Buzz
Tools like Apple’s Find My iPhone and Google’s Find My Device simplify the process of recovering a misplaced or stolen phone. Image by Aleksey H/ShutterstockImportant Points to Remember
- Use the "Find My" app on iOS to track, play a sound, mark as lost, erase remotely, or receive updates on the location of Apple devices like iPhones, Macs, and AirPods.
- To use the app, activate Location Services in your device settings and ensure it’s connected to your Apple account.
- If your device is lost and can’t be retrieved, you can erase it remotely through the Find My app, but tracking is still available if the device is running iOS 15 or later.
Smartphones are equipped with GPS receivers and transmitters, enabling both iOS and Android devices to provide real-time navigation and location-based services. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can remotely activate the GPS tracker to monitor the phone's whereabouts. This allows you to track the device anytime it is powered on and connected to a wireless network. You can also link multiple accounts, letting family and friends track each other’s devices.
Naturally, the GPS tracking service will not work if the battery is dead, but it might still provide the last known location of your device. Both iOS and Android have integrated tracking services, but the features differ slightly between the two. Let’s go over how to track a phone or tablet on each platform.
How to Track an iPhone
This is the Find My iPhone icon displayed on an Apple iPhone screen. Image by XanderSt/ShutterstockApple tracking can be activated using the "Find My" app, which works with iOS devices such as Apple Watches, Macs, AirPods, and AirTags. The following features are available for iOS tracking:
- View Current Location
- Play a Sound
- Activate Lost Mode
- Erase Data Remotely
- Get Notified When Found
- Get Notified When Left Behind
To use these features, you must have a second device linked to your Apple account.
How to Set Up Find My on iOS and Mac, through Apple support:
- Launch the Settings app.
- Tap your name, then tap Find My.
- If you wish to share your phone's location with friends and family, enable Share My Location.
- Tap Find My [device], then switch on Find My [device].
- To track your device even if it’s offline, enable Find My network. (This is a secure, anonymous network of millions of Apple devices to help locate yours.)
- Enable Send Last Location to have your device’s location sent to Apple when the battery is running low.
To track your lost device on a map, ensure that the Location Services feature is enabled. To enable it, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, and turn on Location Services.
If you're using the Find My app, you won’t be able to view your device's location if more than seven days have passed since the last time its location was sent to Apple.
If retrieving the iPhone is not feasible, you can also initiate a remote erase:
- Ensure you've tried the previous steps to recover your missing device — please note, this action cannot be undone.
- Open the Find My app and navigate to the Devices tab.
- Select the device you wish to erase remotely.
- Scroll down and click on Erase This Device.
- Confirm by selecting Erase This [device].
If the device is running iOS 15 or later, you will still be able to track it on the Find My app after wiping its data.
How to Track an Android Phone
The Google Find My Device app displayed on an Android smartphone. Image by Sharaf Maksumov/ShutterstockAndroid’s "Find My Device" feature enables users to locate a phone or tablet, lock it remotely, or erase the device. All of this can be done online using the Google account associated with the target device. Google support provides the necessary steps for tracking Android devices.
To locate an Android device, ensure the device meets the following criteria:
- Signed into a Google account
- Location services are enabled
- Find My Device is activated
- The device has sufficient battery
- The device is connected to WiFi or mobile data
- The device is visible on Google Play
If your device is turned off or not connected to WiFi or mobile data, its last known location may still be available if you’ve enabled "Store recent location."
Once you've ensured that all these settings are correct, you can proceed with tracking your device:
- Visit android.com/find using a browser, or install the Find My Device app on another phone from the Google Play store.
- Sign in using your Google account.
- The location shown is approximate and may not be precise.
- If your device cannot be located, you may still see its last known location, if available.
Next step:
- A notification will be sent to the lost Android phone.
- You will receive information about the device's location on the map.
- If you have multiple devices: Select the lost device from the top of the sidebar.
- If your lost device has multiple user profiles, sign in with a Google account linked to the main or personal profile.
Once done, choose the action you want to take:
- If prompted, tap Enable Lock & Erase.
- Play sound: Makes your device ring loudly for five minutes, even if it's on silent or vibrate mode.
- Secure device: Locks your device with your PIN or password. If there’s no lock, you can set one. You may also add a message or contact number to the lock screen to assist in returning the device.
- Erase device: Permanently removes all data from your device, but SD cards might remain unaffected. Once erased, Find My Device will no longer function on the device.
Apple introduced its AirTag tracking device on April 30, 2021.
