You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Find my Ipad without find my

Is there a way of tracking my lost/stolen iPad by using it’s serial number instead of find my?

iPad mini 6, iPadOS 16

Posted on Apr 2, 2023 8:19 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 2, 2023 10:32 AM

Start here:

Locate a device in Find My on iPad - Apple Support


Here is Apple’s advice for lost or stolen devices:

If your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch is lost or stolen – Apple Support

Use the Find My app to locate a lost or stolen device – Apple Support


If the Find My iPad feature was enabled prior to it being “misplaced”, then if active, you would stand a good chance of locating it. 


However, if the feature was not activated prior to being misplaced - or the iPad has been inactive for more than 24 hours, the last known location will not be available - and the opportunity to use technical means to recover the iPad have been lost.


Serial and IMEI numbers cannot be used for tracking purposes - but they can be added to blacklist-registers of stolen devices that are maintained by Cellular Networks for Cellular devices.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 2, 2023 10:32 AM in response to archiegoodale01

Start here:

Locate a device in Find My on iPad - Apple Support


Here is Apple’s advice for lost or stolen devices:

If your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch is lost or stolen – Apple Support

Use the Find My app to locate a lost or stolen device – Apple Support


If the Find My iPad feature was enabled prior to it being “misplaced”, then if active, you would stand a good chance of locating it. 


However, if the feature was not activated prior to being misplaced - or the iPad has been inactive for more than 24 hours, the last known location will not be available - and the opportunity to use technical means to recover the iPad have been lost.


Serial and IMEI numbers cannot be used for tracking purposes - but they can be added to blacklist-registers of stolen devices that are maintained by Cellular Networks for Cellular devices.

Apr 2, 2023 9:04 AM in response to archiegoodale01

No. See the following Apple Support article for information on a lost iPad where Find My was not enabled: If Find My iPhone or Find My iPad isn't enabled on your missing device - Apple Support

including the following from that support article:

If your missing device doesn't appear in the Find My app or at iCloud.com/find, you didn't turn on Find My. There's no other Apple service that can find, track, or flag your device for you. But there are steps that you can take to help protect your data.




Apr 2, 2023 10:44 AM in response to archiegoodale01

No. Apple will not assist with recovery or tracing of lost or stolen devices.


However, if your have (had) a WiFi+Cellular model iPad, with an active Cellular plan, you can contact your Cellular provider - who can add the IMEI to the device blacklist on your behalf.


Once an IMEI has been blacklisted, it won’t be usable with Cellular networks.

Find my Ipad without find my

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.