What Find My App Icons and Symbols Mean? Complete Guide

Losing your keys, phone, or your Apple watch can be a stressful experience. Thankfully, Apple’s Find My app is designed to bring peace of mind. But let’s face it, those tiny icons and symbols in the Find My app can sometimes feel like cracking a code. Here’s what all the Find My app icons and symbols mean.

Table of Contents

Find My Home Screen Icons Meaning

When you open the Find My app, you’ll land on the Devices tab, which shows you a map and a list of your Apple devices. But what about those little icons scattered around the screen? Let’s dive in and decode them!

Choose Map (Globe) Icon: That little globe icon is your map-style switcher. Tap it, and you’ll get two options: “Explore” and “Satellite.” “Explore” gives you a standard map view with street names and points of interest, while “Satellite” shows you a real-life aerial view.
Locate Me (Paper Plane) Icon: Below the globe icon, you’ll find a paper plane icon. That’s your “Locate Me” button. Tapping it will instantly zoom in on your current location. This is super handy for when you need to see where you are on the map quickly.
3D Icon: You can tap the “3D” icon to see the map from a different perspective. This will switch the map view to a 3D perspective, giving a more immersive look at the terrain and buildings around you.
Plus (+) Icon: Tapping the plus icon will give you a bunch of options: “Share My Location,” “Add MagSafe Accessory,” “Add AirTag,” and “Add Other Item.” This is where you can add new devices or items to your Find My network, or let others know where you are.

Map Icons Meaning

Now, let’s look at the icons and symbols you’ll see right on the map itself. These are your key tools for navigating and understanding your location.

Current Location (Blue Dot) Icon: See that bright blue dot on the map. That’s you! It shows you your precise location on the map. But it gets even cooler: you’ll also notice a blue ray extending from the dot. That ray shows you the direction you’re currently facing.
Pull Menu (Grey Bar) Icon: You’ll find a thin grey bar at the bottom of the map. That’s your “Pull Menu” icon. You can swipe up on it, and it’ll pull up the menu for the section you’re currently in.

Device List Icon Meaning

You might notice this icon next to the device name. Let’s see what it exactly means:

Lost (Question Mark in Yellow Circle) Icon: That yellow circle with a question mark is the “Lost” icon. It means Find My can’t currently pinpoint the device’s location. This could be because the device is turned off, out of range, or its location services are disabled. When you tap on the device’s name, you’ll get more details about its status and options for trying to locate it.

Red Timestamp Meaning

When you tap on a device in your list, you’ll see a details screen with information about its location and status. One crucial piece of information is the timestamp, which tells you when the device last connected to Find My.

Red Timestamp: The timestamp with that red tint is a visual cue that this is the last time the MacBook Air communicated with the Find My network. If the timestamp is recent, it means the device is likely still in that location. However, if the timestamp is older, it might mean the device has moved or is out of range. The red color helps you quickly assess how up-to-date the location information is.

Loading Icon Meaning

When viewing your list of devices in the Find My app, you might see a spinning loading icon next to a device’s name. This icon provides important information about the device’s current status.

Spinning Loading (Sun-like) Icon: Notice the sun-like burst icon spinning next to “Anchit’s iPhone”? That’s the loading icon. It means Find My is actively trying to determine the device’s location. This could be happening for a few reasons:

The device has just been located, and Find My is updating its position.
The device is moving, and Find My is tracking its real-time location.
The device has recently connected to the network, and Find My is establishing a connection.

Big Light Blue Circle Meaning

When you locate a device on the map in the Find My app, you might see a light blue circle surrounding the device’s icon. This circle provides a visual representation of the device’s approximate location.

Light Blue Circle (Radius): This light blue circle around the iPhone icon indicates the general area where your iPhone is located. It’s important to understand that the device is within that radius, not necessarily at the exact center of the circle. The size of the circle can vary depending on the accuracy of the location data.

Red Trash Can Icon Meaning

When you see a red trash can icon next to a device in your Find My app, it indicates a specific and important status.

Erasure Red Trash Can Icon: The red trash can icon signifies that the device has been remotely erased. This occurs when the owner through the Find My app marks the device as “Lost” and then selects the option to “Erase” it.

Note: Even though the device is erased, it’s crucial not to remove it from your Apple ID account. Doing so would disable Activation Lock, making the device potentially usable by someone else.

So, there you go! We’ve covered all the main icons and symbols you’ll encounter in the Find My app. If you want to learn about other app icons then feel free to check out our other guides.