Tips on ID for Ipad, in case its left behind while traveling?

[Jillpie]

I've owned an Ipad for years, and love it while flying and in the hotel. I have a Zugu case for it as well, which I love. Worst case, it's left behind. What do you do for identification on yours? Ideas?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Does Find My from Apple not work with your iPad? You would just mark it lost and it would display your info link

It would also give you the ability to attempt to erase it remotely in case you determine it’s being stolen.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks, I need to clarify. It's more if someone finds it, they can locate me. So I want to add my personal contact info on it, like a sticker or tag of some sort, wondering if anyone had any cool ideas to add that.

 

[bcla]

Does Find My from Apple not work with your iPad? You would just mark it lost and it would display your info link

It would also give you the ability to attempt to erase it remotely in case you determine it’s being stolen.

Works great if it's connected to the Internet and can figure out its location, but that's not always a given unless it's a cellular iPad. Heck - I have some iffy spots for WiFi in my home and it won't always be connected.

 

[bcla]

Thanks, I need to clarify. It's more if someone finds it, they can locate me. So I want to add my personal contact info on it, like a sticker or tag of some sort, wondering if anyone had any cool ideas to add that.

Yes. If you have another Apple device signed in with the same Apple ID, you can use the "Find My" app. You can also use any web browser by logging into your Apple ID on icloud.com. Find My is can be accessed there.

Find My has a "Mark As Lost" feature which also allows a message where contact info can be left. It should pop up on the screen of the device if Find My is turned on and connected to the Internet.

https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/mark-a-device-as-lost-ipad8dc8c887/ipados

The main issue is going to be connecting to the Internet. That typically has to be done manually if it's not a network where it autoconnects. I will say that as a Comcast customer, I used their WiFi hotspots and it would automatically connect when within range, even if the screen was locked. If you might have connected to hotel internet, it may or may not autoconnect, but that can be iffy when it requires something like a hotel room number and name every 24 hours.

The one place that has always worked was when I go to an Apple Store. That requires no sign-in of any kind, and it does an autoconnect when I'm within range. And it doesn't matter which store, as it will autoconnect even when it's a store I've never been to before with the device. If you live near one, maybe try that. Because some people who find lost Apple devices might take them to an Apple Store to see if the owner can be located. To do this it would require "Aske to Join Networks" set to "Notify" where it will connect automatically but notify the user. "Off" will require a manual connect every time, and "Ask" will require a popup to approve connecting.

 

[Genie+]

Works great if it's connected to the Internet and can figure out its location, but that's not always a given unless it's a cellular iPad. Heck - I have some iffy spots for WiFi in my home and it won't always be connected.

I thought it didn’t need to be connected, because it can ping off of other unrelated iProducts to establish location?

 

[Clifton Tesh]

https://www.tile.com/product/lost-and-found-labels

 

[Mle8308]

I you have a cover on the iPad, get a Sharpie and write your contact information on the inside of the cover. If you don't want to do that to a nice cover, go on Amazon and buy a cheap $5 one for travelling and write your info in the inside of that one. Pretty rudimentary, but it will work if whoever finds it is really concerned about returning your iPad. I do recommend the "Find My" route, too.

 

[irlandaise]

I thought it didn’t need to be connected, because it can ping off of other unrelated iProducts to establish location?

Yes, the iPad would be able to use Bluetooth to report its location, but it would have to get near some other Apple devices for that to work.

https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/add-your-ipad-ipadb17e07b8/ipados

"Find My network: If your device is offline (not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular), Find My can locate it using the Find My network."

 

[dizneegirl]

Lo-tech? If it's always in a case, print a label to stick on the back of the iPad. Walmart, Office Depot, Staples, etc. all sell label paper.

Or stick a return address label on it.

 

[bcla]

I thought it didn’t need to be connected, because it can ping off of other unrelated iProducts to establish location?

Not sure. AirTags only communicate through Bluetooth and have to communicate with an Apple device that's connected to the Internet with Bluetooth turned on within range of the AirTag.

I suppose Apple could have enabled Find My to use Bluetooth, but I've never heard of that being the case.

OK - I tried it with an iPad and an iPhone. I turned off WiFi on the iPad and tried to play sound on it (usually to figure out where something is nearby). It only says "Sound Pending" until my iPad is connected to the Internet. I suspect it has to be connected to the Internet to work.

 

[BayouQueen]

We travel a lot. I always just stick a small sticker on the back of iPad with phone number and "please text." I also put a tiny sticker on my phone with my DH's phone number to call.
Seriously, so simple. Things really can get left behind in all the chaos of travel.

 

[SteveH]

I slip a business card in side mine. But when I travel I change the lock screen image to "If found please call or text..."

 

[easyas123]

We've just taken a sharpie and written directly on the back of the ipad, not fancy or special but does the trick.
Did same w/ computers.

 

[Dan Murphy]

For my cell phone, I have my name and home phone number on my startup lock screen.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks everyone, most helpful!

 

[irlandaise]

Not sure. AirTags only communicate through Bluetooth and have to communicate with an Apple device that's connected to the Internet with Bluetooth turned on within range of the AirTag.

I suppose Apple could have enabled Find My to use Bluetooth, but I've never heard of that being the case.

That is the "Find My network" referred to in the Apple support page I cited. As I mentioned, because that network relies on your device getting within Bluetooth range of other Apple devices, it isn't as reliable as if your device has an Internet connection. But it's certainly better than nothing, and as Apple notes, there are hundreds of millions of devices in the network.

 

[bcla]

That is the "Find My network" referred to in the Apple support page I cited. As I mentioned, because that network relies on your device getting within Bluetooth range of other Apple devices, it isn't as reliable as if your device has an Internet connection. But it's certainly better than nothing, and as Apple notes, there are hundreds of millions of devices in the network.

Not quite sure how it would work. I couldn't get my iPad (with WiFi turned off) to produce the locator sound even though I triggered the sound from less than two feet away. It produced the sound a few seconds after I turned on WiFi and it connected.

But Apple says this function is for Lost mode, so perhaps it only works if the device is marked as lost.

 

[irlandaise]

Not quite sure how it would work. I couldn't get my iPad (with WiFi turned off) to produce the locator sound even though I triggered the sound from less than two feet away. It produced the sound a few seconds after I turned on WiFi and it connected.

But Apple says this function is for Lost mode, so perhaps it only works if the device is marked as lost.

No, the Find My network doesn't only work in Lost mode. I don't know how long it takes for other devices to report their neighbors to the network.

By the way, if you had turned off Wi-Fi less than 24 hours previously, your iPad should show a "last known location" in Find My based on where your Wi-Fi network last saw it. Was it showing up in Find My even though you couldn't get it to beep?

 

[Genie+]

I could be wrong… We dropped an airpod by accident a few times and was under the impression it was the bluetooth turned on and other people with apple products getting in range that pinpointed the locations. One time was at a rural gas station in spotty service area and another was in an airbnb couch where we had trouble making any calls within that apartment. My child explained there’s always chains of pings on apple products no matter where you are nowadays, so doesn’t need to rely on a signal or wi-fi. Not sure