Enable Find My Device in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

This article explains how to enable or disable the Find My Device feature in Windows 11.

Find My Device is a feature that can help you locate your Windows 11 device if lost or stolen. This feature will work properly if you’re signed in to your Windows device as an administrator using your Microsoft account.

For Find My Device to work and allow you to locate your missing Windows 11 device, you’ll also need the Windows Location service enabled and turned on.

Enabling or disabling the Find My Device feature in Windows 11 is essential because it can help you locate your Windows 11 device if it’s lost or stolen. Turning on the Find My Device feature allows you to track the device’s location on a map via your Microsoft account online.

This can help retrieve a lost or stolen device. However, if you don’t want to use this feature, you can choose to disable it.

How to enable Find My Device in Windows 11

As mentioned, users can turn on “Find My Device” to help locate their Windows 11 device if lost or stolen.

To use Find My Device to locate your missing or stolen Windows 11 device, the Windows Location service must be turned on, and you must be signed in as an administrator using your Microsoft account.

Here’s how to do it.

First, open the Windows Settings app.

Then, select Privacy & security on the left and the Find my device tile on the right to expand it.

Next, select the “Find my device” tile. Then, toggle the switch button to the On position to enable it.

To disable it, toggle the button to the Off position.

Exit the Settings app when done.

Enable or disable Find My Device using the group policy

Another way to disable or enable “Find my device” is to use the Local Group Policy Editor.

First, open the Local Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc). (Search for “Edit group policy”) on the Start menu.

Then, navigate the folders below:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Find My Device

In the Group Policy details pane on the right, locate and double-click the “Turn On/Off Find My Device” settings.

On the “Turn On/Off Find My Device” window, set the option to Not Configure, Enabled, or Disabled.

• Not Configured (default)
• Enabled  – The device and its location are registered in the cloud to be located when the user initiates a Find command from account.microsoft.com.
• Disabled – The device and its location are not registered, and the Find My Device feature will not work.

Click OK to save your changes. You may have to reboot your device for the settings to apply.

Turn on or off “Find my device” using the Windows Registry Editor

Yet another way to enable or disable the “Find my device” feature is to use the Windows Registry editor.

First, open the Windows Registry and navigate to the folder key path below.

Disable or enable for current user:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MdmCommon\SettingValues

Next, double-click the LocationSyncEnabled (REG_DWORD) name on the SettingValues key’s right pane to open it.

Then, enter a value 1 to turn on the “Find my device” feature.

Type 0 to turn off the “Find my device” feature.

If you do not see the “LocationSyncEnabled” item, right-click a blank area and create a new DWORD (32-bit) registry item.

Then, enter the name “LocationSyncEnabled” and enter the value you want to enable or disable it.

Save your changes and restart your computer.

Enable or disable “Find my device” in Windows

You can use the registry settings below to enable or disable using “Find my device” in Windows 11.

Go to the registry path below and adjust your “Find my device” feature.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FindMyDevice

Next, double-click the AllowFindMyDevice (REG_DWORD) name on the FindMyDevice key’s right pane to open it.

Then, enter a value 1 to enable the “Find my device” feature.

Type 0 to disable the “Find my device” feature.

If you do not see the “AllowFindMyDevice” item, right-click a blank area and create a new DWORD (32-bit) registry item.

Then, enter the name “AllowFindMyDevice” and enter the value you want to enable or disable it.

Delete the “AllowFindMyDevice” name created above to restore the default behavior in Windows.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• Enabling the “Find My Device” feature on Windows 11 can significantly aid in recovering a lost or stolen device.
• Users can easily activate or deactivate this feature through the Settings app, Local Group Policy Editor, or Windows Registry.
• Ensuring the Windows Location service is enabled is crucial for this feature to function effectively.
• It is important to be signed in as an administrator with a Microsoft account for optimal performance of the “Find My Device” feature.
• Users have multiple methods to manage this feature according to their preferences and security needs.