OS X Lion Developer Preview 4 Adds 'Find My Mac' - MacRumors
Skip to Content

OS X Lion Developer Preview 4 Adds 'Find My Mac'

Alongside yesterday's announcements related to OS X Lion, Apple pushed out a fourth developer preview version of the next-generation operation system set to make its public launch next month. Among the new features in this build of Lion is "Find My Mac", a feature similar to the one already in use for iOS devices.

Evidence for Find My Mac functionality in Lion had been building, but the actual service is now finally showing its face. One user has provided screenshots of the system in action, showing first of all how Find My Mac can be enabled in System Preferences, revealing that feature allows users to lock the screen of a lost machine while allowing guest access only to Safari in order to help facilitate recovery of the machine.

find my mac dialog

The user also reveals how his MacBook Air could be located using the Find My iPhone app on his iPhone, offering the option to simply to play a sound or send a message to whoever may have found the machine or remotely lock or even wipe the machine.

find my mac found

And finally, the user shows what happens to a machine once remote lock has been initiated, displaying a gray screen with boxes to input the security code to unlock the machine.

find my mac lock screen
OS X Lion is set to debut sometime next month as a Mac App Store exclusive priced at $29.99. The full suite of iCloud features is not set to debut until this fall alongside iOS 5, but some features such as purchased music/app/book histories are already rolling out and Find My Mac will presumably follow suit next month.

Popular Stories

M5 MacBook Pro

RIP, MacBook Ultra

Monday October 19, 2026 9:37 am PDT by
Apple today sent out invites for an experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, and the "Pro and tell" tagline on the invitation likely means that the rumored MacBook models with touch-enabled OLED displays will stick with MacBook Pro branding instead of the once-rumored "MacBook Ultra" name. The long-rumored "iPhone Ultra" ended up being named iPhone Duo, so speculation that Apple...
iPhone Duo Trio

Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo

Tuesday October 20, 2026 11:12 am PDT by
With just three days to go until the iPhone Duo is released, Apple is getting ready for the launch. Behind the scenes, the App Store now has screenshots of Apple's built-in apps running on the Duo. We've seen some apps in marketing materials, but images of the ones we haven't seen give us an idea of what it will be like using the iPhone Duo day to day. Many apps are shown in landscape...
iphone duo standby

Apple Retail Staff Told to Warn Against iPhone Duo Walk-In Purchases

Saturday October 17, 2026 2:30 pm PDT by
Some Apple retail employees have been told to warn customers against visiting to purchase an iPhone Duo without a pre-order on Friday, October 23. Apple Store employees told MacRumors that they have been advised that there will likely be no iPhone Duo stock available for walk-in purchases on launch day. Staff have been instructed to discourage customers without pre-orders from coming in...

Top Rated Comments

Dr McKay Avatar
201 months ago
who loses a mac?

When the thief takes it off you.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
201 months ago
Finding my mac is one thing. Actually getting police interested enough is another.

Case in point - http://thisguyhasmymacbook.tumblr.com/

This guy gave the police all the information they needed to find the person who stole his laptop. The police did nothing until this guy's story went viral and was picked up by the national media. One call from Good Morning America and guess what? Police miraculously arrested the laptop thief.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jsw Avatar
201 months ago
Can I ask how MR was able to secure exemption from the NDA?
You assume they signed an NDA. Why would they need to?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aduntu Avatar
201 months ago
The user providing the screenshots -- assuming they are a registered developer -- is subject to the developer NDA, not MacRumors.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
marksman Avatar
201 months ago
Why do you think GeekWebGuides is a prty to the developers NDA?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Small White Car Avatar
201 months ago
how would this work? wouldn't a laptop need either gps, cellular data, or be located within a public wifi area in order to be found? no current mac has gps antennas, do they?

Many wifi networks know where they are. My wifi-only iPad can be found using 'find my iPhone' because it knows what network it's on. It's not exact but it's good enough to realize "oh, I accidentally left it at my mom's house when I left."

And really, the map function isn't all that important most of the time. When another family member has been using my iPad I usually have no clue what room it's in. I could wander around the house or I can just use the 'find' feature to make it play a sound.

It's super useful and I'll love it when I can do this with the Macbook too.



Apple should at least terminate "developer accounts" of those who violate the terms they agreed. In the past Apple would really have made an example of some people.

Ok, you figure out who captured those screen-shots and I'm sure Apple would love to hear from you.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
Apple Music's New Look is Now Live on Apple's Website
24 minutes ago
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
Anthropic Launches Claude Duet, a Proactive AI Agent
55 minutes ago
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
What 32,000 Folds Did to the iPhone Duo's Hinge
2 hours ago
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
iPhone Duo's Hidden FaceTime Camera Takes 'Trash' Photos
3 hours ago
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
iPhone Duo Has 'Edge Light' Feature That Debuted on Macs Last Year
4 hours ago
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
Apple Support App Updated for iPhone Duo's Larger Display
4 hours ago
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
Amazon Sweetens the Deal on Entry-Level 16-Inch MacBook Pro With $570 Off
4 hours ago
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
iPhone Duo Tips Over on MagSafe Stands When Unfolded
4 hours ago
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
Apple Music's New Look Officially Announced
6 hours ago
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
iPhone Duo Supports Apple Pencil Starting With iOS 27.2
6 hours ago
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
iPhone Duo Accessories Roundup: Cases and Screen Protectors From OtterBox, ZAGG, and More
7 hours ago
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
Apple Stores Will Have 'Limited' Availability of iPhone Duo for Walk-In Customers
8 hours ago
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
iPhone Duo Reviews Explain Why Device is Both 'Fun' and 'Frustrating'
8 hours ago
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
Apple Says 'Reachability' Feature Coming to iPhone Duo Later This Year
9 hours ago
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
Loop Capital Cuts Apple Rating Over iPhone Sales Outlook
13 hours ago
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple Stores in Bordeaux and Lille Looted During French Protests
13 hours ago
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music Support
14 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
Apple CEO John Ternus Explains What Makes Good Product Design
15 hours ago
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
UK Proposes New Ways to Help Apple Pay Rivals
17 hours ago
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
WhatsApp Developing In-App Browser for All Chat Links on iPhone
18 hours ago
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
Apple's App Store Chief Explains Its Push for Premium Games
18 hours ago
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
Apple Could Owe Even More After $5.7 Billion Patent Verdict
18 hours ago
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
Skyrim Comes to Apple Silicon Macs With New Unofficial Installer
19 hours ago
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
Apple Highlights Mac and iPad Use in Paris Design Exhibition
19 hours ago
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
Apple Seeks 6G Modem Engineers as It Plans for Post-5G iPhones
22 hours ago
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
First iPhone Duo Unboxing Video Appears Ahead of Friday Launch
22 hours ago
Perplexity Computer Can Now Run Fully Locally on Mac
Perplexity Computer Can Now Run Fully Locally on Mac
23 hours ago
Apple's Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro: Everything We Know
Apple's Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro: Everything We Know
1 day ago
iPad Mini 8 Expected Next Week With These 10 New Features
iPad Mini 8 Expected Next Week With These 10 New Features
1 day ago
Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo
Here's What Apple's Apps Look Like on the iPhone Duo
1 day ago