Ipad tracking

[Kieran smith]

Hi

Firstly sorry if his question has already been asked and sorry if iv posted it in the wrong place.

I had my iPad stolen on holiday and I have used the Find My iPhone app to try to track it. It is still currently pending to lock it and wipe it ones it connects to the internet.

My question is how is it tracked?

Is it tracked through my Apple ID or on a serial number of some sort.

Also will restoring the iPad through recovery mode completely remove my Apple ID from the iPad making it usable for somebody else to use?

Thanks

 

[abababababab]

Hi welcome to iPF!

You must have noted that while logging-in to Find My iPhone, you used your Apple ID, so thats how its tracked.

The iPad cannot be restored through recovery mode by YOU now because its stolen. When you restore your iDevice through recovery mode, it erases everything on it and again sets it up again. There is a choice of setting it up as a new device or restoring from a recent backup. However, I'm not sure whether it is allowed to bring the iPad to recovery mode while it is locked through Find My iPhone... Shouldn't be it.

 

[scifan57]

If your iPad was on iOS 7 when it was stolen nobody can put it into recovery mode and restore it without entering your Apple ID and password. This applies even if you remotely lock and wipe the iPad through Find My iPhone. This is part of the security measures introduced with iOS 7 to make it impossible for a thief to restore your iPad and use it himself.


P.S. I've moved the thread to the iPad Help Forum where it will receive more attention.

 

[Kieran smith]

Hi and thanks for all the responses.

The iPad is not locked due to it not being connected to the internet. The only protection I have from somebody getting into it is my 4 digit pin code. Which I'm sure someone with a lot of patience could sit and try 9999 different combinations until they successful guess the correct one. Am I right in thinking that there is still a possibility that they will connect it to the internet and I will be able to track it?

 

[scifan57]

If the thief connects to the Internet you will see it's position when you log into find my iPhone in iCloud. If you have sent the command to lock and erase your iPad, that will happen as soon as an Internet connection is established. Even if he guesses your Lockscreen passcode he won't be able to erase your iPad and set it up under his Apple ID as he would need your Apple ID and password to do so.

You can also set up a contact message to be displayed on the Lockscreen that will still be displayed even after you use find my iPhone to erase your iPad.

 

[abababababab]

And I guess the thief won't have enough time to try out those 9999 passcodes, because the iPad becomes temporarily locked after a limited number of failed attempts, which decreases with more failed attempts.

 

[scifan57]

And I guess the thief won't have enough time to try out those 9999 passcodes, because the iPad becomes temporarily locked after a limited number of failed attempts, which decreases with more failed attempts.

While it's too late for this case, it's possible to go into restrictions in settings and choose to have your iPad erase all content after a pre-set number of failed password attempts.

 

[twerppoet]

Be sure you report the theft. There is always a small chance the thief will be caught stealing someone else's stuff while the iPad is still in his/her possession.

Also: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526

If you registered your iPad with Apple, you'll be able to get your serial number using the above link. If not, then it should also be on your iPad's box; if you kept it.

 

[2112]

Ok, scifan57, this is how I have my ipad set. Erase all content upon 10 failed... So if my ipad is stolen and 10 attempts are made, the thief can not ever use it with ios7? Is this right?

 

[scifan57]

Ok, scifan57, this is how I have my ipad set. Erase all content upon 10 failed... So if my ipad is stolen and 10 attempts are made, the thief can not ever use it with ios7? Is this right?

The data will be erased and can't be recovered by the thief and because you have find my iPhone turned on, he can't wipe your iPad and use it himself. What the thief will end up with will be little more than a fancy paperweight. If you've reported the theft to the police, you can provide them with any tracking info for the iPad and they may be able to use it to help track down the thief.