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macbook123

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 11, 2006
1,869
85
My son lost his iPad on a weekend getaway.

He didn't remember his iCloud password, and had to initiate an account recovery to get it back so I could help him search for the device.

For reasons not even Apple's tech support was able to explain, there's a 24 hour period where *nothing* happens before they allow you to create a new password.

During that 24 hour time, a thief could have done a lot of things with the iPad, including wiping it. Also during that 24 hour time, we drove away from the area where he lost it, and are now 8 hours away from it unable to look for it.

To add insult to injury (and again for reasons unknown to Apple's own tech "experts", Apple only stores the information where the iPad last transmitted a signal for...drumroll...24 hours!

So now that the iPad has a drained battery and/or has been wiped clean by a thief, we don't even have a way of figuring out where it was last. We can't contact the police to help us find it. We can't contact local businesses where it might be.

What the ****** was Apple thinking when they implemented those arbitrary and ridiculously user-unfriendly 24 hour rules? It's crazy! My son is devastated to have lost his iPad. Thank you, Apple, we are moving to Google, where no such arbitrary limitations exist and the last location where your device transmitted will be stored forever.
 

0970373

Suspended
Mar 15, 2008
2,727
1,412
I hope that you take this opportunity to teach your son how to take better care of his very expensive things. And in 2018, remember his password. Was it not set up as kids device so that you could access it? The things you're complaining about are all security and privacy measures that I personally appreciate. But yes, sounds like you're better off with Android products. They are much better at retaining all your information in perpetuity. Not sure I'd reward a child with a new tablet after losing one though.

But at least the people who found your kids iPad won't be able to use it thanks to activation lock if they did try to wipe it. Too bad it wasn't cellular or it would retransmit the location when it turned back on.

I think Find My iPhone is GREAT. It helped me...find my iPhone...when I lost it when traveling in a remote part of a SE Asian country. Slipped out of my pocket. I sent it a message through the app and the kids who found it called the phone number. They asked for money. I gave it to them and got my iPhone back. Served me right for being careless.
 

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
Guys not only that, but iMessage SUCKS too! I was chatting to a girl who suggested we meet up for a drink. I had a quick sip of what smelled like liquor, then everything went black and I woke up in an ice bath with a removed kidney.

Apple should KEEP track of ALL users at ALL times so that I could PROPERLY report this PERSON to tHe aUtHoRiTiES.

i’M mOvInG tO gOoGlE.
 

jpn

Cancelled
Feb 9, 2003
1,854
1,988
My son lost his iPad on a weekend getaway.

He didn't remember his iCloud password, and had to initiate an account recovery to get it back so I could help him search for the device.

For reasons not even Apple's tech support was able to explain, there's a 24 hour period where *nothing* happens before they allow you to create a new password.

During that 24 hour time, a thief could have done a lot of things with the iPad, including wiping it. Also during that 24 hour time, we drove away from the area where he lost it, and are now 8 hours away from it unable to look for it.

To add insult to injury (and again for reasons unknown to Apple's own tech "experts", Apple only stores the information where the iPad last transmitted a signal for...drumroll...24 hours!

So now that the iPad has a drained battery and/or has been wiped clean by a thief, we don't even have a way of figuring out where it was last. We can't contact the police to help us find it. We can't contact local businesses where it might be.

What the ****** was Apple thinking when they implemented those arbitrary and ridiculously user-unfriendly 24 hour rules? It's crazy! My son is devastated to have lost his iPad. Thank you, Apple, we are moving to Google, where no such arbitrary limitations exist and the last location where your device transmitted will be stored forever.

hi

sorry to hear about what happened.

was the iPad signed in to iCloud at the time it was stolen or lost?
 
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Krayzkat

Suspended
Apr 22, 2011
754
1,353
I'm sorry you lost your iPad, and it's a pain in the ass, BUT you shouldn't have trusted your child with the password if they were just going to make any old thing up that'd be easily forgotten (I've had this happen to my gf's kid).

Next time, you take control of the iCloud password etc, that doesn't mean they can't have their own passcode to unlock the iPad though....
 
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960design

macrumors 68040
Apr 17, 2012
3,703
1,571
Destin, FL
My son lost his iPad on a weekend getaway.

He didn't remember his iCloud password, and had to initiate an account recovery to get it back so I could help him search for the device.

For reasons not even Apple's tech support was able to explain, there's a 24 hour period where *nothing* happens before they allow you to create a new password.

During that 24 hour time, a thief could have done a lot of things with the iPad, including wiping it. Also during that 24 hour time, we drove away from the area where he lost it, and are now 8 hours away from it unable to look for it.

To add insult to injury (and again for reasons unknown to Apple's own tech "experts", Apple only stores the information where the iPad last transmitted a signal for...drumroll...24 hours!

So now that the iPad has a drained battery and/or has been wiped clean by a thief, we don't even have a way of figuring out where it was last. We can't contact the police to help us find it. We can't contact local businesses where it might be.

What the ****** was Apple thinking when they implemented those arbitrary and ridiculously user-unfriendly 24 hour rules? It's crazy! My son is devastated to have lost his iPad. Thank you, Apple, we are moving to Google, where no such arbitrary limitations exist and the last location where your device transmitted will be stored forever.
The good news is that as long as you do not remove it from your iCloud account, the thief will not be able to fully restore your iPad. Activation lock will continue to be able to locate it.
I've never had to wait 24 hours to reset a password on literally 1000s of resets. Not sure what is going on there.

The police do not help with lost items, but can be very helpful with stolen items. Your iPad is still lost.

I'm very sorry for your son's loss.

Good luck in finding lost Android devices. You understand that Google is just a company that makes products that uses a free operating system that they are not in control of. Many companies use the free OS Android. You do not need to go to Google, you may want to try Samsung. They make very nice devices.
 
Last edited:

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,459
Your son lost his iPad AND forgot his iCloud password, but this is all Apple's fault?
Sounds like the question is more about the whole part about a 24 hour lock/delay on things to recover/reset password. Although there's a good amount of other rhetoric there to kind of throw things off a bit from that underlying question.
 

macbook123

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 11, 2006
1,869
85
hi

sorry to hear about what happened.

was the iPad signed in to iCloud at the time it was stolen or lost?

Yes
[doublepost=1540403049][/doublepost]
Your son lost his iPad AND forgot his iCloud password, but this is all Apple's fault?

It is not. The fact that account recovery takes 24 hours and that the last location of the iPad is only stored for 24 hours are extremely arbitrary and brainless customer unfriendly decisions however. If you disagree, please tell me why instead of launching ad hominem attacks.
 
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NoBoMac

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 1, 2014
5,819
4,429
If it were part of a family group, the parent could track it, even if the kid’s a moron and forgot his password.

So many levels of stupidity here.

This.

Add in two-factor, can specify alternate numbers to contact.

And as been posted earlier, good luck with contacting anyone at Google to get an account reset. Or find a device, even if storing more than last 24 hours (even their documentation qualifies is as "might display").
 
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AfDdvd

macrumors newbie
Oct 24, 2018
3
0
What the ****** was Apple thinking when they implemented those arbitrary and ridiculously user-unfriendly 24 hour rules? It's crazy! My son is devastated to have lost his iPad. Thank you, Apple, we are moving to Google, where no such arbitrary limitations exist and the last location where your device transmitted will be stored forever.

that's annoying when google does it better and there are no comprehensible reasons why apple doesn't do anything in this period.

then I understand the change to google.
[doublepost=1540422969][/doublepost]
Cool story, bro.

Next time, don’t forget your password.
it is rather idiotic to have to use such a lock and remember passwords unnecessarily.
just because society tends to become criminal to harm others
 

ZZ Bottom

macrumors 6502a
Apr 14, 2010
829
258
Just google it. Account recovery involves a 24 hour lock. There's no explanation.

Also, there's no explanation for storing the last ping from a lost iPad for only 24 hours.

The 24 hour storage thing is frustrating if true. Did they mention what you could have done to change that, or is max 24hr no matter what?

One of the attractive aspects of that feature is it could be used to know where someone kidnapped was last tracked, but not much help if they’re not discovered lost soon enough.
 

s15119

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2010
1,856
1,714
Wow, evil old apple made your son forget his password. Those bas**rds.

I'll never do business with them again.

Thanks so much for letting us know.
 
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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,459
Wow, evil old apple made your son forget his password. Those bas**rds.

I'll never do business with them again.

Thanks so much for letting us know.
Seems like the issue isn't really with that part of it.
 
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Marshall73

macrumors 68030
Apr 20, 2015
2,680
2,776
Yes
[doublepost=1540403049][/doublepost]

It is not. The fact that account recovery takes 24 hours and that the last location of the iPad is only stored for 24 hours are extremely arbitrary and brainless customer unfriendly decisions however. If you disagree, please tell me why instead of launching ad hominem attacks.

If you had added your son to family sharing then the iPad would be easily located in find my iPhone. Remember this for future.

You can have apple reset the password in minutes over the phone with support. The 24 hour period is only if you are doing this via the web portal. A simple call to apple, email them the required proof of purchase and it’s reset. This can also be achieved at an apple store.
 
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