Content
Previously, a mobile device was a rarity for a person, the cost of services and the phone itself was not affordable for everyone. Now everyone has a smartphone, some people use several at once for different needs. This became the reason that they sometimes disappear and there is a need to find the lost phone. This can be done in several ways.
How to find your phone
The cost of cellular devices has significantly decreased and it is not a problem to purchase them, and therefore the attitude towards things has become more careless. Not every person wants to look for a lost device; in most cases, a SIM card with a phone book is of great value. If you are sure that your device has not been stolen, you can follow these steps to find your lost device:
- Visit the places you've been to: a cafe, a dressing room in a gym, a friend's apartment, an office where the meeting was held, a place of work. You have to be sure that you don't just put the machine somewhere.
- If you are sure that the smartphone is somewhere in the same room, but you simply cannot see it, then ask someone for a mobile and make a call to your device. This will detect it by sound or vibration.
- You do not need to make calls all the time, because this can attract the attention of other people who want to assign a mobile.
- Ask your friends to help you find the lost device, it's good if you split up and go to several alleged lost places at the same time.
- In the case of independent searches, try not to attract too much attention, search quietly, otherwise the old people will understand that you have lost something and will start looking around too.
Sometimes such methods are not effective, sometimes people are in so many places that it is simply not possible to visit everything. In such cases, there are several ways to find a lost phone via satellite:
- by IMEI number;
- using GPS;
- by SIM card.
Find phone by IMEI
Only law enforcement agencies have the right to search for a lost smartphone via satellite using IMEI. Any other special services that offer such a service turn out to be scammers in most cases. Online programs that claim to find a mobile phone for free are likely to be far from free. You can search by IMEI only on a lost report.
To find out the code, you need to look under the device's battery: there should be a sticker with a 15-digit device number, it is unique and belongs only to this smartphone. If for some reason it was not there, you can find out the digital code by dialing * # 06 #, after which IMEI will be displayed on the screen. Write the code down on a piece of paper and keep it with your documents on your mobile.
By SIM card
Another way to find your lost smartphone via satellite is by SIM card. This service is carried out directly by the cellular operator. The service is not free, and there will still be a need to prove that you are the owner of the device that you need to find by satellite. To do this, you need a box, a phone number, an answer to a secret question. The cellular operator is not obliged to fulfill this request and has the right to refuse. If the device is not just lost, but stolen, then it is impossible to track the device using the SIM card when the attacker turned it off.
Find phone by GPS
The easiest way to find your phone by satellite is to prepare in advance for such a situation. Older mobile devices didn't have such software, but now you don't even have to install special applications. It is possible to track the location via GPS or GLONASS. To do this, the smartphone must have this function and mobile Internet enabled. There are several services from Android, Google, Apple that help track the location of the device through special programs.
How to find a missing phone over the Internet
Each company that participates in the development and creation of a smartphone is trying in every possible way to protect a person from possible thefts, hacking of the device or situations when the device may disappear. Therefore, special services have been created that help to track the lost device through Google, the website of the Android company or Apple. All of them mean the device is turned on, the Internet and the ability to access the network from a computer.
Find iPhone function
Since 2011, Apple has built a special feature called Find iPhone into its operating system. It is activated on the phone itself and allows you to do the following if your smartphone is lost or stolen:
- activate the "lost mode", which will block the device;
- delete information from memory;
- make the phone beep to help locate it if it is nearby.
This item must be activated in advance along the following path: "Settings", then go to the iCloud section, from it go to the "Find iPhone" section and switch the button to the "on" position. From now on, the satellite will track the location of the device, and the owner will be able to block the phone through the icloud.com website using his account, which must be created in advance and activated.
Find an Android phone through a computer
Apple's main competitor among Android operating systems cares about its users no less and also offers several ways to find your lost phone via satellite via the Internet or using special programs. They do not violate the law, do not require a special appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs or to a telecom operator, but one should prepare for such a situation in advance.
With the help of special programs through Google
Android Device Manager is one of those programs that helps you find your device when the Internet and gps program are on. You can download the application in the official store from Google for free. The program provides the ability to perform the same actions as the "Find iPhone" function: block access to the device, force a signal or determine the location. You just need to go to google.com/android/devicemanager and take the necessary steps.
For this application to work correctly, your Google account must be activated on your phone, the included service, which is activated as follows:
- go to the "Settings" section;
- select "Security";
- click on "Device Administrators";
- check the box next to “Device Manager;
- in the window that appears, confirm the possibility of remote actions with the device.
Do not panic. Technology has already decided everything for you - the main thing is to find another device with Internet access: a computer, laptop, tablet, friend's smartphone. And immediately in the browser in the Google search bar, type in Russian “ Where is my phone"Or English" Where "s my phone».
This will call the standard procedure for restoring communication with an Android smartphone and showing the last location of the device. You just need to enter your Google account information.
A point with an address will immediately appear on the map. At the same time, the device must be turned on, available for communication and preferably visible to Wi-Fi networks or via satellite via GPS.
Otherwise, you should follow the instructions that will help you find your lost Android phone.
How to find out where a stolen or lost Android phone is
1. Use the official Google Android Device Manager toolkit (also works in Russia). The device must be turned on (if you left it in a taxi or public transport, for example).
2. Contact your service provider to ask them to block the SIM card (to avoid theft of a mobile bank, for example).
Try to figure out the location of your phone by cell cells
To do this, name its unique 15-digit IMEI identification number (indicated on the box or in the documents from the purchase set). This is how 50% of lost phones are found.
3. If you are sure that the phone was not lost under the pillow at home, then contact the nearest police station, taking with you a receipt confirming that you own the device.
Here's how to write a police report about the loss of your phone:
Name of the person who lost the phone;
Date and time when the loss was noticed;
Description of the phone and the circumstances of the incident.
5. It is better for you and yourself to look through the ads on Avito, in "Yulia", "From hand to hand" or other sites for the sale of used things.
How to find an Android phone through a computer or other device?
Type www.google.com/android/devicemanager into your browser and enter your Google account details. The method of detecting a device through Android Device Manager is trouble-free when you really just lost your smartphone and no one interfered with its work. But even if stolen, you can find out the last location.
This method works only if the phone:
It is switched on and its battery is not discharged;
The phone has internet (Wi-Fi or GPRS / 3G / 4G);
It has a GPS module and is visible to satellites;
It has an active Google account.
If successful, Android Device Manager will provide the ability to:
Call your phone directly from your computer;
Delete all data from it and leave tracking;
Block.
How to protect your Android phone from theft in advance?
1. In the settings of your smartphone, open the "Security" section.
2. Find and navigate to Device Administrators.
3. Check "Android Remote Control".
4. Also, you can immediately install a dedicated phone tracking application.
Apps to track your Android phone in case of theft or loss
SeekDroid
The phone puts GPS beacons with its location and saves the battery.
Wheres my droid
Remote control of the phone directly or via SMS.
Lost Android
Hidden application, requires administrator rights.
The following conditions must be met for you to find, lock, or erase your Android phone.
- The device must be turned on.
- It must be associated with a Google account.
- It must be connected to the Internet.
- It must be available in the Play Store.
- Location must be enabled.
- Find My Device must be enabled.
Find out where your device is, lock it, or delete data from it
- Go to android.com/find and sign in to your Google Account.
- If you are using multiple phones, select the one you want at the top of the screen.
- If your lost phone has multiple user profiles, then sign in to your main profile's Google account. Learn more about how to add users, remove them and switch between them….
- The lost phone will receive a notification.
- Information about where the phone is located will appear on the map.
- Location is approximate.
- If it could not be identified, you will see where the phone was last seen.
- Choose an action. If necessary, first press Lock device and delete data.
- Call. The alarm will play for five minutes at full volume, even if the device is in vibration mode or the sound is muted.
- Block the device. The device will be locked using a PIN, pattern, or password. If they have not been configured, you can lock the screen and add a message or phone number to it so the finder can return the device to you.
- Clean the device. All data will be deleted from the phone and cannot be recovered (but information on SD cards may remain). After that, Find My Device will no longer work.
Important! To use the phone from which all data was deleted, you will need to enter your Google account password. Learn more about protecting your device from strangers….
Council. Connect your phone to Google to find and call it using the search query Where is my phone at
It happens. You lost your phone and don't know what to do. In this article we will tell you how to behave in this situation in order to find your lost phone.
Apple users have Find My iPhone, but is there a Find My Android feature for Google users? Fortunately, there is: " Find my device »Built into Google Play Protect. With this tool you can track the location of your phone.
If you came across this article after you lost your phone, then instead of telling you what you should have done before you lost it, we will tell you what you want to know: what to do right now.
The good news is that you can quickly find your phone using “ Find my device »From Google, even if you don't have the app installed on your lost phone. You can do this in one of three ways:
From a computer: grab your computer, connect to the internet, open Chrome and make sure you're signed into your Google account (seriously, this part is critical). Enter "Where is my phone" in Chrome's address bar. Google will automatically load the Find My Device box inside the search results. Most likely, it will ask you to log in to find your phone, so go to the login window. This will open the Find My Device website and immediately start tracking your device.
From an Android phone: if you don't have a computer at hand, there is another solution: the Find My Device application. If you have a second Android phone or tablet, then install the application on it. This will allow you to log in with a single tap if you are using your own device, but it also prompts you to log in to the guest account if you are using someone else's phone. That's cool.
From a phone with a different OS: if you don't have an Android phone, you can go to www.google.com/android/find in a browser on any phone and log in.
Once you have accessed Find My Device using any of these methods, you can use the list above to find the device that is lost.
Tracking will start and the device should be found within a few seconds. The time, connected network, and location on a map (not shown here) will be displayed. This will give you a complete picture of where your phone is.
There are a number of options for the device: play sound, lock and erase data. The first option makes sense if you just need to find your phone at home - it will play a melody at full volume for five minutes - the latter options are crucial in cases where your phone is truly lost.
To keep your personal data safe, you can use the lock to quickly enable the screen lock password if you have not previously enabled the unlock password. Once the password is set, you can also send a message to the lock screen - something like “Thank you for finding my phone! Please call the number below. " (Then enter the number in the box below.)
In theory, this should lock the device with the password you entered. The message will be displayed in large letters at the top of the screen with a large Call Owner button just below. If an honest person finds your phone, we hope that he will call you.
If all hope is lost, you can completely erase the data from the device using the "erase" command. This will completely reset your device, erasing all your personal data, pictures, music and other stored files. There will also be an attempt to clear the SD card if you have one, but chances are (depending on Android version and manufacturer) that this feature won't work, so keep that in mind. After the data from the phone is erased, Android Device Manager will no longer work, so you can say that you said goodbye to the phone.
The only obstacle you may encounter during this process is the presence of two-factor authentication in your Google account, which will require you to enter a six-digit code before you can access your account. The problem is that it usually depends on an app (like Google Authenticator) or text message to get this code, and if your phone is missing ... well, you get the idea where this goes.
That's why it's always a good idea to keep a backup of your two-factor authentication code. Google provides these when you set up two-factor authentication, so print them out and store them somewhere safe - don't wait until it's too late!
When you are logged in, "Find my device" will work as described above. Good luck.
Like everything else, Find My Device is not without its limitations. For example, if your phone is stolen and you don't have a lock screen password set, and the thief has already performed a factory reset, then you're out of luck. The phone is no longer associated with your Google account, so Google has no way of tracking it.
If the phone runs out of power before you can track it, or a thief turns it off, there is still hope — Find My Device will try to provide the last location. This will at least give you an idea of \u200b\u200bwhere you might have lost it. You can also hope that whoever finds it will put it on charge so you can track it again. Or maybe he'll just call you.
Let's consider how to find a phone through Google account in a few minutes.
For such cases, the company created the Find My Phone service, with which you can quickly find out the location of your smartphone.
Let's consider in more detail what you need to work with the site and how.
Content:
Today, theft or even short-term loss of a gadget has serious consequences. Many people store all their personal data, phone numbers, passwords, important correspondence and photos in it.
In addition, a stranger with Android in his hands can reset the lock password quickly enough.
With the help of the resource, users can track all smartphones linked to their account, view their position on the map and even influence their work.
What does it take to track successfully?
Before proceeding to the search procedure, you should pay attention to what conditions must be met.
First of all, in order to remotely detect a smartphone, a number of functions must be activated on it:
- Connection to Device Manager service;
- GPS module;
- Internet connection (2G, 3G or Wi-Fi networks).
There is no need to install third-party applications, but you must check the correctness.
Follow the instructions to connect Device Manager:
- Go to the main menu;
- Now click on the "Google Settings" item - do not confuse it with the usual settings. The application is standard and installed on all Androids;
- In the window that opens, select the "Services" tab, and then click on the Android Device Manager. So you can allow the remote resource to access information for blocking or deletion;
- Activate the "Remotely Locate Device" slider. Also, enable remote memory wipe.
For the site to work, you also need to activate the localization detection services. This can be done as follows:
- Go to settings;
- Will open a tab "Locating" and in the window that opens, put a checkmark in front of the card work item;
- Open the tab Location Access and enable the function of regularly receiving information about the location of the device. To do this, just activate the corresponding slider.
You should only complete the above steps once to use Find your device anywhere in the world with ease.
Please note that the ability to find a device is only available for gadgets with firmware version 2.2 and higher. Older Android gadgets will appear in your account, but you won't be able to connect to them.
Tracking
Your efforts will be successful if all of the above requirements and settings are met. To search for a smartphone, go link and follow these steps:
- Go through authorization using your original account;
- Browse the list of available devices (upper left part of the window) and click on the desired name;
- Wait for the transition to the Find page of the gadget and click on the arrow to update the information;
- The service will automatically determine and indicate a point on the map.
You can call your smartphone - the gadget will beep for 5 minutes. During this time, you will be able to determine his location if the map indicates that he is somewhere nearby.
Allows you to restrict access to its content. This will keep your data safe from potential intruders.
Function "Erase data" allows you to get rid of all content. Use it if you can't find your phone, but don't want your files to fall into the hands of strangers.
How to find Samsung
If you are a user of the line, in addition to the standard search service from Google, you can also use the third-party Find My Mobile service.
This resource is also linked to the account information, thus creating an account in the Samsung system. This action is performed automatically during the page anchor step.
Basically, it works exactly the same as its Google counterpart, only it is a more advanced version of the online assistant. The location data is first read from Google.
Also, users can block it.
With this function, you can increase the chances of returning the gadget, because the person who found it will not be able to unlock it, and by calling it from a trusted phone you can agree on the return of the item.
To do this, follow the instructions:
- Go to the site and log in with your Google login and password. If you changed your login on the network at the stage of linking your account, enter other input;
- After successful authorization, a window for tracking all devices will appear. To select a gadget, click on it at the top left of the web page;
- Now in the main menu click on the item "Locate My Phone";
- Wait for the map to load and on top of it click on "Locate mobile" and on "Start Tracking";
- After a few seconds, a mark will appear on the map about the estimated location of the device.
Other service functions:
- Send a message or call;
- Locating by sound... If you lost your phone at home, click on the "Ring My Phone" button to make the gadget start beeping;
- Data cleansing - with this function you can quickly clear your smartphone of all user information. No one will be able to use your correspondence, photos, notes and other information;
- Blocking - installation of an access key to a smartphone at a remote distance.
A feature of the extended service from Samsung is not only work with all data, but also the ability to track the movement of the gadget in real time (information is automatically updated every 15 minutes).
Remember! You can also find your Samsung device using the standard method from Google, so do not be discouraged if for some reason the service cannot find your gadget.
Outcome
Remember, the search should start as early as possible.
This will increase the likelihood that no one has found the item yet and you can safely pick it up after reaching a certain location.
Also, you should remember about the error of maps on the territory of the CIS. If you came to the point indicated on the map and did not find anything, look around.
As a rule, in reality, a smartphone is often located within 5-10 meters from the mark indicated in Google.
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