How to Turn On or Off Find My Device in Windows 10
The Find My Device feature is now included for Windows 10 PCs starting in Windows 10 build 10565.
Find My Device for Windows 10 PCs, like Find My Phone for Windows 10 Mobile phones, will allow Microsoft to save your device's GPS location periodically. This way if you lose your device, or your device gets stolen, you will be able to see it's last known location in Your devices online at Microsoft for the same Microsoft account you sign in to the device with.
If you have Find My Device turned on, your device will update its location periodically if it's connected to the internet.
Starting with Windows 10 build 17115, Windows 10 has gotten a new privacy screen settings layout.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Find My Device to be able to see the last known location of your Windows 10 PC (desktop, laptop, tablet, etc...) in your Microsoft account online.
You must be signed in as an administrator account to turn on or off Find My Device.
Contents
- Option One: To Turn On or Off Find My Device during Windows Setup
- Option Two: To Turn On or Off Find My Device in Settings
- Option Three: To Turn On or Off Find My Device using a REG file
- Option Four: Enable or Disable Find My Device in Local Group Policy Editor
- Option Five: Enable or Disable Find My Device using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Find My Device
1 When you get to Choose privacy settings for your device during Windows Setup while doing a clean install of Windows 10, you can turn on (default) or off the Find my device privacy setting for what you want. (see screenshots below)
1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & security icon.
2 Do step 3 (on) or step 4 (off) below for what you would like to do.
If you have not already, you will need to first turn on location for this device before you will be able to turn on Find My Device.
Your device only sends its location if it’s connected to Wi-Fi and has enough battery power.A) Click/tap on Find My Device on the left side.
B) Click/tap on the Change button under Find my device: OFF on the right side.
C) Turn on Save my device's location periodically, and go to step 5 below.
A) Click/tap on Find My Device on the left side.
B) Click/tap on the Change button under Find my device: ON on the right side.
C) Turn off Save my device's location periodically, and go to step 5 below.
5 You can now close Settings if you like.
If you have not already, you will need to first turn on location for this device before you will be able to turn on Find My Device.
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MdmCommon\SettingValues
LocationSyncEnabled DWORD
0 = Off
1 = On
1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_On_Find_My_Device.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_Off_Find_My_Device.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
If disabled, this option will override Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.
The Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.
All editions can use Option Five below.
1 Open the Local Group Policy Editor.
2 In the left pane of the Local Group Policy Editor, click/tap on to expand Computer Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, and Find My Device. (see screenshot below)
3 In the right pane of Find My Device, double click/tap on the Turn On/Off Find My Device policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)
4 Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
Not Configured is the default setting.
7 When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.
If disabled, this option will override Option One, Option Two, and Option Three.
The downloadable .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FindMyDevice
AllowFindMyDevice DWORD
(delete) = Enable
0 = Disable
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Enable_Find_My_Device.reg
Download
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Disable_Find_My_Device.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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Turn On or Off Find My Device in Windows 10
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New #1
Hi, is Wifi required to be on for this to work? (e.g. laptop)
If so, that would be a required step... + perhaps checking with
https://account.microsoft.com/devices
that it actually does..
Plus registering your device at
https://account.microsoft.com/devices
Conversely, presumably it doesn't if ethernet is used.
Noted I had to set up my Wifi connection again after the Nov. upgrade.
So I'm waiting for the https://account.microsoft.com/devices page to show other than 'Off' for my laptop..
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New #2
Hello dalchina, :)
Only an internet connection is required. It doesn't matter how.
"Find My Device" appears to only be available for portable PC's and devices, and not for desktop PCs. My desktop PC is listed in "My Devices" at Microsoft. I tested by only having a Wi-Fi connection on the desktop with Ethernet unplugged, restarted the computer, and no "Find My Device" feature available.
It would be nice if "Find My Device" was an available option to turn on/off for desktop PCs as well.
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New #3
Hi Brink, thanks.. When I tried Prey a long time back, an ethernet connection showed my ISP's location about 20 miles away, whilst Wifi was accurate.. so I'm wondering about this.
Just found out.. Location has to be on.
And Location was on.. before the Nov upgrade to 10586... Hmm. Still waiting for my location to be detected....
Now note that Settings allows 'Find this device' to be enabled without Location on... Oops.
Took the opportunity to mention that to an MS answer tech..
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New #4
Is there ANY way to enable this on a desktop? Some sort of registry hack to trick it into thinking the desktop is actually a laptop?
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New #6
Dang. It would really be a helpful feature for desktops too in case they're stolen or something.
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New #7
I can't manually edit it can you tell me how to edit it from registry? or add registry download option like you do in all threads, thanks :)
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New #8
Hello @ameeralhindi, :)
I have added OPTION TWO to help. Just to note, location services must be turned on first to be able to turn on Find My Device.
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New #9
Thank you so much it was on sadly! I know location services must be turned on but i like to turn everything i don't use in windows off since i'm gaming on shitty laptop, This might be off-topic, i know there is forum for gaming but why you don't make big guide about how to otpimize windows 10 for gaming and turn everything gamer don't need of and boost FPS to the max you know...
Turn On or Off Find My Device in Windows 10
How to Turn On or Off Find My Device in Windows 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: Hardware & Drivers
08 Jan 2022
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