Android can help you find a lost smartphone under several conditions:
- Your smartphone is turned on, connected to the wifi or data
- Google account is properly linked to the device and
- The application Locate my device has been activated.
In addition to localization, this feature allows you to lock and even erase your smartphone remotely. Use this quick tutorial to quickly locate your smartphone – you can also learn how to set up your smartphone so that everything works when you need this feature.
Being able to locate your lost smartphone is extremely practical: it saves time (or at least not to lose by desperately seeking it) but also to protect your contacts and your personal data in case of theft, since you can choose to lock your smartphone or erase everything. But still it is necessary that your smartphone is correctly configured!
How to locate a lost Android smartphone
To locate your lost Android smartphone:
- Click here to access the map Locate my device from your PC
- Click on the smartphone you lost at the top of the screen
You can also use the Find My Device app on another Android smartphone or tablet. In any case, you will see on the map its approximate location or the last location in which it was located, if it is no longer connected to a data network or is off. You can then do several things:
- Ring your smartphone: a ringing tone will sound for 5 minutes at full volume even if it is in silent mode
- Lock with a code, scheme or password to protect your data – you can also have it display a message on the lock screen, for example with a phone number to call you if the smartphone was found
- Completely erase all data: as its name implies, it will erase everything to prevent smartphone data from falling into the wrong hands. Attention, all the same, because it does not erase microSD cards
How to prepare your smartphone to be sure that it can be found in case of loss or theft
There are several conditions for your smartphone to be found. It must be turned on, connected to a Google account, connected to a WiFi or data network, be visible on Google Play, have the localization feature enabled (take your breath), and have activated the application Locate my apparatus. Phew.
Link your Google Account
Your Google Account is normally already linked to your smartphone, but if it’s not yet the case (or to check that it is):
- Go to Settings> General> Accounts
- Add a Google Account if you can not find it in the list
Check that the device is visible in Google Play
To check the visibility of your device in Google Play:
- Click here to go to the Google Play setup page from your PC
- Go to Visibility and select your device
Activate the location mode
To activate the location mode:
- Go to Settings> Security & Localization> Localization
- Activate option
Reactivate Find My Device
Normally this feature is enabled by default. But if you had disabled it:
- Go to Settings> Security and localization> Google> Security
- Touch Locate my device
- Enable Locate Device Remotely and Allow Remote Lock and Erase
Take a test as long as everything is fine
There is nothing worse than relying on something, to finally realize that it does not work. Try to locate your smartphone as if you had lost it, and test the remote lock and ring.
Has this feature ever saved you? Tell us in comments!