It’s no surprising to find that 70 million cell phones get lost each year, with only 7% recovered. The most frequent places where people lose their phones are bars, restauarants and public transport. Some of us are lucky enough to retrive it by retracing their steps. However, the majority find it hard to locate a lost Android phone and get caught up in panic and stress. Fortunately, there are several reliable ways to find a lost cell phone. No professional knowledge is needed. Scroll down the blog and learn how to do so.
Is it possible to locate a lost Android phone?
Yes, it is possible to find a lost or stolen smartphone. The earlier you start acting, the more likely that you will get the device back. After losing your smartphone, the first thing you should do is call or text it from another phone. Perhaps you’ve merely misplaced it. You also can retrace your steps to find your mobile device. If you’ve indeed lost your phone, it’s better to locate a phone by GPS. That’s why we have covered five ways to find a phone if you lost it or if it has been stolen.
How to locate a lost or stolen Android phone?
When it comes to track a lost Android phone, there are a plenty of options available online. However, not all of them work as advertised and you may end up wasting time and sharing your personal information. Morevoer, it’s impossible to review all options. That’s why we’ve conduct a detailed research and put together some reliable methods here.
Find My Device
The most common method to find a missing Android phone is using Google’s Find My Device. It has the ability to locate, ring, lock and even erase the device. For this to work, you need to enable this feature before it gets lost or stolen. Do note that your phone should be turned on and connected to the internet. If you are logged into your Google account on your computer’s web browser, lost phone tracking has never been easier. You just need to type “find my Android” or “where is my phone” on the browser. You’ll be supplied with the last known location of your Android on a map.
If you are not logged into Google or if you’re using another smartphone or computer, you can go to Google’s Find My Device, sign into your Google account and select the lost device from the menu. You’re given option to turn your phone’s ringer on and it will ring for five minutes while you search for it. If your phone is not nearby, you can secure it to make sure no one can access your important data. But if there is no chance on retrieving your device, you can erase all the data from your phone.
Phone number locator
Even if you don’t have a Google account, there are still options to help you locate a lost Android phone. A case in point is phone number locator such as TrackPhone. You don’t have to be equipped with technical skill or install any special software. You can proceed to its official website, enter the phone number in the dedicated field and click “find location”.
It uses a mix of global positioning system, WiFi and cellular signal to provide you with precise location. Whether you’re going to locate a Android or iOS device, it won’t cause you trouble. You’ll be able to access location information including street name, city, state, date and timestamp. This online tracking service will show you the location on an interactive map. You can pan around, zoom in on the device’s location.
Google timeline
Another way to find your lost Android phone is using Google Timeline. Its location history feature will show you the last known location of your device. All you have to do is open Google Maps and sign into your Google account. Click on the menu icon in the upper left corner and select your Timeline. Once done, you can choose the date, month and year to view the location history for the day you lost your device. Remeber that your smartphone must be turned on, have access to WiFi or cellular data and location service must be enabled.
IMEI number
If the above mthods can not delivered desired result, try using IMEI number. This unique ID, known as an international mobile equipment identity, can be found on the device itself or you can dial *#06# in your keyboard. You can publish your phone’s IMEI number on a list of missing or stolen gadgets. To do so, you can use special public and free services such as imeidetective.com. Its databse can help you track a lost mobile. To track your lost Android phone with IMEI number, you also can download a third-party tracking app such as IMEI tracker – Find my device
Cell phone operator
The last resorts on our list is mobile operators. Sprint, AT&T or Vodafone may be able to track the device’s location via mobile signals. This feature is available only with the help of operators. Without them, you cannot connect to the mobile network to track your device.
How to protect your phone from theft or loss?
There are some tips you can take to protect your smart device from getting lost or stolen. For instance, it’s not a good idea to expose your mobile phone when you’re surrounded by crowd or to put down your phone on a table in a cafe. It can happen you forget it while leaving the place. But it’s advisable to set a strong screen lock to secure your phone data. And you can enable “find my device” feature. In the event that your phone gets lost or stolen, you’ll be able to track it easily.
Final thoughts
In the unfortunate case that you lose your smartphone or it gets stolen, it’s better to act quickly and locate your lost Andorid phone. Google’s Find My Device or phone number locator can be a good helper while being easy to set up. You also can ring and lock the device to make the search easier. We hope you retrieve your smartphone soon!