How to Track a Mac

Last Updated: March 3, 2021

If you ever lose track of your computer, you can find it again with the Find My Mac feature when you have Location Services enabled. This wikiHow will teach you how to turn on Location Services, set up Find My Mac, and how to use it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:
Enabling Location Services

1
Open System Preferences. Click the Apple in the menu that runs horizontally across the top of your screen, then select System Preferences from the drop-down list.
2
Click Security & Privacy. This icon looks like a house next to "Extensions."
3
Click the Privacy tab. You'll see this with General, FileVault, and Firewall.
4
Click the lock icon. You'll need to click this to make changes.
5
Enter your admin password. This is the same password you use to unlock the Mac admin user account.
6
Click Location Services. It's on the left side of your screen.
7
Select Enable Location Services and choose Find My. If you don't see "Find My" in the list, you'll need to click the plus sign, then go to System Services > Details > Find My Mac.
- After you do this, Location Services are enabled so you can set up Find My Mac.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:
Setting Up Find My Mac

1
Open System Preferences. Click the Apple in the menu that runs horizontally across the top of your screen, then select System Preferences from the drop-down list.
2
Click Apple ID. If you're not signed in on this computer, you'll instead see a prompt to sign in or create an Apple ID.
3
Click iCloud. It's in the sidebar on the left.
4
Click Find My Mac. If prompted, click Allow to give the app permission to use Location Services.^{[1]
X
Research source}

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:
Using Find My Mac

1
Open the Find My app and click People. If you see "Can see your location", click the information icon next to their name and click Follow them to request their location data.^{[2]
X
Research source}
2
Click the information icon on the map. You'll be able to either label a friend's location, contact a friend, or get directions to their location.^{[3]
X
Research source}
3
Click the Devices tab (if you want to track devices instead of people). This is helpful if you have lost your Mac and want to track it from another device, like your iPhone. You'll see a list of connected devices (like Apple Watches, iPhones, iPads, and AirPods that you can track.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- You have the ability to play a sound from your Apple phone, watch, computer, and tablet with the Find My app, which you'll need to use if you can't visually locate your lost Apple device. Click the information icon (a lowercase "i" inside a circle) and select Play Sound.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}