How to Add A Friend’S Device to Find My iPhone

Have you ever lost your key devices, such as iPhone, iPad, or MacBook, and felt helpless? Fortunately, Apple has provided us with a great tool to track these devices, which is Find My iPhone. Find My iPhone is a security feature that allows you to locate and remotely control your lost or stolen device. In recent years, the app has updated its features in order to add a friend’s device to your own Find My iPhone account. This can be really useful if you’re helping a friend to locate their lost or stolen device, or if you want to share the location of your device with a trusted friend or family member. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through how to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone, step by step.

What’s Needed?

Before we jump into the steps required to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone, let’s first take a look at what you’ll need:

  • Your device or computer running iOS 9 or later, iPadOS, or macOS El Capitan or later
  • Your Apple ID and password
  • Internet connection of the device or computer
  • Access to your friend’s Apple ID and password to accept the invitation

What requires your focus?

Adding a friend’s device to Find My iPhone is a relatively easy process, but it does require a few steps that require your focus. In order to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone, you’ll need to:

  1. Open the Settings app on your device or computer
  2. Sign in to the device with your Apple ID and password
  3. Choose the ‘Find My’ app from the list of settings
  4. Select the option ‘Add Friend’
  5. Enter your friend’s Apple ID and email address and select ‘Send’
  6. Ask your friend to check their email and accept the invitation to share their location

Method 1: Add Friend’s Device to Find My iPhone on iPhone or iPad

Here is a step by step guide on how to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone on iPhone or iPad.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad
  2. Click on your name at the top of the screen
  3. Tap on ‘Find My’
  4. Scroll down and tap on ‘Find My iPhone’
  5. Select the option ‘Add Friend’
  6. Enter the email address or Apple ID of your friend and click on ‘Send’
  7. The invitation will be sent to your friend’s device, and they will receive a notification to accept your request

Pros:

  • Easy to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone
  • Works on the latest iPhone and iPad models
  • Secure through facial recognition, Touch ID, or passcode authentication

Cons:

  • You need to have access to your friend’s Apple ID and email address
  • Your friend needs to accept the invitation to share their location with you

Method 2: Add Friend’s Device to Find My iPhone on Mac

Here is a step by step guide on how to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone on Mac.

  1. Launch the ‘Find My’ app on your Mac
  2. Select the option ‘People’ from the sidebar
  3. Click on the ‘Add’ button
  4. Enter the email address or Apple ID of your friend and click on ‘Send’
  5. The invitation will be sent to your friend’s device, and they will receive a notification to accept your request

Pros:

  • You can easily add someone to your Find My network directly from your Mac
  • You don’t need to have access to your friend’s device to add them to your Find My network

Cons:

  • Your friend needs to accept the invitation to share their location with you
  • It only works on macOS El Capitan or later

Method 3: Add Friend’s Device to Find My iPhone on iCloud.com

Here is a step by step guide on how to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone on iCloud.com.

  1. Go to iCloud.com on your computer
  2. Sign in to your Apple account
  3. Click on ‘Find iPhone’
  4. Click on ‘All Devices’ at the top of the screen
  5. Choose the device you want to add
  6. Click on the ‘i’ button in the device information box
  7. Select ‘Notify When Found’
  8. Enter the email address or Apple ID of your friend and click on ‘Send’
  9. The invitation will be sent to your friend’s device, and they will receive a notification to accept your request

Pros:

  • You can easily add someone to your Find My network directly from iCloud.com
  • You don’t need to have access to your friend’s device to add them to your Find My network

Cons:

  • Your friend needs to accept the invitation to share their location with you
  • You need to have access to your friend’s email address or Apple ID

Video Tutorial:

Why Can’t I Add My Friend’s Device To Find My iPhone?

While adding your friend’s device to Find My iPhone is relatively straightforward, there are a few reasons why you might not be able to add their device successfully. Here are three common reasons why you can’t add your friend’s device, and how to fix them.

1. Your Friend hasn’t Accepted Your Invitation

If your friend hasn’t accepted your invitation to share their location with you, you won’t be able to add their device to Find My iPhone. To fix this, simply ask your friend to check their email and accept your invitation.

2. Your Friend Already has an Apple ID

Each device can only be associated with one Apple ID at a time. If your friend’s device is already associated with their Apple ID, you won’t be able to add their device to Find My iPhone. To fix this, ask your friend to sign out of their Apple ID on their device, and then try adding their device to Find My iPhone again.

3. Your Friend’s Device isn’t Running iOS 9 or Later, iPadOS, or macOS El Capitan or Later

Find My iPhone requires that your friend’s device is running at least iOS 9 or later, iPadOS, or macOS El Capitan or later. If your friend’s device isn’t running one of these operating systems, you won’t be able to add their device to Find My iPhone. To fix this, ask your friend to update their device’s operating system to the latest version.

Implications and Recommendations

Adding a friend’s device to Find My iPhone can be a helpful tool to locate lost or stolen devices. However, it’s essential to consider the implications of sharing your location and information with others. It’s recommended that you only share your location with trusted family members or close friends. If you don’t want to share your location, you can turn off Find My iPhone in the settings. Additionally, it’s crucial to keep your Apple ID and password secure to prevent unauthorized access to your account and personal information.

FAQs:

Q1. Can I Add Multiple Friends to Share Their Location with Me?

A1. Yes, you can add multiple friends to share their location with you on Find My iPhone.

Q2. Can I Remove a Friend’s Device from Find My iPhone?

A2. Yes, you can remove a friend’s device from Find My iPhone at any time by going to the ‘People’ section of the app and selecting their device. Then, click on ‘Remove from Account.’

Q3. Will My Friend Know That I Have Added Their Device to Find My iPhone?

A3. Yes, your friend will receive a notification asking them to accept or decline your invitation to share their location with you.

Q4. Can I Track My Friend’s Location in Real-Time?

A4. No, you can only see your friend’s location on the map when they have allowed you to share their location with you.

Q5. Is Find My iPhone Available in Every Country?

A5. No, Find My iPhone is not available in every country due to government regulations and privacy concerns. However, it’s available in most countries where Apple products are sold.

In Conclusion

Adding a friend’s device to Find My iPhone is a great tool to keep track of your devices’ locations and avoid losing them. There are three methods to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone: on iPhone or iPad, on Mac, or on iCloud.com. Although there are a few reasons why you might not be able to add your friend’s device, it’s usually a straightforward process. We hope this blog post has provided you with the information you need to add a friend’s device to Find My iPhone and keep your devices safe.