Here are all the ways you can track an Android phone

Losing your phone can be stressful. But there is a way to reduce the pain a little. You can search for your missing Android phone using Android’s built-in tools. This is how:

Today’s Android smartphones come standard with Find My Device. If your phone goes missing, you can use your laptop or a friend’s phone to find out where it last sent a signal thanks to this Google service that tracks your phone’s location automatically. To access the Find My Device map, simply type “Where is my phone” in Google Chrome while signed in to your Google Account. On the map, a green icon indicates the exact location or general area of ​​the last signal received by the phone.

Find My Device may not be able to locate you accurately on your phone; instead, it may only get you close to it, depending on your location and internet connection. For example, it can only inform you that the phone is within a range of 50 miles. But still, this can help you with your approach. If using Find My Device doesn’t help you locate your phone, there may be a signal problem. Try again to see if you can get an answer.

Find My Device also shows the phone it’s connected to, the phone’s signal strength and remaining battery life. However, you will not be able to receive updated phone locations when the battery runs out.

Finding your phone’s location isn’t enough sometimes, so Find My Device has three additional features to help you locate your phone and protect your data.

Play sound: If your phone was on vibrate or silent the last time you had it, pressing this button will make it ring continuously for 5 minutes. That way, even if your lost phone is hidden under a bush you sat next to on a walk, you’ll be able to hear exactly where it is if you get close to it. Alternatively, this sound can also inform nearby neighbors of the location of your lost phone, which may lead them to report it as lost and found.

Secure device: In addition to locking your phone so that no one else can use it, clicking this section allows you to enter a message that will appear on the screen of your phone if someone turns it on. Please be brief as space is limited. A phone number to reach you can also be provided, whether it’s for the hotel you’re staying at, a friend’s number or a work phone. That way, without accessing your device, someone can read your message and call the number you provide.

Delete device: This should only be used if the missing Android phone contains extremely sensitive data because it is kind of like the nuclear option. You can no longer track the location of your phone after clicking Erase Device because it permanently deletes all data from your phone, including Find My Device information associated with your Google Account. The data will be deleted if your phone is off when the Erase Device command is received and you turn it back on.

A factory reset will remove any original data, accounts or passwords required to remotely locate your Android phone, so if your phone is stolen or found and then reset, you won’t be able to rely on any apps or services to find it .

The only option left for you at that point is to block it using the IMEI number. You can call this number from your phone’s dialer to find this identifier, so you need to know before your phone goes missing. Blocking the IMEI number at least ensures that no one else can register the phone on mobile networks. When your phone goes missing, you should call the police as soon as you can and give them the IMEI number.

Prepare ahead of time to avoid the hassle of recovering a stolen phone. Here are a few steps you can take:

Set up two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) should be enabled on all apps that handle sensitive data, such as those that access financial or personal information or those that allow users to make purchases. Once configured, the two-step login procedure provides better protection against all accounts on your device being accessed by an uninvited intruder.

Store IMEI and serial numbers

The IMEI and serial numbers of your phone should always be available which is an important point to make. By calling from your phone’s dialer, you can quickly find the IMEI number of your device. Your phone uses the IMEI number, a special identifier, to register with mobile operators.

The settings on your phone will show you the serial number. The serial number should be visible if you go to Settings -> About phone. In the event that your phone is stolen and you need to contact the police, this information is especially useful.

Given that you’ve gone through the process of setting everything up beforehand, Google’s phone location tool is your best bet for recovering your lost phone. Considering how easy Google has made it to find your device should you lose it, this should really be something you set up on any device you care about or want to have sensitive data stored on.

Of course, one of the benefits of Android is having the freedom to customize your experience to your liking.