5 working ways to find a stolen phone in 2021

How to find a turned off Android phone through a computer

One of the methods is to search for Android using a computer. The method is used with a caveat - the device can only be found if it is lost at home. From your computer you can send a message or call a mobile number.

You can make calls using special applications, for example, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp.

Via Google account on a computer

You can also find even a turned off smartphone through your Google account.

There is a special function that searches for an Android phone if you link an account to your device. To find a lost cell phone, you need to prepare some settings in advance:

• Log in to your Google account on your mobile phone.
• Go to your smartphone settings.
• Select "Security".
• On some models there will immediately be a “Google” section or a “Device Administrators” line. Tap and see the “Device Manager” item.
• Check the box and confirm the action.

These actions will open up the ability to perform the necessary actions on the gadget via a computer.

Vyacheslav

For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.

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Question to the expert

Don't all Android smartphones have this feature?

On Android 5.0 and higher, there is no need to configure the security feature in your Google account, because the feature is enabled by default. This is the only case when remote control can be performed even without making additional settings. These configuration changes open up the ability to manage your lost cell phone from your computer. The preparatory stage is now complete.

Other search methods

If your phone is stolen, can you find it? There is always a chance of finding a stolen device. What can be done?

• Post paper notices in the area where the phone was lost about finding the phone and returning it for a reward;
• Find a phone through geolocation services (must be previously configured);
• Try calling your own number and ask to return the phone for a fee.

The methods are not the most effective, but it’s worth a try - what if some of this really works? In fact, the likelihood of finding a stolen phone is extremely low . Pickpockets act quickly, and stolen equipment is sold for pennies to buyers and individuals. By the way, it is for this reason that the police do not undertake a full-fledged search - it is very difficult and labor-intensive.

If the phone is turned off and without a SIM card

It is difficult to find an Android device if it is not only turned off, but also does not have a SIM card. In such cases, finding a device is much more difficult. Especially if the mobile device is lost or stolen. Here you will have to act only through law enforcement agencies. Therefore, it is better to perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Call your mobile operator and block your SIM card by calling the number.
2. Contact bank operators that have credit cards, accounts or salary cards. It is necessary to block them so that in case of loss or theft, attackers will not be able to use the data.
3. Contact law enforcement agencies. Here they write a report about the loss of a mobile device, after which specialists get to work and search. The search uses modern satellite tracking programs.

It is recommended to use a small trick to prevent theft of your Android - install some applications or standard programs. The following possibilities are available on this issue:

• use of multi-level screen lock;
• settings for notification of SIM card replacement - a corresponding signal will be sent to the device used for this;
• verification of use by the owner using a fingerprint.

The presented applications can be easily downloaded from the Play Market completely free of charge. It is recommended that you immediately set up a SIM card replacement notification immediately after purchasing your Android. As soon as the device is searched using a satellite, it will receive a replacement signal. This will help law enforcement locate the loss.

Tips and conclusions

If the smartphone is turned off, it is almost impossible to determine the location of its owner. This can only be done if a special chip was previously built into the mobile device. If the smartphone is turned on, then you can easily find out where exactly its owner is now. This can be done using GPS, IMEI and SIM card.

If you don't want your current location to be tracked, simply turning off the location feature won't do the trick.

How to find houses

It sounds surprising, but it is at home that the Android gets lost much more often than on the street or at a party. Therefore, owners are much more interested in how to find a device at home. As for possible methods, the following points are highlighted, presented in the table.

Google Maps application data will only be correct if Geolocation is previously enabled. It helps determine the location of the phone owner - in fact, the location of the device itself is determined.

If the owner has not used the Alarm Clock application in advance, they begin the search on their own. If the mobile device is turned off, proceed to the process in accordance with the following sequence:

1. First, you should analyze your actions and movement around the apartment. They do this in reverse order, because then there is a greater chance of finding the loss quickly. During a thorough analysis, the affairs and location of the owner are determined, who could have left the android in the most unexpected place. At the same time, bags, backpacks and packages are checked.
2. Next, they ask about the lost device to relatives and friends - everyone with whom the owners of the mobile device live. If there is a small child in the house, analyze his behavior and games in the last few minutes or hours. This is the only way to determine the route and the possibility of a child playing with an android.
3. If there are pets in the house, you should also analyze its habits and games. Perhaps it was the animal that hid the mobile phone in its secluded place.
4. Check the most unexpected places yourself - balcony, bathroom, refrigerator (and on the refrigerator), washing machine (phones are often found in the drum), trash cans.
5. If the above steps are not successful, I proceed to general cleaning. It is important to sort out all the places where things accumulate, first move away small-sized and light furniture (stools, armchairs, tables), then move on to large-sized ones (sofa, chest of drawers, closet). Phones often fall behind dressers, shelves, sofas, armchairs, and computer tables. During the search, many previously lost things and dust are found, which are immediately wiped away.

The following steps will help you find your Android if it is lost at home. Therefore, before starting your search, you should analyze your route, remember when you came home and use your mobile device. Only after making sure that the phone is definitely at home do they begin the search.

Android Device Manager online service for finding a phone

• Go to the service’s official website and log in using the same account that was used on the phone.

• After this, the service will automatically find all connected smartphones and display their location on the map. The user will have access to the locking and ringing functions, which will help protect the phone from intruders and find it faster.

This method will only work if the phone is pre-configured - a Google account must be active on the smartphone for the search to become possible. Moreover, if two-step verification is enabled on the phone, the service may not work, since it will require confirmation of the action (tracking), which can only be done manually.

Other applications that can be downloaded from Google Play do not give the desired result. Only major Google services can help you find a device.

Finding a switched-on phone is not that difficult. At the moment, there are three proven methods that allow you to do this. One of them allows use without the intervention of law enforcement agencies. But it’s easier to protect yourself in advance by using the mentioned precautions, which will allow you to quickly find your smartphone in case of loss.

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Free satellite search

You can track your Android by satellite only if you contact law enforcement agencies, a repair center or the manufacturer's company. In the first case, specialists work using the SIM card number. There are special programs that peel the location of the device. An important criterion in this case is the ability to track only if there is a SIM card on the phone. If it is removed, it will be difficult to track the device.

A turned off Android can be found by the IMEI number - a serial number that identifies the device. The number is always unique and can be found at the manufacturer’s office.

Where's My Droid

An alternative application with fairly wide functionality. The user will also have to install it on his smartphone, after which he can perform various manipulations with the lost device from a remote phone or computer. The developer company's website has a convenient interface that will allow you to take a picture of the camera, send a signal to your phone, or determine your location.

An additional advantage is that the developers are constantly improving the application and also adding new features to it.

How to find a phone by IMEI

As mentioned above, IMEI is the serial number of any mobile device. It is always unique and is displayed in technical documentation. With its help, you can check whether the device in front of the owner is real or not a fake. To do this, contact the manufacturer's office with documents. Department employees check the number in the database. If it is there, then the device is not tampered with.

The IMEI is displayed on a sticker under the battery of the mobile device. It has 15 digits. It is recommended to copy down the number immediately after purchasing the phone in case the documents for the mobile phone are suddenly lost.

Search by IMEI occurs only through police officers. Otherwise, you need to access the mobile operator database. And this is difficult without authority. They go to the police department with a passport, documents for an android, or a piece of paper on which the IMEI was written in advance. If available, it is recommended to provide an agreement for a previously registered SIM card.

Applications in case of theft or loss of a smartphone

Above we have already presented some ways to find a mobile device in case it is stolen or lost. If you don’t have a SIM card and turn off your Android, you can only find it by its IMEI number. But there are also additional search applications that should be installed on your mobile phone in advance:

• Find My Device – allows you to lock the screen of a lost smartphone, which will prevent scammers from committing illegal actions. They first create a Google profile and search through it.

• Lookout is a paid antivirus that saves information about the location of the smartphone before turning it off or reducing battery power. The data is sent to an email that is specified in advance in the application.

• Kaspersky Internet Security is a paid antivirus that gives you more options for protecting your Android. In the event of a theft, it turns on a loud call signal or siren, which is controlled by the owner remotely and from another mobile device. The application also automatically deletes all personal data, blocks access to the device, takes photos from the front camera, and transfers the data to the email address whose address was previously entered into the program.

If you have an expensive mobile device, it is better to take advantage of additional paid protection measures. In this way, you can protect yourself not only from losing your Android, but also from the subsequent use of personal data by attackers.

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How to protect yourself in advance

There are many ways to protect yourself, but in addition to standard security measures, there are also technical measures:

• set a password and/or pattern on your phone, fingerprint unlocking or Face ID if the phone runs on iOS - this will block the device for attackers and make it useless for those who cannot hack the OS on their own without involving service centers;
• make sure that “native” services are activated and running on the smartphone, if the manufacturer has provided them - some brands release their own software for tracking and locating the device, others use common services (Google), combining all Android phones into one database;
• enable the search option through your operator, if available - if your telecom operator provides such a service, you must secure your device in advance and activate the option, which will help you quickly find your missing smartphone in the future;
• install the SIM Change Alarm application, which will send alerts to the specified number if the SIM card is removed from the device.

These are the main methods available to every smartphone user. If the phone is already many years old and does not work on any of the known operating systems (Android, iOS, Windows Phone), you should consider purchasing a more modern device, since it is easier to protect from intruders.

Any applications like Find My Device work based on Google Maps services and also use a Google account, so their use is no different from Android Device Manager. Antivirus programs that offer device tracking using maps do not provide accurate data, as they require additional registration and communicate with Google Maps through third-party servers. Therefore, the only direct method of tracking remains Device Manager, designed specifically for Android.