How to Track a Lost Phone Using Apps and Other Ways?

Most likely, you (just like most of us) are no stranger to that chilling moment of sudden realization that your much-needed smartphone is not in its usual place in the pocket or purse. This not only brings unnecessary hassle, requiring you to track a lost phone to possible places of loss, but also introduces the risk of critical data falling into the wrong hands. Luckily, there are ways to reconnect you with your lost or stolen device sooner than you imagine.

Find Your Lost Phone with the Help of a Mobile Tracker App 🕵 

The reality is that perhaps only the most concerned among us and those who have already had the bitter experience of losing a device take the necessary actions before the loss occurs, which is already half the battle. By setting up a phone locator, you can quickly establish the gadget’s location and perform additional manipulations. To do this, you won’t always need to turn to paid solutions, although they may offer some additional tracking perks.

Easy Steps to Track Lost Mobile Phone with Mobile Tracker Free

GPS location is one of the essential elements of the Mobile Tracker Free feature package, which allows you to both track your own smartphone and use it as a parental control tool overseeing your child’s whereabouts. Working anonymously and delivering results in real-time as you use it, this program will allow you to find missing phone and, if necessary, use the option of remotely blocking the device. In this regard, other related capabilities of this tracking solution should be mentioned, namely audio and video streaming of the environment, in order to know exactly where to head for the missing item.

Setting up the program is intuitive to understand, but you can use the following instructions to ensure everything is done as seamlessly as possible:

1. Visit the Mobile Tracker Free home page and sign up.

2. After entering your email and password, select the desired subscription package.

3. Once the purchase is completed, you’ll be redirected to your account, where you will find instructions for installing and/or tethering the monitoring device you need.

4. Wait for the backup to take place and enjoy the convenient dashboard and comprehensive tracking in one place.

Find My Device for a Lost Android Phone 🔍

Belonging to the cohort of applications provided for free by Google, the Find My Device service can be found both on the Android device (use Settings – Security – Find My Device) and accessed through the browser. In any case, in order to activate the tool from scratch or to make sure everything is working as it should, you will need to create or log into your Google account, turn on Location on the gadget, and make sure that the Find My Device program itself is active (the toggle should be on).

There are certain pitfalls in using this program that can somewhat disappoint the user. For example, an Internet connection and the ON state of the gadget are prerequisites to locate a lost Android phone; in another case, you will only be able to see the last location that the application managed to retrieve before the smartphone or watch is turned off or disconnected from the network. On the other hand, with these requirements taken into account, you will be able to track a lost phone by sound; the command to turn it on can be sent from your device. Or block the wanted device/delete all data if the search is unsuccessful.

Find My for iOS

To find this program on your iPhone, simply drag your finger lightly from the top to the bottom of the home screen to bring up the search bar and enter the name of the service (Find My). Or write a query in Google to search from the browser. This program allows you to find the location of all devices from the iOS ecosystem – namely Mac, Apple Watch, iPad, AirTag, and AirPods pegged to your Apple ID.

Find My is especially useful for locating lost cell phones that are almost dead or offline, thanks to its feature of sending location data to iCloud via nearby devices. Similar to the native Android app, this proprietary iOS app plays sound so you can more accurately localize your device and shut it down if necessary. Another goodie – in the form of the Notify When Left Behind feature – allows you to send a notification if your headset, smartphone, or iPad was left in an unfamiliar place.

Take Advantage of Family Sharing Apple ID

If your family would like to share certain services, purchases, etc., with each other (your family members often lose or forget their devices in places), the Family Sharing Apple ID setting could be a fantastic idea to track a lost phone. You may add children who have a device but do not have their own Apple ID or family members with separate IDs to your circle. A separate ID means that your passwords, messages, and other private data will remain accessible only to you, while users under one ID can freely access Apple Music, books, game center, photos, etc.

Now, if you are thinking about how to track a phone using this service, you need first to activate Family Sharing on the target gadget:

1. Open Settings and click on your name,

2. Tap Family Sharing and click Set Up Your Family. Follow the instructions.

3. Then go to Settings > Family > Location Sharing. Click on the plus and add family members. 

4. Those who already have their own IDs will have to enter their password for confirmation. For children under 13 years of age, the Organizer may create accounts during the process.

Find My Mobile on Samsung Smartphones

Creating a Samsung account and activating Find My Mobile can be a good additional step to your existing Google account to find a lost Android. With a Samsung account, you can remotely back up your data and sync it between devices, in addition to keeping your ID or password safe in case you forget it.

The Find My Mobile service is activated automatically with your account, but you may additionally need to turn it on via “Settings” > “Biometrics and Security” > “Find My Mobile Settings”. In addition to this requirement, you must be connected to a cellular network or Wi-Fi for this phone tracking tool to work.

IMEI Tracker

IMEI is an identifier assigned to each mobile phone and is separate from the phone number; it can be used to track a lost phone by law enforcement or a phone service provider, depending on the situation. To find out the IMEI, the device’s owner may need to dial a certain combination of numbers in the call window or view such information in the phone settings.

So, can an ordinary mortal use such a 15-17-digit code to independently track lost Android phone or stolen device? In short, yes – using online tracking applications – but this method must be approached carefully due to the possible invasion of privacy (if the gadget does not belong to you) and is best used through official authorities.

Tips to Protect Your Smartphone from Theft 🧐

Unfortunately, there’s little one can do to scare off thieves who are determined to gain possession of the gadget. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say, so you better start figuring out ways to “prepare” the phone for situations when you won’t be around for some time right away. Hopefully, the following tips will help your heart pound a little less the next time you think: where’s my phone?

• Ensure your gadgets are securely password-protected – avoid using PIN codes such as repeated zeros or ones. Use face ID plus password protection where possible, especially to protect your payment cards.
• Activate data backup processes on the device, such as Google Drive, iCloud, etc. – this way, you can restore access to them on another device and change the security password if your old gadget is lost.
• Activate one or more services to determine the location of the device, for example, Google Maps phone tracker and Mobile Tracker Free, to be able to access more useful features. Make sure the location service is turned on on your smartphone to use services like Find My Device or Find My.
• Keep your gadget out of people’s sight. If you know that you are going to a crowded place or will be drinking, it is better not to stay on your smartphone in front of everyone so that you do not have to find a phone location later.

Taking Action If a Phone Gets Stolen

Understandably, you feel like a fish out of water when you find yourself without a smartphone. If you are in the company of friends or family, you just need to remember your username and password to log into your Google account or native Apple or Android services from their gadget to see your smartphone on the map and block it using the above-mentioned services.

If you are left alone with your problem, you may track stolen phone with the help of police, but this will not be as fast as you might expect, and therefore, it is best to take steps for phone protection and your personal accessibility in advance.

End Note

Although it may seem that modern people have literally become one with their gadgets, due to their inattentiveness, they can either forget their favorite device somewhere or become a victim of deliberate theft. Your request for how to find my Android or iPhone can be answered simply: activate regular backups, remember passwords for accounts (Google, Apple ID), and use strong passwords both for apps and for the device screen – and then, in the worst case, you can easily recover your data, and in the best scenario, find your smartphone safe and sound on the sofa in that cozy bar.

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