[jclisenby]

We've all had it happen at one time or another, you reach in your pocket or check your bag and your iDevice is nowhere to be found. You look frantically for your iDevice and still can't find it anywhere? Could it be lost or possibly stolen? If so, this guide can help you keep calm and take the right steps in the event of a lost device.

1) Look for your iDevice


The first thing I recommend doing in the event of a lost or stolen iDevice is look for it. The easiest way to do this is using "Find My iPhone." You can check out an in-depth guide for that HERE.


2) If you can "Find your iPhone"


If you find it and it doesn't seem like it's been stolen, just lost, go ahead and get it! If it's been stolen and you found it with Find My iPhone, we don't recommend going to get it directly. We recommend calling your local police department, reporting your device stolen, and then letting the police go get it for you. It's always better to be safe when dealing with a possible thief.


3) Lock it down before you travel


Before you go to get your iDevice, you can lock it using "Find My iPhone" on your computer or another iDevice you have. Just tap on "Lost Mode" to display a message and lock your device down till you can find it.


4) The last resort: Erasing the Device


So, you've tried to find your iDevice and you can't. Whether it's not connected to the Internet or it's been stolen and switched off, you can always try to erase the device remotely. This is always the last resort to keep your personal information from getting into the wrong hands. You can activate the "Erase iPhone" feature in Find my iPhone, and whenever the device reconnects to the Internet, it'll be erased.


Keep in mind that the steps in this guide are just suggestions. Every situation is different, and so every lost or stolen device may require a slightly different approach. This guide is a general overview to help you keep calm and take a proven approach to finding your device and securing your personal information.


Apple will also be releasing a more robust solution for finding lost iDevices when iOS 7 comes out this fall. Until then, keep this guide in mind in case you happen to reach for your iDevice and realize it's not where it should be.