First, put in a password.  You might not want to do this at first, but it will do wonders for getting your phone back.  Ensure that you have the location services turned on.  To do this, go to Settings and then Privacy.

Apple has a free service that is known as Find My iPhone.  You can activate this from the very beginning, so that it will be already in place if you lose your phone or if it is ever stolen.  You will know what needs to be done.

To activate it, go to Settings and then scroll down to the iCloud option.  Go down to the bottom of the screen and try to find the green radar icon that indicates “Find My iPhone.”  Ensure that you have it in the on position.

Also see: How-to: Use iMessage with iOS 6 to Send Unlimited Free Text over Wi-Fi

When it is turned on, you can find your phone by using any computer.

Go to iCloud and logon with the same Apple ID that you have for your iPhone.  When you are signed on, you will find the exact radar icon that was used for Find My iPhone.  Choose this option.  This will take you to an additional page that will tell you where your iPhone and Apple devices are, according to the Google map.

At the top left, choose the option for devices and then choose the option for your iPhone.  That will allow you to zoom in to where it is located.  You can then open a box that will tell you how long ago it was tracked and how much of your battery time is still remaining.

It will also display 3 buttons that will have three options.  You can opt to play an iPhone sound.  This is a good option if you realize that your phone is actually close to you at the time.  You will hear the sound.

You can also opt for the “lost Mode.” This will allow you to lock the phone from another location and put in a password.  This will keep would be thieves out of the mix.  In the Lost Mode, you will be asked to supply a callback number and send a message like “ I’m lost.  Come and find me.  Give me a call.”  You can send the message numerous times.

The next option is a little bit more serious in nature. If you have private info on your phone and you don’t want it to get into the wrong hands, you can erase it remotely.  This will remove all of your info from your iPhone.  Please note that this means that without any information on the phone, you won’t be able to track the phone ever again.  So you might want to think about this using this option very carefully before you erase any information remotely.

If you know where your phone is, but think that someone has taken it, you can always call the police.  With the introduction of this new feature, the police have been able to find many stolen phones.

Basically, you should lock your iPhone the moment that you have misplaced it or think that it has been stolen.  But, on the other hand, there are even thieves that know how to deactivate the Find My iPhone feature too.

The good thing is that this feature will work with iPhones, iPads, Macs and iPod Touches.