What should I do if my iPhone or iPad is stolen? Steps to follow according to Apple technical support.

Losing your iPhone or iPad can be a distressing experience. Besides the financial value, it's also a problem due to the amount of personal information exposed to criminals. However, Apple provides several important recommendations to protect your device, your Apple account, and your personal information in the event of theft. These are the steps to follow, according to information from Apple Support.

Mark as lost on iCloud.com/find

If your iPhone or iPad is stolen, the first thing you should do is put the device in Lost Mode to lock it. This will prevent the thief from accessing your device and making changes to your Apple account.

1) Go to iCloud.com/find.

2) Sign in without a verification code.

3) Under “All Devices,” select your lost iPhone or iPad.

4) Choose "Mark as Lost" and follow the on-screen instructions.

When you mark your device as lost, it will be locked with the device passcode, Apple Pay cards and passes will be suspended, and Face ID or Touch ID will be required to disable Lost Mode. Additionally, Apple will never contact you to tell you your iPhone or iPad has been found, so be on the lookout for social engineering scams.

Find your iPhone or iPad on a map

At iCloud.com/find, you can see your device's location on a map. If it appears in a location you don't recognize, don't try to recover it yourself. Contact local law enforcement.

Report if your iPhone or iPad is lost

Report it to local law enforcement authorities.

Contact your mobile phone carrier to report the theft and request that your account be suspended.

File a claim with AppleCare+ for theft and loss

If you have AppleCare+ with theft and loss coverage, file a claim to request a device replacement. Don't remove the device from your Apple account until the claim has been fully approved.

If you can't recover the device

If you can't recover your stolen device, remotely erase it and remove it from your trusted devices. You can do this from iCloud.com/Find or the Find My app. Make sure you've tried everything else first, as this process can't be undone.

Review and update your Apple account information

Go to account.apple.com to review and update your account information. If you can't sign in, try resetting your password.

These actions are key to protecting your information and ensuring your stolen device can't be used by others.