uses the combined power of each Apple device’s Bluetooth sensors to detect iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch, AirTags, Air Nearby Pods, Apple Watches, and Macs. When a local Apple device on the network detects a lost Apple device nearby, it reports its approximate location to the device owner.
thanks to end-to-end encryption and techniques to anonymize data, no personally identifiable information is shared with anyone if you use the Find My network, so it’s not a privacy issue according to apple . In fact, neither Apple nor third parties can access the location of your devices. Only the person who searches for the lost device can see the location of their lost item.
That being said, you’re still in control of your own device, and if you want to disable Find My Network, here’s how.
How to turn off Find My Network on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
To turn off Find My Network on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, first open Settings.
In Settings, tap the name of your Apple ID.
In Apple ID settings, tap “Search.”
Then you will see the “Find My” settings screen. Tap “Find my iPad”, “Find my iPod Touch” or “Find my iPhone” depending on your device.
Then tap the switch next to “Find my network” to turn it off.
When you toggle the switch, a warning appears. Tap “Disable”.
And that’s all. Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch is no longer participating in the Find My network. If you ever lose it and need to find it, you will have to rely on the Find my standard service .
CONNECTION: How to Track, Disable, and Erase Lost iPhone, iPa, or Mac
How to turn off Find My Network on Mac
If you want to turn off Find My Network on your Mac, first open System Preferences by clicking the Apple icon in your menu bar and selecting “System Preferences”.
In System Preferences, click on “Apple ID”.
In Apple ID preferences, click “iCloud” in the sidebar, then scroll down to “Apps on This Mac using iCloud” and search for “Find My Mac.” If it is is activated, click on the “Options” button next to it.
(If “Find My Mac” is not enabled, it means Find My Network is already disabled on your Mac.)
In the context menu that appears, click on the “Disable” button next to “Find my network: Enabled”. (If the “Find my network” option says “Disabled”, it is already disabled.)
When a warning window appears, click “Disable”. Then click on “Done” and close System Preferences.
After that you are done. Your Mac is no longer on the Find My network. If you need to find it in the future, you will have to rely on a Wi-Fi connection through the service traditionnel “Find My Mac. Stay safe there!
CONNECTION: What to do if your Mac is stolen
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