There is nothing more panic inducing than losing your precious device. With the location tracker, you’ll be able to track a lost or stolen phone provided that it’s turned on. However, we might worry about original SIM card being taken out of the phone. While it can be quite difficult to track it, you could be in luck if you take the right tools. The following guide can help you track a phone even without the need for a SIM card.
Is it possible to track a phone without SIM card?
Yes, since your phone is continuously connected to the internet via WiFi, it can send its location signals through GPS. A handful of apps and settings require to send your location. It means that you can effortlessly track a mobile location without SIM card. The only prerequisite is that it needs to be connected to the internet via WiFi.
Way 1. Track a phone using Find My iPhone
Now you know it does not need a SIM card for your phone to send and receive signals. Your mobile phone can send and receive data via a wireless connection too. That’s why Find My iPhone would be of great help in this aspect. This tool uses internet connection to find and track your lost phone. It utilizes your phone’s GPS connection to the internet instead of the link to your cell network. If you want to track a phone using Find My iPhone app, you can follow these steps:
- Log into your Apple account at icloud.com/find
- Click all devices and select the device you wish to locate
- If the device can be located, it appears on the map
- If it can’t be located, you will see Offline under the device’s name. It shows the last known location for up to 24 hours.
Way 2. Track phone with Snapchat app
It’s not a big secret that social media apps track the location of your phone via GPS coordinates. It helps them geotag the location of your post as well as send ads to customers. A case in point is Snapchat app, which can show your phone location on a map. The last login information is sufficient for the app to track the location. Simply follow the link and the steps given below to locate a phone:
- Go to https://map.snapchat.com
- Log into your Snapchat account and you will see the location if the phone is active and connected to the internet.
Way 3. Use IMEI number to track phone without SIM card
IMEI number stands for International Mobile Equipment that can be used to identify a device on mobile network. It can be found by clicking on Settings then About, or dialing *#06#. If your phone goes missing or the SIM card is taken out of the phone, you still can track your phone with IMEI number. The network operator can track your phone by using their cell tower network each time your phone is connected to a cell network tower.
Way 4. Track a phone using Google account
Google comes with Gmail service that keeps track of your location based on latest login details. If you are using Gmail in your phone, you can use this technique and track the phone without any hassle. All you have to do is log into your Gmail account via any web browser. Then go to https://myaccount.google.com/security and click on “Your Devices”. You will see all the devices that are logged on using your Gmail account. It also displays the last location of your mobile device.
Way 5. Use Cloud service to track a phone
The last one on our list is Cloud service Dropbox, which logs your IP address every time you log in. It also displays your last used IP address in your Dropbox account. As such, anytime whoever holds the device tries to log into Dropbox through your stolen device, you can track their IP address by logging into your account from another phone. This can be the biggest clue in trying to locate your smartphone. Here’s how you can track a phone using Dropbox:
- Go to dropbox.com and sign into your account
- Click your avatar > Settings > Security
- Hover over the question mark icon next to the device to see the last recorded IP address
Can a SIM card be traced by IMEI number?
Yes, once you insert the SIM card into a phone and power it on, the IMEI number and the SIM’s serial number will be transmitted to the nearest cell towers. In case your phone was stolen, you can contact your network operator to lock your SIM card. If they can detect the signal of original SIM card, then you will be able to track the new SIM card using the IMEI number of your mobile phone.
Final thoughts
These easy fixes can help you track a lost phone even if it does not have a SIM card in it. You can either utilize native features, employ social media app, or use IMEI number. They are easy to set up and you can locate your lost phone easily. It should be noted that the phone should be connected to the internet.