Apple Stores Will Now Decline to Repair iPhones Reported as Missing

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will now be alerted if an iPhone has been reported as missing in the GSMA Device Registry when a customer brings in the device to be serviced, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors.

repair iphone x
If an Apple technician sees a message in their internal MobileGenius or GSX systems indicating that the device has been reported as missing, they are instructed to decline the repair, according to Apple's memo shared on Monday. The new policy should help to reduce the amount of stolen iPhones brought to Apple for repair.

The GSMA Device Registry is a global database designed for customers to report their devices as missing in the event of loss or theft. Devices in the database are identified by their unique IMEI number. An iPhone's IMEI is listed in the Settings app under General > About.

Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers are already unable to service an iPhone if the customer cannot disable Find My iPhone, and this policy will help to prevent stolen iPhones that never had Find My iPhone enabled from being repaired by Apple. In the event your iPhone is lost or stolen, be sure to read our guide on the next steps to take.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
siri glow

iPhone Users Now Able to Submit Claims in $95 Million Siri Spying Lawsuit

Wednesday May 7, 2025 11:40 am PDT by
If you owned a Siri-compatible device and had an accidental Siri activation between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, you could be eligible for a payment from Apple as part of a class action lawsuit settlement. Apple in January agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit involving Siri spying accusations, and a website to distribute the funds has now been set up and...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17: What's New With the Cameras

Friday May 2, 2025 3:52 pm PDT by
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes. Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.5 Coming Soon, Here is What's New

Monday May 5, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
In its press release for the new Pride Band today, Apple said that iOS 18.5 is "upcoming," following more than a month of beta testing. We expect the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate to be released this week, and this should be the final beta version, barring any last-minute bugs or changes. The software update should then be released to the general public next week. iOS 18.5 is a relatively...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Said to Have Two Key Advantages

Monday May 5, 2025 6:41 am PDT by
Apple plans to release its first foldable iPhone next year, according to several reporters and analysts who cover the company. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone will offer two key advantages over other foldable smartphones. First, he said the foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" crease when unfolded. This means the device's...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...

Top Rated Comments

upandown Avatar
41 months ago
Why wasn’t this protocol from the start?

What’s the point of having a “missing phone” feature if it doesn’t do anything.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
happydude Avatar
41 months ago
hope they also alert the original owner it's been located vs. giving it back to the person who brought it in. otherwise...what's the point. the phone is still not in the original owners hands, fixed or not. police should prob be notified too, I'd think.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Alan Wynn Avatar
41 months ago

Dumb policy. A used stolen/lost phone can be legitimately purchased.
Nope. Since the person who sold it did not legally own it, no one down the line can have purchased it legitimately.

By the time it reaches a repair centre, the previous owner of a stolen or lost phone would have already moved on with life.
Making it harder to sell stolen iPhones makes them less valuable, and discourages thefts, just as Activation Lock has done.

This is marketing for morons like their green initiatives.
No, this is a good thing for consumers. I am curious why it took so long to implement, and I think it is also interesting that it seems carriers do not prevent these devices on their networks.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
currocj Avatar
41 months ago
Why did this take a decade?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
41 months ago

Should also include remote detonation feature. If a thief jack’s my phone from my hand I can blow it up.
“We’ve removed the Lightning port in order to make room for 200mg of C4 in every new iPhone.”
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
41 months ago
This is great. I hope it also bricks the iPhone and notifies the original owner.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)