Key Highlights
Lost or stolen mobiles can be tracked easily
You would need to activate Google Find My Feature
Smartphones have gradually become more of a necessity than a luxury. These handheld pocket-sized gadgets have not only shaped modern-day communication but also have opened up vast possibilities with voice and video calling options. When you step out in the market to buy a new smartphone, you have numerous brands as an option. But the ecosystem is widely segregated between Android and iOS.
Smartphone OEMs are focused on not just delivering a premium user experience but also offering a private and secure environment to the users. The brands are lacing their handsets with dedicated physical fingerprint scanners for added privacy in addition to the traditional PIN and password lock. You get smartphones with rear, side, or under display physical fingerprint scanners. But despite every possible security measure, smartphones are still prone to theft. You might have come across stories where mobile snatchers or pickpockets steal smartphones in public transport or crowded spaces.
Thankfully, smartphone brands are now adding the tracker feature with which you can find your lost mobile. Google’s Find My Phone feature is one such tool that lets you find or locate your lost mobile and also get remote access and erase all data if you think the stored personal data on the phone could be compromised. But the Find my Phone feature isn’t activated by default on your Android smartphones. You would need to perform some manual steps to set it up and use it to find your lost mobile. We have mentioned the ways below:
How To Find You Lost Android Mobile
Steps To Setup Find My Phone Feature On Your Android Phone
Step 1: You first need to install the Google Find My Device application on your smartphone. You can do it via Google Play Store.
Step 2: Sign in to the app using your Gmail email address.
Step 3: You will see the name of the device on which you have set up the Find My Phone feature along with the security options such as Play Sound, Secure device, and Erase device. Once this feature is active, you can follow the steps below to find, lock, and erase your lost mobile phone. Before you start, make sure you are signed in to your Google Account and connected to mobile or WiFi internet.
How To Track, Lock, And Erase Your Lost Mobile Phone
Step 1: Open any web browser and type www.android.com/find.
Step 2: Select the phone which is lost or stolen.
Step 3: You can send a ring notification, lock the device, or erase it.
Step 4: If the device is on, you’ll be able to see its location on the map. The data might not be completely accurate, but you’ll get a rough idea of its whereabouts and where was it seen last.
Step 5: You can tap on the Erase device option if you feel the phone’s data can be compromised by falling into the wrong hands.