There’s no worse feeling than realising one of your personal items is missing. Whether it’s lost or stolen, losing your iPad can be pretty stressful, but luckily, there are a few simple steps you can take to recover your device.

Apple has a handy feature called ‘Find my iPhone’ on all its iPads, as well as a function called ‘Lost Mode’. By making the most of these two features, we can minimise the damage done if your iPad falls into the wrong hands, and increase the chances that it’s returned to you.

First and foremost, report your missing device to law enforcement. They will likely want the serial number for your iPad, which can be found on its original packaging, or by logging into Apple support. This serial number is unique to your iPad, and can be used to identify it as yours in the event that it is handed in, or otherwise recovered by the authorities.

First and foremost, report your missing device to law enforcement

Next, use the Find My iPhone application to remotely lock, and locate your iPad. Open up the app on another apple device, such as a MacBook, or in your internet browser. From here you can put your iPad into lost mode, meaning the screen will become locked with a pin code and your phone number will be displayed on it, asking whoever has it to call you and return your iPad. Lost mode also automatically disables payments from any credit or debit cards you added to you iPad.

Find My iPhone, also allows you to track the location of your iPad on a map. If you believe your iPad is lost or misplaced, you can find it this way. If your iPad appears to be on the move, or is in a place that indicates it was stolen, it may be best to consult the police and offer them the location, so they can recover it for you safely. Apple can also be contacted and asked for details on remotely erasing your iPad. This will wipe all your data from it, and keep anyone who has it from accessing your personal information or spending with your credit or debit cards through your iPad.

If you have Find my iPhone enabled on your iPad, then the steps above should be followed as soon as possible. If you don’t have the feature enabled, you should make sure your iPad is remotely erased, and the serial number is provided to the authorities immediately. In addition to this, it’s a good idea to retrace your steps if you believe your iPad is lost. Ask friends and family to help you search, and even make the most of social media. Write a post describing your iPad, and where you think it was lost or stolen from, and share this with friends to try to reach whoever has it. Offering a reward often increases the chances of an items return, as does mentioning that the item has been reported missing to police. Although losing your iPad can be devastating, by following these steps, you can increase the chances that it will be returned to you safely.