Can my MacBook alert my iPhone if it is unplugged or taken?

Yes. When a protected MacBook loses power, moves on supported hardware, or goes offline, Stealward can notify the linked Apple device you kept with you. These are different signals. A useful anti-theft setup should explain each one rather than promise that every event produces the same alarm.

Signal	What it tells you	Response to expect
Charger disconnected	The Mac is no longer on external power	A power-change alert on your second device; a normal unplug can also cause this.
MacBook moved	A supported Mac senses that it was picked up or disturbed	A loud local alarm and a remote security alert.
Watching device offline	The Mac stops checking in, possibly because it lost its connection or was powered off	An offline alert within seconds; live viewing needs a connection.

The table describes documented Stealward behavior, not a measured guarantee for every network. An unplug does not prove theft, and an offline event does not identify its cause. See what the alerts mean for the current response details.

The Mac-to-iPhone setup

Install Stealward on the Mac you leave behind and on the iPhone you carry. Both must be linked to the same account. Allow notifications on the iPhone, then arm protection on the Mac. Starting a session requires another linked Apple device; Android is not a receiving device. You can also use an iPad, or a Mac with Stealward running, to receive alerts. Why two devices?

Security alerts can bypass silent mode and Focus if you grant Critical Alerts permission. Without it they follow normal notification settings. If alerts do not arrive, check the receiving device and its permissions before treating the Mac as protected. Troubleshooting steps

Choose the signal that covers your actual risk

An unplug alarm is useful when you work on power, but it says nothing about a Mac lifted while running on battery. Movement sensing covers that case on supported Apple silicon MacBooks; see how the motion alarm works. Offline detection adds a separate warning if the watcher goes dark, but no remote alert can arrive without a working delivery path. For a longer session, keep the watcher charged, and use Find My as a separate recovery layer.