If your Mac is lost or stolen If you lose your Mac or think it might be stolen, these steps might help you locate it and protect your data. With Find My Mac you can locate and protect your Mac if it is lost or stolen. To use Find My Mac, simply enable it in System Preferences. You need to have set up Find My Mac before your Mac is lost. If you believe your Mac has been stolen, contact your local law enforcement. If Find My Mac is turned on, use it to locate your Mac If you didn’t turn on Find My Mac, change your password and report your Mac as missing Use Find My Mac to locate your computerIf you set up Find My Mac before your Mac was lost or stolen, you can use it to locate your Mac on a map, or play a sound to help you find it. You can also use it to remotely lock or erase your Mac.  on another computer or download the Find My iPhone app for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Locate your Mac on a map Open Find My iPhone, and select your Mac from the Devices menu to view its location on a map.

You can use Find My Mac to remotely lock your Mac with a passcode. You can also display a custom message on its screen. If your Mac is nearby, you can have it play a sound to help you or someone nearby find it. You can use Find My Mac to remotely erase and delete all your personal information from your Mac. What if my Mac is shut down or offline?If your Mac is turned off or offline, you can still use Find My Mac to request a notification when it’s located, or lock or erase your Mac remotely. The next time your Mac is online, the actions take effect. If you remove your Mac from Find My Mac when it's offline, your requests are cancelled. How do I unlock my Mac?Once you locate your Mac, you can unlock it by entering your passcode on the lock screen. If you forget your passcode, you'll need to take your Mac to an Apple Authorized Service Provider along with your proof of purchase. If you can't find your MacFind My Mac is the only Apple service that can help track or locate a lost Mac.

If you didn’t set up Find My Mac before your Mac was lost, or you can’t locate it, these steps might help you protect your data: Change your Apple ID password to prevent anyone from accessing your iCloud data or using other services (such as iMessage or iTunes) from your Mac. Change your passwords for other accounts you use with your Mac, including email, banking, and social sites like Facebook or Twitter. Report your lost or stolen Mac to local law enforcement. They might request the serial number of your computer. You can find this information on the original box or receipt you received when you purchased your Mac. Additional Product Support Information Ask other users about this article See all questions on this article See all questions I have askedThere’s nothing special about a Mac purchased from the Apple Store. The ghost of Steve Jobs doesn't sprinkle magic iDust on it, and the Geniuses haven’t loaded it up with bonus software. It's exactly the same computer as one purchased at any other authorized source*.

The difference is the price. On any given Mac laptop or desktop computer, you’ll always find the highest price at the Apple Store. With very few exceptions, the price for a Mac at the Apple Store will remain consistent from the day it is released to the day it is discontinued. Apple’s done a great job catering to Mac fans with stores that are monuments to aesthetically pleasing design and staff that are as Apple-focused as the shoppers. Best Time To Fish For Catfish In FloridaBy all means, go, check out the newest models, and take care of your repairs. Best Air Compressor For Hardwood FlooringBut you should never buy a computer in the Apple Store, no matter how cool the hipster Genius makes you feel.  Can You Burn Laminate Wood Flooring

So where is the best place to buy a Mac? You’ll always find a better deal by getting online and checking out the alternatives in the form of Apple Authorized Resellers and Apple's own special pricing departments. Apple Authorized Resellers frequently have the best deals on Mac computers and laptops.  , Best Buy and Abt Electronics.  There are a number of advantages to shopping at these stores. First off, they provide discounts off the retail price.  For instance, MacMall has the current lowest price on a new 11.6” MacBook Air. At $824, it is 8 percent off the Apple Store's retail price.  The next big advantage is free software and rebate offers. B&H is currently offering a free six-month trial of Parallels Access 2.0 with your Mac purchase, and MacMall has a whole slew of rebate offers for free or discounted printers and free or discounted software.  Finally, you can save on sales tax from many of these resellers, depending on your location. And most of the time, shipping is free (or the price is discounted enough to make up for it).

A quick note: if the website you are looking at has a shoddy design and the prices are too low to be believed, it probably isn’t an Apple Authorized site and may not be a trustworthy business. Any site you see on Brad's Deals is safe. Students, teachers, and education staff can save up to $200 on Macs by purchasing through the Apple Education Store. With these price reductions, buying through Apple can be a good deal, even though you will pay sales tax.  Ground shipping is always free with a Mac purchase (from any of the Apple Stores). The best time for a student to purchase is in the summer months, when Apple usually runs a back-to-school promotion. For a few years now, Apple's been offering students a $100 Apple Store Gift Card with the purchase of a Mac, and a $50 Apple Store Gift Card with the purchase of a qualifying iPad or iPhone. The Apple-Certified Refurbished Mac Department is the other big way to buy from Apple and save. Getting a great deal on a refurb can have a lot to do with timing.

Apple refurbs are current or previous generation models that have been tested, refurbished, and re-certified.  They carry the same one-year, extendable warranty as regular Macs.  These purchases also qualify for the $100 off printer rebate, and students can purchase refurbs through the education store to get the gift card. This is the exception to the rule. The one time of year you can find variations in pricing at the Apple Store is on Black Friday. Sadly, these sales consist of the same 5 percent off deals year after year, so if you're looking so score a good deal on a Mac on Black Friday, we recommend shopping anywhere but the Apple Store. Resist the siren's call of the Apple Store's shining halls and come to us for the best online deals. * David in the comments section pointed out that if you want to participate in Apple's paid One-to-One training program, you must purchase your Mac from the Apple Store, or the Apple Store online (including Education and Refurbs). You cannot take part in the program if you purchase from an Authorized Reseller.