Find My Mac on Catalina
Hello,
Is Find My Mac able to locate or erase a 2019 MacBook Pro that's shut down or offline? I heard something about it being able to use the Bluetooth to do it? The Apple support article doesn't mention this.
Thanks!
You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
Hello,
Is Find My Mac able to locate or erase a 2019 MacBook Pro that's shut down or offline? I heard something about it being able to use the Bluetooth to do it? The Apple support article doesn't mention this.
Thanks!
golfpro310 wrote:
Hello,
Is Find My Mac able to locate or erase a 2019 MacBook Pro that's shut down or offline? I heard something about it being able to use the Bluetooth to do it? The Apple support article doesn't mention this.
Thanks!
Find My - Official Apple Support
golfpro310 wrote:
Hello,
Is Find My Mac able to locate or erase a 2019 MacBook Pro that's shut down or offline? I heard something about it being able to use the Bluetooth to do it? The Apple support article doesn't mention this.
Thanks!
Find My - Official Apple Support
golfpro310 wrote:
The 2019 Macs use a T2 chip...
Yes it does. What is the point there?
Bluetooth lets you make short-range wireless connections (up to 30 feet) between your Mac and devices such as mobile phones and peripherals. ref: Use Bluetooth devices with Mac - Apple Support
golfpro310 wrote:
I did read that article but it only mentions iOS devices (when turned off/offline).
What if my Mac is shut down or offline?
If your Mac is turned off or offline, you can still
use Find My to request a notification when it’s located, or lock or
erase it remotely. The next time your Mac is online, the actions take
effect. If you remove your Mac from Find My when it's offline, your requests are canceled.
ref: If your Mac is lost or stolen - Apple Support
.Set up Find My on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.
Find My - Official Apple Support
Set up Find My on Mac - Apple Support
How to set up and use Find My Mac | iMore
How To Find a Stolen Mac And Protect Data From Thieves ...
How to track a lost computer with Find My Mac | Macworld
How 'Find My' Mac works in macOS Catalina and iOS 13 ...
golfpro310 wrote:
That article doesn't answer my question regarding Macs.
<I heard something about it being able to use the Bluetooth to do it? The Apple support article doesn't mention this.>
For good reason.
Sounds like dis-information—Bluetooth is very short range. Maybe 30
feet, if that was the case just walk over there and take it back.
golfpro310 wrote:
I just don't understand the point of Find My Mac on Catalina if it can't locate or erase a Mac if it's shut down or offline...
I can only suggest you go back and re-read the Find My apple article referenced above, in its entirety.
There is no magic that I know of for locating, turning on, and erasing your Mac— if it is not online.
Maybe try and call Uri Geller.
In that computerworld article it mentions this about Bluetooth:
How does the Bluetooth signal work?
The way this works is that the Mac will send out a periodic beacon, it's actually a rotating encryption key.
This key can be picked up by other devices that are physically nearby.
These know their location can encrypt that location and broadcast it up to Apple.
Apple can't read this location, but the user who owns the device can log into the Find My App, download, decrypt that location and find their Mac.
That article doesn't answer my question regarding Macs.
The 2019 Macs use a T2 chip...
I just don't understand the point of Find My Mac on Catalina if it can't locate or erase a Mac if it's shut down or offline...
I did read that article but it only mentions iOS devices (when turned off/offline).
Find My Mac on Catalina