How to locate an Android, iPhone or non-smart phone

We’ve all experienced that microsecond of panic and cold sweat: My phone. Where’s my phone? In 99 percent of cases the cell phone in question is safe, but there may be the occasional occasion when it really is lost. But can you locate a lost phone? Fortunately, there are ways to do so.

How to locate a smartphone

If the lost phone is a smartphone, Apple and Google include recovery technology in them. It usually works through the account associated with your device. For Android models, this will be Google’s; for iPhones, iCloud’s. Both platforms allow you to remotely lock and wipe your phone, make it ring, and set up special messages to alert whoever finds it. Of course, these features are great… as long as your phone’s battery stays alive. If your smartphone’s battery dies, none of them will do much good, really.

Another important thing: we recommend you to be very cautious when communicating with anyone who has found your smartphone. Be careful not to divulge any personal information - like your home address, for example - until you know you’re dealing with someone you can trust. Offer to go where he or she is, somewhere public. Share and save phone numbers or email addresses to communicate with this (possible) good Samaritan who may return your phone.

How to track an Android

Android not only offers Google’s own service to find and manage your device remotely. There are also a number of third-party apps designed to find your smartphone. The easiest to use is Find My Device, which is integrated directly into the Android smartphone via Google Play Services; although it can also be used in a browser or downloaded from the Google Play Store. Most devices running Android 2.3 or later should be able to use this feature.

Using the feature is as easy as searching, “Where’s my phone?” on Google, which will cause the service to start searching for your smartphone. Find My Device also has the ability to call your phone, set a new password, and have your phone ring from afar, along with a wide variety of other features it uses for notifications.  While you can set it up ahead of time, the service should be available in case you lose or misplace your phone. It will use Wi-Fi or GPS to help you hunt down your device.

  • Go to Settings > Google (or Google Services) > Security and make sure this device’s remote location is turned on in the Find My Device section.

  • You will probably be prompted to sign in.

  • When you open the app or search in the browser, you will see all your devices at the top, so just select the appropriate tab to find the specific device.

If you can’t find your smartphone, you can always wipe it to prevent sensitive information on it from getting into the wrong hands.

However, your device will need an internet connection and enough power to communicate with you. In Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google also introduced Factory Reset Protection (FRP). It’s designed to prevent potential thieves from stealing your phone, wiping it clean, and then using or selling it. If you factory reset an FRP-enabled phone and try to set it up as a new device, you’ll be prompted to enter the username and password of the last Google account that was registered on the device, and if that can’t be done, the phone will remain locked.

There are also third-party apps you can install to more easily find your phone. Cerberus Anti-theft is a great app that offers remote access and control, allowing you to get more information about the whereabouts of your phone. It provides a number of additional features, such as more detailed control over how to track the device, screenshots of what the device is doing, camera photos to catch the would-be thief, and other more detailed notifications that Find My Device doesn’t offer if your device is rooted. There are even more features available to prevent someone from rebooting or shutting down the device until you can get it back.

Another option for certain Samsung smartphones is the Find My Device service. It can be used to locate a lost phone, lock it or wipe it completely. However, you will need a Samsung account and remote controls options enabled on your phone. To check and see if Find My Mobile is available for your smartphone, you need to follow these steps:

  • Go to Settings> Biometrics & Security.

  • If you see Find My Mobile in the menu, you can use the service.

  • Turn on the Remote Controls options via Settings> Biometrics & Security> Find My Mobile> Remote Controls.

Find a lost iPhone, or other cell phone

How to find an iPhone

The best way to find your iPhone is with the application that comes with the phone called Find my iPhone. The app comes with the service pre-installed and shows you your phone on a map. You will need another Apple device with this app to see this feature. We use a lost iPad with iOS 13 as an example.

  • Select Settings> Apple ID (name)> Find My.

  • This will take you to the Find My section, where you should tap Find My iPhone to turn it on if it is turned off. (Note: it should never be turned off).

  • With Find My iPhone turned on, tap the Enable Offline Search and Send Last Location switches. Those help you determine where you last left your phone, in case internet services are turned off.

  • With those controls set, go back to Settings> Apple ID and scroll down to see all your devices in a list.

  • Tap the device you’re missing and it takes you to a Device Info section that allows you to search for it directly.

  • Tap Find My (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch) and then tap Show in Find My iPhone and a map will pop up showing you its exact location and directions.

  • The service also gives you the option to play a sound on your device, mark it as Lost and send a message to the phone in Lost Mode.

  • You also have the option to erase the device, in case it is in the wrong hands.

  • Find my iPhone can also locate your Mac, iPod and iPad. It is an effective tool to track almost any iOS device.

How to find your “not so” smart phone

  • Call your cell phone. Try to hear it ring or try to feel its vibration: maybe it’s closer than you think, and no one has stolen it. Now, if your phone is really lost and in someone else’s hands, they will probably respond if they intend to return it.

  • Retrace your steps. Do a full visual search. If you can’t hear a ring or vibration when you call, don’t assume it’s lost, or that someone has stolen it: its battery may simply be dead.

  • Send a text message to your phone. If you think someone has stolen it or found it in the bus, cab or cafe you were in, send a message with your contact information, email address, landline number and promise of reward - if you choose to do so. There are many online services that allow you to send free text messages, such as txt2day.com.

  • Alert your service provider. If you’ve given up hope of finding it, call your wireless provider and let them know your phone is lost. Ask them if they offer a GPS location service. If not, ask them to suspend your phone’s service as soon as possible to avoid possible fraudulent charges. Carriers have different policies in these situations, but it’s always worth a try, even for a non-smart phone. This FCC page has a handy list of numbers to call.

  • Register your phone as lost. If you know your phone’s IMEI number, or if you have it written down somewhere, enter it into Immobilize.

  • Be prepared for the next time you lose your phone. Maybe you’re one of those people who is always losing their phone (I don’t know about you, but I have several friends who are a real mess with their phones…) If that’s the case, consider signing up for a tracking service like AccuTracking.

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