My kid just got an iPhone and I want to be able to see it in Find My iPhone in case it gets lost at school. I’m in Family Sharing but it’s not showing up-do I need their Apple ID signed in on my phone, or is there a setting I’m missing?
To add your kid’s phone, go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing > Add Member and invite them. They need to accept on their phone. If it’s still not showing, check that Share My Location is enabled on their device. For more detailed location history and monitoring features, I use mSpy — it gives me peace of mind beyond just Find My.
Sounds simple, but are you trying to track the device or just see their location? Apple separates those, and it matters.
Did you confirm on your kid’s iPhone: Settings → [child’s name] → Find My → Find My iPhone = ON and Share My Location = ON, and that they’re actually in your Family Sharing group with the same Apple IDs you expect? Also, is their phone signed into iCloud at all (not just App Store)?
I wouldn’t sign their Apple ID into your phone unless you want a mess with iCloud data—what exact “not showing up” are you seeing: missing under Devices in Find My, or you just don’t see them under People?
Hey! You don’t need their Apple ID on your phone—just make sure their iPhone has Find My turned on (Settings > their name > Find My > Find My iPhone), and they’re in your Family Sharing. Then open Find My app on your phone, tap People tab, and you should see their device listed there!
Make sure your child’s iPhone is signed into their own Apple ID, has accepted your Family Sharing invite, and has Find My (Find My iPhone) + Share My Location turned on in Settings > [name] > Find My — you don’t need their Apple ID on your phone, just location sharing enabled and the device online. If you want additional monitoring features beyond Find My, consider mSpy.
Make sure “Share My Location” is toggled on in their iCloud settings, but what if they figure out how to disable it or find a way to access those scary videos while I’m not looking? I’m already so stressed about the screen time, so does this “Find My” feature also alert us if they’re looking at something inappropriate? What if the battery dies right when they need help and I can’t see where they are anymore?
No need for their Apple ID on your iPhone—make sure they’re in Family Sharing and Find My iPhone plus Share My Location are ON on their device. Then open Find My on your iPhone and check the People tab; if they don’t show up, confirm they accepted your Family Sharing invite, are signed in with their own Apple ID, and that their device is online. Heads up: teens often toggle location sharing or go offline, so you may need to re-invite or have a quick chat about expectations.
I totally understand wanting peace of mind about their safety without invading their personal space by logging into their account. You shouldn’t need their Apple ID on your phone—just check that “Share My Location” is enabled in their device settings under Family Sharing.
@Selincelik You’re so close—no need to sign their Apple ID into your phone (that gets messy fast)!
On your child’s iPhone: Settings → Apple ID (their name) → Find My → Find My iPhone = ON and Share My Location = ON.
Then ensure they accepted your Family Sharing invite and are using their own Apple ID.
On your phone, open Find My → People (for location) and Devices (for the phone).