Author Topic: Find My Phone Warning and a rookie mistake  (Read 9081 times)

Offline Blackpool Rock

I think he’s saying that it doesn’t need data as it uses GPS which is a Global Positioning Satellite system that doesn’t need data/internet etc
Yeah I recently went on a punt and set my phones Google map before I left the house, it was connected to my house wifi so loaded up the route etc, unknown to me at the time was that i'd switched off my mobile data for some reason the day before.
The map kept track of where I was but I hit a queue of stationary traffic on the M6, I assumed it had only just happened so there wasn't enough time to divert me around the accident but couldn't understand why the traffic wasn't showing as being slow / stationary etc until I went to come back and tell the map to take me home when it said no connection  :dash:

So yes the phone still knows where you are by GPS without data

Offline magnetico

I think he’s saying that it doesn’t need data as it uses GPS which is a Global Positioning Satellite system that doesn’t need data/internet etc

Got it, i was indeed being thick.

i googled it and you can even track the iPhone when turned off


External Link/Members Only




« Last Edit: July 24, 2025, 12:05:28 am by magnetico »

Offline Mstar86

Got it, i was indeed being thick.

i googled it and you can even track the iPhone when turned off


External Link/Members Only


According to this article you can switch off this feature but switching off the ‘Find My Network’ option in Settings….


Offline stevesucks69

Got it, i was indeed being thick.

i googled it and you can even track the iPhone when turned off


External Link/Members Only

What about a lead suitcase to store it in 😆

Offline Doyle

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 621
  • Likes: 21
  •  
  • Reviews: 19
I think he’s saying that it doesn’t need data as it uses GPS which is a Global Positioning Satellite system that doesn’t need data/internet etc

All GPS does is tell the phone where it is, the phone then needs some sort of data to report that location back.  It's not 100% clear here, but I suspect what is happening is that more recent versions of "Find My" will communicate with other nearby Apple devices (via Bluetooth or similar?) and they report the location via their data connection.  I've also read that this works to some extent after the phone is powered off, not sure how true that is.

Edit: should probably have read to the end of the thread before replying.  Apologies for duplicating info.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2025, 08:43:49 am by Doyle »

Offline kingmg

On another thread about not being caught Punting (I can’t remember which one , would update it), I mentioned that turning off mobile data while on a punt would show you at the location where you turned it off.  I have been using this trick for years and until now has worked perfectly.  I would go to meet a “supplier” at a Costa Coffee and turn my data off.  I would walk around the corner to the hotel for a punt or to meet my SB.  I would then turn the data back on as I walked back past the Costa.  If the OH had been looking at Find My Phone.  She would have just seen me in meeting in Costa for 2 hours.  If I had been seen by someone in that area I had a ready-made excuse.
Here is the warning.  I have just upgraded my iPhone to a 16.  It appears that iPhone 14 and above tell your wife where you are when the data is switched off, via satellite.  Fortunately, I was not caught in a hotel where I should not have been.  I was in places that I should not have been and when asked my reply did not match the location on Find My Phone, I was busted.  This led to a huge argument.  I was planning on leaving wife in a few weeks anyway.  I was out and about looking at apartments.  This incident has brought forward my departure to now.  It could have been a lot worse.
lesson learnt turn of location services before going for a punt or leave main phone at home

Offline advent2016

I've been very lucky / unlucky depending on your point of view that I was often working in different places and returning when I wanted, sometimes at very short notice.
I've always used a punting phone and would leave my own phone in a locked drawer or locker somewhere or a well known hotel at the end of Whitehall.
When I was much younger I used to work on  installing/fixing telecom lines and had hundreds of phone numbers written on slips of paper that my GF used to call and found a few women, sometimes officer's wives or female colleagues that liked a wind up that caused a lot of unintended hilarity until she got used to "it was part of my job"

Now I use an Android phone and can spoof any location I like, It's a burner with multiple profiles and never goes anywhere nearby daily driver or work phones. I'm human and have made mistakes. I've been caught out by other tracking tech, but generally got away with it, mostly due to GDPR or OSA.

Offline PilotMan

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,991
  • Likes: 322
  •  
  • Reviews: 205

Now I use an Android phone and can spoof any location I like,


How are you spoofing your location?


Offline PilotMan

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,991
  • Likes: 322
  •  
  • Reviews: 205

External Link/Members Only

I'm using Fake GPS Route, it seems to work OK.

Which one are you using - any pro's / con's?

Offline magnetico

They're all doing the exact same thing so it doesn't  really matter which one you pick.

Offline PilotMan

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,991
  • Likes: 322
  •  
  • Reviews: 205
They're all doing the exact same thing so it doesn't  really matter which one you pick.

The reason I ask is because I tried a couple previously and they were unreliable, often crashing and revealing your actual location. A couple also wouldn't play with the Select Mock Location setting in the Developer option, or timing out after a period of time, unless you paid a subscription.


« Last Edit: July 29, 2025, 12:45:43 pm by PilotMan »

Offline sillywanka

Not just data u need to turn off location too. Otherwise ur phone still tracks the GPS and for example Google timelines it will still log ur whereabouts and update it later.

Offline advent2016

The reason I ask is because I tried a couple previously and they were unreliable, often crashing and revealing your actual location. A couple also wouldn't play with the Select Mock Location setting in the Developer option, or timing out after a period of time, unless you paid a subscription.

I've found using ADB the only reliable way and this tool
External Link/Members Only
and/or
External Link/Members Only

Milky Way Dairy, Montana
46°53'17.2"N 110°21'50.5"W






Hidden Image/Members Only

Offline windowlicker

Have to pick 20yr old daughter up from a concert next week.

She has sent me a share your location request on findmyiphone so we can find each other for pick up.

For obvious reasons do not want her to know where I am 24/7. Will look suspect if I refuse.

Do I accept and delete a few days after or decline now?


Offline PilotMan

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,991
  • Likes: 322
  •  
  • Reviews: 205
Have to pick 20yr old daughter up from a concert next week.

She has sent me a share your location request on findmyiphone so we can find each other for pick up.

For obvious reasons do not want her to know where I am 24/7. Will look suspect if I refuse.

Do I accept and delete a few days after or decline now?

I think you can set it for a given period.

Offline Watts.E.Dunn

  • Age Check : 18+
  • Forum Helper
  • ****
  • Posts: 2,597
  • Likes: 61
  •  
  • Reviews: 46
If you have wattsapp thats got a tracking system in it that can time out after a while..

Mind you if she was my daughter then i'd risk a accidentail find over her getting in any awkward situations etc.

What 3 words works very well too. But if w you have wattsapp thats the best option i'd reckon....

Offline big-al93

Have to pick 20yr old daughter up from a concert next week.

She has sent me a share your location request on findmyiphone so we can find each other for pick up.

For obvious reasons do not want her to know where I am 24/7. Will look suspect if I refuse.

Do I accept and delete a few days after or decline now?

I imagine it'll be a 2 way street, I doubt any 20yr old girl would want her dad knowing where she was 24/7. Activate on the day of the concert and deactivate the day after. She'll be doing the same thing. Obviously others have suggested other options so go with whatever suits but might seem a little suss to suggest another way. However if you both already have what3words installed, it might make sense.