Guides / Mark an iPhone as lost without a code

How to mark an iPhone as lost without a code

Updated 3 November 2026 · By the FirstHour team

Short answerYes, you can. Go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account email or phone number and your password. If you're asked for a code, choose Find Devices instead. You still need your password, and Find My must have been on before the phone went missing.

Which code this means

A verification code is the six-digit number Apple asks for when you sign in on the web or on a new device. It shows on your other Apple devices or arrives at the phone number you set up for Apple's codes. If your iPhone is gone, that may be the only place it could reach you. Apple knows this, so finding your device doesn't depend on it.

The steps don't ask for your iPhone's passcode either. If your iPhone never had a passcode, you're asked to create one.

Step by step

  1. On any computer or borrowed phone, open a web browser and type icloud.com/find yourself.
  2. Sign in with the Apple Account you use on the missing iPhone.
  3. If you're asked for a code, choose the Find Devices button at the bottom of the window.
  4. Under All Devices, select your iPhone.
  5. Choose Mark As Lost. If it was stolen, or you're not sure, leave the phone number and message blank, because Apple warns a thief could use them to trick you. You can add them later. Then follow the steps on screen.

What happens next

If your iPhone is off or has no connection, it only shows as online and in Lost Mode once it's on and connected again. That's why it's worth doing this early. Lost Mode is Apple's name for a device marked as lost.

When this won't work

If you have other help nearby

If another Apple device is signed in with your Apple Account, you can use its Find My app. If you're in a Family Sharing group, a family member can put your iPhone in Lost Mode from their own Find My app, as long as it already had a passcode. Here's how to use Find My from someone else's phone.

If a thief knows your passcode

Lost Mode can be turned off on the iPhone by entering its passcode. With Stolen Device Protection on, it may take Face ID or Touch ID instead, so a passcode alone isn't enough away from familiar places. Mark it as lost anyway, then read what else to do. The rest of the plan is in what to do if your iPhone is stolen.

How FirstHour helps

Find My and your Apple Account password are both among the 16 guided tips in Plan B, so you can sort them out while everything is calm. Plan B also builds a first-hour plan you can send to someone you trust or print as a wallet card. FirstHour can't mark your iPhone as lost. Only Find My can. Theft Lock, planned for later and not available yet, will lock only FirstHour, not your iPhone or your Apple Account.

Questions

Can I undo it if I find my iPhone?

Yes. At icloud.com/find, select the iPhone, select Lost, then Stop Lost Mode. You can also enter the passcode on the iPhone itself. If Stolen Device Protection is on, you may need Face ID or Touch ID. Suspended cards work again once Lost Mode is off and you've signed back in to your Apple Account.

Can a friend mark it as lost for me?

Not from their own account. Apple says you can't add a friend's device to Find Devices. They can lend you their phone or computer so you can sign in yourself. Family Sharing is different, as explained above.

What if I'm not asked for a code at all?

Then carry on. You should reach your list of devices.

Sources

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