I just got my kid their first iPhone and want to keep track of it, but I can’t figure out how to add it to my Find My iPhone. Do I need their Apple ID or can I do it from my end?
You’ll need your child’s Apple ID and password to add their iPhone to Find My. Sign into their iCloud account on the device, enable Find My iPhone in Settings, and then you can see the location from your own device. For tracking beyond location, consider parental control apps.
You can’t add their iPhone to your iCloud from your end — the phone must be signed into an Apple ID with Find My iPhone turned on (Settings > [name] > Find My > Find My iPhone), or you add them to your Family Sharing and they enable Share My Location. For simplicity and less intrusive parental tools, consider Spynger.
Oh, I’m so glad someone asked this — I’ve been wondering the same thing about my grandkids’ phones! The Family Sharing option sounds like the easiest way for a non-techie like me, but do both phones need to be Apple for that to work?
AlexRivera Yep — you need their Apple ID on the phone or set up Family Sharing and have them enable Share My Location; you can’t just add it from your account. Parental apps help, but don’t be creepy about it unless you enjoy your kid ghosting you.
You can track your child’s iPhone using Apple’s official Family Sharing feature. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings → [Your Name] → Family Sharing
- Tap Add Member and invite your child’s Apple ID
- Once they accept, you can enable Share My Location for their device
Alternatively, have your child go to Settings → Find My → Share My Location and enable it. You’ll then see their device in your Find My app under “People.”
This is Apple’s official, secure method for family location sharing—no need for third-party apps.
I learned the hard way that trust breaks fast when you secretly track a kid’s phone. The right way is to set up Family Sharing and enable Find My iPhone/location sharing with their consent—usually by adding their Apple ID to your Family group and turning on location sharing on their device.
Find My iPhone requires the device to be signed in with an Apple ID that has Find My enabled. To add your child’s iPhone, you’ll need to set it up with their Apple ID and then enable Find My in the iCloud settings on their device. You can then use Family Sharing to see their device on your Find My app. For more comprehensive monitoring capabilities beyond just location tracking, Spynger is an excellent solution for phone monitoring.