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You know the feeling. That “I think I lost my phone” feeling. That panicked twist in your pockets, thinking about your lonely Samsung Galaxy® somewhere in the world. You start to retrace your steps that led you to this phone-free moment and all you can ask yourself is: “How do I find my lost Android phone?”
First of all, preparation is essential. No one plans to lose their phone, but it happens.
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According to our data, more than 1,000 phones are lost or stolen every hour. Therefore, it is important to enable the ability to track your phone, just in case.
How to Enable Find My Device on Your Samsung Phone
- Open it settings.
- Touch in Biometrics and security.
- Tap Find my device and slide the switch to on.
To improve location accuracy, go to Settings > Location Then select Location Services and tap Google Location Accuracy. Check if the option is enabled.
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How to activate Find My Device on your Google Pixel
- Open it settings.
- Tap Security > Find my device.
- Activate the option.
You should also make sure location services are turned on. Open it settings and tap Location. Check if the option is enabled.
How to add alternative contact information to your phone's lock screen
Another useful step is to set up a message on lock screen with alternative contact information.
Through our studies, we found that phones with these messages were 3 times more likely to be returned to their owners if lost. It's super simple to set up:
- Open it settings.
- Touch in Lock screen.
- Then click Contact information.
- Enter an alternative phone number or your email and click Concluded.
Alright, so you've taken all precautions in case you lose your phone. Now let's talk about what to do if you can't find your phone anywhere.
Our experts suggest these 3 easy ways to help you track it.
3 ways to find your lost Android
1. TRACK YOUR PHONE’S LOCATION USING GOOGLE MAPS
- Access android.com/find.
- Log in with your Gmail account and password.
- On the map, you will see the approximate location of your phone. If the device cannot be found, it will show the last known location (if available).
On the map page, you have 3 options – find, protect or erase your Android device:
- Play music. Even if it's on silent or vibrate, your phone will still ring.
- Secure device. You can do this with your current pin or create a new one. This option also allows you to leave a message or phone number for anyone who finds your device where you can be reached.
- Erase device. You can do this remotely to protect your personal information.
If you are trying to locate your phone via Find My Device and it's not working, chances are your phone isn't connected to Wi-Fi or an available network.
The important thing is to keep trying. Once your phone connects to a network, it will appear on the map.
2. FIND YOUR MOBILE PHONE WITH YOUR SMART HOME SPEAKER
If you've lost your phone and know it's somewhere in your home, your smart speaker can help.
Make sure your device and smart speaker are signed in to the same account and this will help you find your phone quickly.
If you have a Google Home Hub™, you might say something like “Hey Google, find my phone”. Your smart speaker will confirm the device you're asking about and make it ring.
The best part? Even if your phone is on silent or vibrating, it will still make the noise.
3. FIND YOUR PHONE WITH A BLUETOOTH TRACKER
Do you often forget where you put your phone? Don't worry, you are not alone. For an extra layer of backup, invest in Bluetooth® trackers. There are several currently available, such as Tile.
All you have to do is sync your phone with the tracker so that when your phone gets temporarily lost behind a couch cushion, the tracker triggers an alarm on your phone to help you find it faster.
