How to find your phone if it's lost or stolen

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Losing your favorite gadget can be a real disaster. How to avoid trouble and what to do if the phone is still lost, we will tell you in this article.

Preventive measures

If your smartphone is still with you, then there are a few things you should do to make your life easier when the X-time comes. Let's consider the necessary steps for owners of Android smartphones and iPhones.

Android Smartphone

Many manufacturers of Android smartphones equip them with their own tools for searching and remotely managing devices, but for several years there has been a proprietary solution from Google - "Find My Device".

This function is enabled in the system settings, in the "Security" section, where you need to allow remote control.

In addition, turn on the transfer of geodata in the settings. Without it, finding a lost device will not work.

Be sure to also enable a PIN or other screen lock to protect your privacy. Otherwise, mail, messages, photos, social networks and a lot of other information that is not intended for prying eyes can be read like an open book.

If a good person finds your smartphone, then, knowing your contacts, he will be able to return it to you. To do this, in the security settings, you need to set a message with contact information, which will be displayed on the lock screen in case of loss.

iPhone

The search function for Apple devices appeared much earlier. It is now in every iPhone and offers more search and lock options.

Usually "Find iPhone" is offered to be enabled immediately upon activation and initial setup of the device, but you can do this later in the iCloud settings ("Settings" → username → iCloud). Do not forget to also enable the determination of the last geolocation when the battery is low - so you will have a chance to find your smartphone if it is completely discharged.

If you have an iPhone 5s or higher, then be sure to use Touch ID or Face ID on the iPhone X. But owners of older devices are advised to enable the lock screen passcode, as many often neglect this. If you don't want to bother each time when unlocking your iPhone, choose a simple four-digit password, let there be at least some protection.

On iPhones starting with iOS 8, the Medical Record feature is available, useful for emergencies. In the Health application, you can set important information, including contacts, which will be available directly from the lock screen when you press the SOS button. A message with a contact number is also displayed on the locked iPhone. If a lost smartphone falls into the hands of an honest person, he will be able to contact you.

Find, lock, or erase your phone

Usually, when a smartphone is lost, you have to go through these three stages, but we wish you to limit yourself to only the first. If you have activated Find My Device or Find My iPhone in advance, then the search for your smartphone should be crowned with success. Especially in hot pursuit, when the loss was discovered immediately.

An Android smartphone can be found using an Android Wear watch, a mobile app, or from any browser.

You can go looking for your iPhone with the Find My iPhone app or the web version of iCloud.

Both services allow you to not only find, but also remotely lock your smartphone or erase all data on it, blocking access to applications, contacts, payment information, and so on. This is the last link connecting you to your lost gadget.

To begin with, you can try to search for a smartphone by a beep using the "Call" function for an Android device or "Play sound" for an iPhone. But this only makes sense if you know the approximate location of the loss. Otherwise, you will only waste the precious battery charge.

If the searches were unsuccessful or successful, but not for you, but for someone else, you need to lock your Android smartphone or put your iPhone in Lost Mode. This will block access to your information and inform your contacts. Perhaps your phone fell into the hands of a person who at this moment is just looking for a way to contact you.

The most extreme measure that can be taken is a complete cleaning of the smartphone. It is worth resorting to it to protect your data if you still could not find a smartphone. This can be done remotely, even if the gadget is completely discharged - the changes will take effect the next time you turn it on.

After that, the scenarios for iOS and Android are slightly different. In both cases, you will lose access to remote control of your smartphone, but if the Android gadget can then be safely used, then no one can turn on the iPhone without login information to your Apple ID due to iCloud activation lock.

How to protect your data without access to a smartphone

If you did not manage to set up remote control of your smartphone and did not protect it with a password or Touch ID, then you need to disable mail, social networks and other accounts as soon as possible.

Facebook, VKontakte, Twitter, Gmail and other services allow you to view active sessions open on your other devices and log them out remotely. For example, in your Google account settings, you can view all the devices you have recently used and delete any of them. Facebook, VKontakte and other social networks can do the same. The corresponding options are usually found in the Security section.

What else

Of course, you can always try to call your phone, but if it fell into the wrong hands, it is far from the fact that they will answer you or you can even get through. If you can contact the person who found your smartphone, ask to return it by offering a reward.

If you know for sure that the phone was stolen, you need to contact the local police station and write a statement about the theft addressed to the head of the regional department. Be sure to include the serial number and IMEI of the smartphone, which can be found on the box or on the receipt. If there are purchase documents, don't forget to add those as well.

We hope our tips will help you find your gadgets in case of loss. But it is better, of course, not to lose them at all! If you have had such unpleasant situations in your life, tell us about your experience in the comments.