iPhone Tip: Set an “If Found” Note as Your iPhone’s Background Picture
This is a fantastic tip from Apple regarding your iPhone, particularly if you’re prone to losing your device… set a custom background image on your iPhone with some contact information and an “If Found” note.
What does that mean exactly? Basically just create an image with some contact details on it and a message to someone who potentially finds the misplaced device. Try a message like the following, of course filling it with your appropriate name, address, phone number, and maybe an email address too:
Property of (Your Name)
If found, please return to
Your Name
1234 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, California 95014
415-555-1212
yourname@emailaddress.com
Save it as an image, and set that as your wallpaper of the iPhone via the “Settings” app.
Yes, this is definitely relying on the goodwill of others, but if you ever lose your iPhone it just might work to get it back!
Be sure to always use a passcode on your iPhone, and use iCloud with Find My iPhone too of course, but this trick can be an added bonus. It’s also particularly useful if you’re in a region where there is no cell coverage or spotty reception.
Heads up to Apple for the tip and iPhone image shown above.
[…] This could also help if you ever accidentally misplaced a Mac laptop, and is a great addition to setting an “If Found” message as the iPhone lock screen wallpaper which was suggested by Apple a few years […]
Good thing to live in a small town.
Lost it in the pub and a couple of minuets later a girl came up and told me a dude where looking for me because he thought he had my Iphone (he did) got it back, offered to buy him a drink, he denied, night continued.
(had a girl as a background not my name or anything personal.)
There is an app to do that. It is called Wallpaper Maker. You can choose a picture of your choice, and optionally add your name, phone number, and email. You can then put the information in any corner of the picture that you want. To get info on the right, add spaces before it until it it is where you want. You can then save the pic w/ info and apply it as your wallpaper.
Or… Put “please return to nearest Apple Store for free itouch reward! Once they hand it over saying they found it they won’t give it back to the dude after he tells them there is no reward. They should have transmitting GPS tho, Apple could charge large for finding lost or stolen iphones
Even better… just write “If found, please return this phone to the nearest AT&T or Apple store.”
Any AT&T or Apple store will be able to figure out who the phone belongs to and get it returned to the owner, without giving some stranger your personal info.
Probably a better idea to put your work info on there – since you’re on vacation and have lost your phone. That’s obviously what John did in the example!
Of course, it also might give some nefarious individual your home address and the knowledge that you can afford an iphone and may have other goodies in there worth acquiring. I think it’d be better to just have an alternate contact number on there instead, or at least a work address instead of home.