The 5 Best Methods to Track a Lost or Stolen iPhone

Summary: Lost your iPhone? Don’t worry, here we tell you how to track lost or stolen iPhone using various techniques. Also, learn how to erase your iPhone data permanently to prevent it from reaching in wrong hands or misuse, using Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

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Q. I cannot live without my iPhone. It was stolen yesterday and can’t recall where I lost it. It has been switched off. Can I track the location of my iPhone? Is there any way to track lost iPhones?

Losing an iPhone (and for that matter any smartphone) is tormenting. Besides the upfront costs, there’s an incredible amount of personal data at stake. Today, smartphones not only store personal photos, videos, and music libraries but might also contain an incredible amount of sensitive information in the form of browsing history, social data, app traces, etc. So the apprehension of exploitation and misuse of the data stored in a stolen or lost iPhone is but real.

So, as soon as you discover that your iPhone has been stolen or lost, first, try to track the location of your missing device and lock it.

How to track a lost or stolen iPhone?

Try out the following methods

1. Use Find My iPhone
2. Track through Apple’s Family Sharing
3. Use Google Timeline
4. Try Google Photos
5. Use location-tracking apps

Method 1: Use Find My iPhone

If Find My iPhone is enabled on your stolen iPhone, you can do the following:

• Locate your mobile phone
• Protect your iPhone data by choosing Lost Mode or erasing the data remotely

How to use Find My iPhone when the phone is missing

• Sign in to icloud.com on your computer.
• Click on the Find My iPhone link at the bottom.
• On the Find My iPhone’s map interface, select your lost iPhone via the All Devices drop-down menu. The app starts tracking your iPhone location on the map.

As you see the location of your device you can choose to do the following

• Play sound (if your iPhone is nearby, you can trace it with sound)
• Activate ‘Lost Mode’ (this locks your device and still tracks it)

What does Lost Mode do to your device?

• Remotely locks your device
• Displays a message with your phone number on the missing iPhone’s Lock Screen
• Keeps track of your device location.
• Erase iPhone remotely (with this action you won’t be able to track your iPhone but data is prevented from slipping into the wrong hands)

How to erase iPhone data remotely?

Choosing to erase the iPhone remotely deletes the complete data from it.

Note: Always remember to copy important photos, videos, music, and other data on iCloud backup before remotely erasing the iPhone.

Use a trusted and safe data recovery solution such as Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone to restore lost files from iCloud. The software allows the recovery of specific data rather than recovering the entire data.

Method 2: Track iPhone through Family Sharing

If you have set up Family Sharing, use it to track your iPhone. Family Sharing helps the members to know each one’s device location. Ask another member in the Family Sharing group to trace your iPhone via the Find My iPhone app. The member can also sign into iCloud.com to locate the missing iPhone.

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Is your missing iPhone switched off or offline?

If the missing iPhone is switched off or showing offline in Family Sharing, you can still activate Lost Mode or remotely erase its data via Find My iPhone.
Note: The iPhone’s last known location remains only for one day. In case your device is offline for over 24 hours, you cannot trace its last location.

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What to do when ‘Find My iPhone’ is NOT enabled or the missing iPhone is offline for more than one day?

• Change your Apple ID passwords to prevent anyone from accessing your data.
• Change your social media and other Internet account passwords like Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
• Report the device as missing to the authorities.
• Report your network carrier to disable the services like calls, messages, or data use.

Method 3: Use Google Timeline to find lost iPhone

If you have turned on Location Services and Location History on your iPhone, Google’s Timeline will record all the locations of your device.

When an iPhone goes missing, access the location information on a map and find the last location. Remember, Google Timeline records the location only when the iPhone is switched on with an internet connection.

How to see the last location of a lost iPhone in Google Timeline

• Visit <com/maps/timeline> on your computer.
• Sign in to your Google account.
• Click Today or select Date.
• Scroll down to see the last reported location of your iPhone.

Along with the location, note the time when your phone was last connected to Google. Taking clues from the location and time information, you can find your lost iPhone. If needed, take the help of cops.

Method 4: Take location clue from Google Photos

If anyone has captured a photo from your lost iPhone and you have the Google Photos location-sharing option enabled, then luck is on your side.

Visit <photos.google.com/>. Check, if any new photos were uploaded and view their upload location.

Method 5: Location tracking apps

If you have installed any location-tracking app such as GPS Location Tracker, CocoSpy Cell Phone Tracker, or iTrack on your missing device, use it to track the lost or stolen iPhone. These apps share the real-time location of your device on your computer or other connected devices.

Conclusion

Apple’s Find My iPhone feature is the best way to track the location of a stolen or missing device. If Find My iPhone is not enabled you can try Google Timeline or Google Photos. Other than these methods, third-party apps can also help track a lost iPhone, but only if you have installed them before the phone was lost.

Nevertheless, ensure that you copy the iCloud backup of the stolen iPhone before taking any of the above steps.

A smarter way is to filter out the data that you want to keep, with the help of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

Is this post helpful? Share your experience in the comments below, how you managed to track and get back your stolen iPhone.

How to Fix iPhone Stuck at ‘attempting data recovery’ Loop

Summary: If your iPhone gets stuck at ‘attempting data recovery’ loop screen while updating iOS, learn how to fix iPhone failed iOS update error and efficiently recover lost data using Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

Since the release of iOS 16, there are frequent complaints about flood updates leading to the ‘attempting data recovery’ loop. Moreover, users are concerned about data loss in such situations.

Users globally reported that their iPhone gets stuck in the ‘attempting data recovery’ loop while trying to install iOS updates. The issue occurs when they update to iOS 16 versions by using iTunes. It leaves the update in the lurch and erases some or all data from their iPhone.

iOS updates breathe new life into your device. However, the truth is that Apple’s every update brings some bug or new problem, like this one.

Read this post further if your iPhone screen gets stuck at the ‘attempting data recovery’ loop during an iOS update.

It shares how to fix iPhone ‘attempting data recovery’ failed problem and recover lost iPhone data in any case.

You can apply the methods on iPhone 14, 13, 12, SE, 11, XS, XR, X, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 series. They are relevant to iOS 16 and below versions.

Common causes of ‘attempting data recovery’ loop on iPhone

The attempting to data recovery failed problem usually occurs when iOS is updated with iTunes. The ‘attempting data recovery’ screen takes a long time and is often followed by a prompt ‘press home button to restore.’

Some of these occurrences were reported in the following scenarios:

• Users unplugged the iPhone from a PC or Mac during the update
• Downgrading from iOS 16 to 15 or below
• Updating iOS after jailbreak

How to fix iPhone stuck at the ‘Attempting Data Recovery’ loop

1. Force Restart iPhone
2. Put iPhone into Recovery Mode

Method 1: Force Restart iPhone

It’s essential to know that a force restart differs from a normal Restart. A force restart is advised when iPhone is not in its normal working condition. It is either hanged or stuck at the Apple logo or another screen in Recovery Mode or Restore Mode. It cuts the power and turns on the iPhone again. Force restart usually fixes many iPhone issues.

Steps to Force Restart iPhone 8 and earlier:

• Press and fast release the Volume Up button
• Press and fast release the Volume Down button
• Press and hold the Side button (power) until the Apple logo appears

Steps to Force Restart iPhone X and later:

• Press and quickly release the Volume Up button
• Press and quickly release the Volume Down button
• Press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery-mode screen.

Click here

Method 2: Put iPhone into Recovery Mode

If Force Restart doesn’t help, try this method. Recovery Mode helps in cases of failed iOS updates. Thus, whenever the iOS updates, the iPhone gets stuck at the ‘attempting data recovery,’ op put the device on Recovery Mode.

[Caution]: Recovery Mode erases the iPhone data, which can be restored with the help of iTunes backup. So, make sure that the iTunes version is the latest.

Steps to put iPhone on Recovery Mode:

1. Connect iPhone to computer
2. Open iTunes
3. Force restart iPhone (with steps mentioned above)
4. A dialog box appears. Select Update

5. After the Update process completes, set up your iPhone.

Fixed ‘attempting data recovery’ failed problem. Further, how to restore data on iPhone

Recovery Mode, though fixes iPhone’s ‘attempting data recovery’ issue but at the same time erases all information from the device. You can restore iPhone data from iTunes backup or iCloud backup.

In case, iTunes/iCloud backups are not able to restore iPhone or you discover that some of the data is still missing after restoring the device, choose Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone .

The software is also helpful when you don’t want to recover all the data from iTunes or iCloud unnecessarily. Instead, it. It lets you recover precisely what you want, by allowing you to choose specific files like photos, videos, WhatsApp chats, or memos, Calendar, etc., and restoring them on the device.

Additionally, Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone also restores the data lost and deleted after jailbreak, water damage, a Black screen of death, iPhone stuck at Apple logo , screen damage iPhone, factory reset, etc. It supports recovery from iPhone 15, 14, 13, 12, SE, 11, XS, XR, X, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 series.

Steps to Restore Data on iPhone with Stellar Data Recovery of iPhone

• Download Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on PC/ Mac
• Connect iPhone to the computer
• Select iTunes from the software screen
• Follow the simple on-screen instructions

Wrapping Up

Users look forward to iOS updates. However, the experience can get irritating, when iPhone software updates fail. For example, iPhone ‘attempting data recovery’ loop is a common problem faced after attempts to upgrade to the latest iOS 16.

Force restart of the device often resolves the ‘attempting data recovery’ loop issue. If this doesn’t work, further try to get your iPhone on Recovery Mode. Later restore data via iTunes or Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. The software approach is straightforward and lets you select and restore the informathat you want.

How to Recover Lost Data from iTunes Backup File?

If you have lost iPhone data and are unable to restore it from the iTunes backup file, use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. The software quickly recovers lost or deleted iPhone data from iTunes.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is the best iPhone data recovery tool to recover data from iTunes backup files. The tool uses a sophisticated algorithm, which scans through the entire backup file to recover data. You can easily restore saved iOS data like Messages, Call History, Calendar, Notes, etc., from the backup file.

Note: Make sure your Mac or PC is updated and you are using the latest version of iTunes.

Follow the below steps to recover lost data from iTunes backup file:

1. Launch ‘Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone’ tool on your computer.

    Figure: Home screen of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

2. Click ‘Recover iTunes Backup’ option on the left. The software scans the system for iTunes backup files and lists them along with the date of creation.

3. Select an iTunes backup from which you want to restore data.

  4. On the left pane, click on the type of data that you want to recover. You can restore Camera Roll, Photo Stream, Contacts, Messages, Message Attachments, Call history, Calendar, Reminder, Voice Memo, Notes, Notes Attachments, Safari Bookmarks, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Attachments, Line, Kik Viber, Tango, WeChat, and Apps Library.  

The software lets you preview, select, recover, and also search for specific photos, videos, messages, and other data.

5. Select what you want to recover and click on Save. Select a destination to save the iPhone data.

How to Recover lost Calendar on iPhone

Summary: This post shares the best methods to recover lost calendar on iPhone. You can apply these methods on iPhone 14/13/12/11/XS/XR/X/SE/8/7 and below. Also, learn how Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone quickly restores Calendar on your iPhone.

The iPhone Calendar is an indispensable utility for keeping up with your loved ones’ birthdays, anniversaries, appointments, meetings, events, holidays, and other day-to-day activities. Even if you’ve switched over to newer variants like iPhone 15, 14, 13, or 12, you don’t want to part with the old iPhone Calendar settings.

Thus, losing your iPhone Calendar due to deletion, formatting, or other reasons can get annoying.

If you are one of those who has lost Calendar app on iPhone and now looking for ways to restore it back…read this post further.

How to restore calendar on iPhone?

Lost or accidentally deleted Calendar can be recovered by Apple’s backup utilities. However, sometimes backups too may not restore Calendar. Then an iPhone data recovery software is the only solution.

Methods to recover deleted/lost Calendar on iPhone

1. Restore from archive of Calendars via iCloud.com
2. Restore with iPhone recovery software
3. Recover from iCloud or iTunes Backup

1. Restore from archive of Calendars via iCloud.com

Apple creates frequent backup for the Calendars and Reminders apps and saves it to iCloud.com as archives. These archives can be used to restore deleted calendars.

Steps: Restore missing iPhone Calendar via iCloud.com:

• Go to iCloud.com in your browser and log into your account. Click Trust when ‘Trust This Computer’ pop-up appears.
• On the main screen, click on nine-dots and select Data Recovery.

• Next, click Restore Calendars.

• You can see the list of Calendars archive. Click Restore option next to the archive that you want to restore.

• Now confirm your choice to retrieve the Calendar archive. Click Restore.

• Wait for some time for the Restore process to complete.

• Once your required Calendar archive is successfully restored, click OK.

The restored calendars appear on all your Apple devices with Calendars turned on in iCloud settings.

Note: These archives will not contain information like calendar invites. You will have to recreate and reissue the invitations.

2. Restore Calendar on iPhone using iPhone data recovery software

A simpler, more effective and convenient way to recover Calendar app is by using a professional iPhone recovery software, such as Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone . Regardless of the reason for loss – deletion, factory reset, or jailbreak etc., the software can restore the app data on your device.

The DIY tool is safe, easy-to-use, and quick to restore. It thoroughly scans the iOS device (iPhone and iPad), iTunes, and iCloud to recover the lost calendar.

Unlike Apple’s backup solutions (iTunes and iCloud), the software lets you choose and recover specific files, like Calendar or Reminders. This not only speeds up the recovery process but also saves you from receiving thousands of unwanted files.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is also the way out when you don’t have Calendar archives in iCloud.com and unable to retrieve data from iTunes and iCloud.

Steps: Recover deleted/lost Calendar from iPhone

• Download, install and launch Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on computer.

• On the main scree, select Recover from iPhone option and select the type of data you want to recover. Here, choose Calendar and click Next.
• Connect your iPhone to computer and select that device to proceed forward.

• Click on the Trust/Untrust dialog box to enable sync and data transfer between iPhone/iPad and computer.

• If your iPhone is encrypted, enter your password in the dialog box and click OK.

• Once the scanning is completed, you can see the recoverable data and preview them.

• Choose the data you want to restore and click Save to restore them at your desired location.

• location.

3. Restore calendar on iPhone from Apple backups

Another method to recover lost Calendar is through Apple backups – iTunes or iCloud. However, this method will work if you earlier saved the backup of your Calendar app.

Note: Deletes and replaces all your current data, be it apps, messages, photos etc., from iPhone.

How to Restore Calendar on iPhone with iCloud backup?

• Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase all Contents and Settings.

• On Apps & Data screen, tap Restore from iCloud Backup.

• Sign in to your iCloud account.
• Choose the last backup and Restore.

How to restore Calendar with iTunes backup

• Connect iPhone to PC/Mac.
• Launch iTunes.
• Select your iPhone under the Device list and click Summary.
• Click Restore Backup and select the relevant backup date.

• Click Restore and wait for some time for the process to complete.

Conclusion

Apple has tried to address the users’ data loss issues through multiple backup solutions — iTunes, iCloud, and iCloud.com. However, these native backup-based recovery solutions fall short when the user needs to recover specific data; though, you can easily recover lost Calendar from these backup options, but you end up replacing every existing data on your device!

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone fills in this gap really well. It not only recovers lost or deleted Calendar in situations of jailbreak, water damage, factory reset, and Black Screen of Death, etc., but also recovers specific data that you want.

This feature, along with an exceptionally high data recovery success rate, make the software an essential utility for iPhone users.

FAQ

1.How to bring back the missing Calendar icon on iPhone?

To bring back the missing Calendar icon, you need to re-install it from the App Store. Open App Store, search for the Calendar app and download it again on your iPhone.

2. How to set up Calendar account on iPhone?

Go to the Settings in iPhone > Calendar > Accounts > Add Account.

3. How to add an event on iPhone?

• Open Calendar app and tap + icon in the Day view.
• Enter title, start and end time, invitees, URL, attachment, and so on. Tap Add.

4. How events in Calendar app on iPhone can be viewed?

You can view upcoming events as a list of one day, a week, a month, or a year at a time.