How to track your Mac without a security app
Lost or stolen Mac? How to track your Mac without a security app on it.
Your Mac – you chose it for the high specs, the sleek looks, the quality build – all of which came at quite the cost. Despite Macs being considerably pricier than traditional PCs, you happily handed your cash over. Only now, you’re either panicking as your Mac has been lost during a move or stolen under the cover of night.
Cue sweaty palms and panic.
You need to know how to track your Mac without a security device on it, and fast. This blog answers your questions in no uncertain terms.
Tracking your Mac – Apple’s ‘Find my iPhone’ versus premium apps
Apple’s ‘Find my iPhone’ app was ground-breaking, however as time has moved on, so too have other offerings from premium security app creators – and many feature more bells and whistles compared to the in-built ‘Find my iPhone’. Let’s take a look at one leading app – HiddenApp.
In short, the best, most robust solution is to turn on ‘Find my iPhone’ AND install a premium app.
"My laptop was recovered by the police less than 36 hours after Hidden started reporting tracking information. I have already recommended HiddenApp to many of my friends!"
- Felix, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Sign up for a free trial of HiddenApp
Need to know how to use “Find my” to track your Mac RIGHT NOW?
Here’s how to track your Mac with iCloud….
If you’ve ever set up ‘Find my iPhone’/iCloud via your Mac, you’ll be able to use another computer to track your Mac. Simply follow these steps to use the ‘Find My iPhone’ app…
1. Go to the iCloud website and login with your Apple ID
2. Click on the ‘Find my iPhone’ app icon, you’ll see a map interface similar the one below.
3. You can then use the drop-down menu at the top of the screen to select your missing Mac, if the Mac is switched on and online it should appear on the screen.
4. If your Mac isn’t displayed on the map, you can instruct iCloud to continue checking and to alert you as soon as it does track.
How can you track your Mac if ‘Find my iPhone’ isn’t switched on?
Even if you haven’t installed a premium app or switched on ‘Find my iPhone’, you can still protect your data. Here are the exact steps you should take right now if your Mac is lost or stolen, as according to Apple…
What?! You’ve not installed a premium app OR turned on ‘Find my iPhone’?
All may not be lost…
There are a few other avenues you can try in a bid to grab the IP of anyone who may be using your device. Here they are:
Gmail – If your thief makes their way into your inbox their IP address will be instantly recorded. To see just how nosy they are, go to your Gmail inbox > scroll all the way down the page, and click on Details > You can then view the last ten sessions along with the IP addresses.
Facebook – If anyone, on any device, logs into or uses your Facebook, the access date and time, device type and location will all be recorded. Go to Settings > Security > Where You’re Logged In (<<<Or simply click that link) > You’ll see a list, in order to get the IP, hover over the City with your cursor.
Dropbox – If you have Dropbox installed as an app it’ll be silently syncing your data without the thief ever knowing. To see past sessions, log into your Dropbox > Go to settings > Click the security tab > You’ll see a list of devices and associated IPs that have previously accessed your account.
In business? You have more than just your expensive gadgets to protect
Your tablets, laptops and smartphones each represent a significant business cost. Yet their purchase price (or the resulting rise in insurance premiums) should really be the last thing on your mind when it comes to the cost of theft. Research shows the average loss of just one laptop leads to losses of $49,000 (around £36,000) - made up from downtime, support, and management time.
Here are our top tips for protecting your corporate tech…
● Implement a mobile security policy (this mobile security checklist from TechRadar is a solid starting point).
● Invest in physical security on your premises.
● Never (ever) leave devices logged into networks, email, or websites while unattended.
● Encrypt all data and secure your business Wi-Fi network.
● Authenticate users and always know who has access (that means removing access immediately once an employee leaves your company).
"A wide range of MDM vendors offer tools for tracking and securing mobile devices, and many offer features like file synchronisation, app sandboxing and secure network tunnels for corporate data”.
HiddenApp – it’s the app that protects your Apple devices, and your privacy.
Using proven technology, Hidden tracks your missing Macbook, iPad or iPhone and collects the evidence needed to get them back. And don’t worry. Your personal information stays locked away, too.
