You've had a very busy and difficult day. You barely made it to the tram. A 30-minute journey is the perfect time to take care of small errands and reply to emails 📱. You instinctively reach into your jacket pocket, but you don't feel your smartphone. Then you check all the nooks and crannies of your backpack… You clearly remember holding your phone in your hand as you walked to the stop. You then put it in your pocket, and that's where the trail goes cold 😱. You saw the tram approaching and ran several meters to catch it. Your phone probably fell out of your pocket right then…
You get home, turn on your computer, and write an announcement about losing your phone. Now you just have to hope for an honest finder who will return the phone to the police or write a comment under your post ☹️. You're devastated because you have your banking app, private photos, and messages with loved ones on it. What can you do to protect your data and find your phone? In our guide, you'll find several ways to locate your lost item 🤩. Remember, the chances of finding your device are really high. Keep your chin up!
Similar situations can happen to any of us. We often put our phones down somewhere in a hurry and then anxiously search for them around the house. With location tracking, you'll know if your child has safely arrived at their class. You'll also find out where your friends are who you've arranged to meet.
How to locate a phone via GPS?
If your smartphone has location services enabled, finding it will be quite simple. We've prepared two step-by-step instructions for you that will work for both iOS and Android.
How to track an Android phone?
All smartphones with the Android operating system are equipped with the necessary features to find your device. So, how can you find a lost or stolen phone 🤔? Take a look at the instructions we've prepared for you.
How to find an Android smartphone?
- Log in to your Google account. You can do this on another phone or on a computer.
- Go to the Security tab.
- Find the My devices section.
- Select Find lost device.
This will connect you to your phone. Google will show you a small area on the map where your device is located. Additionally, you can choose to lock the device or erase sensitive data from it. You should know that this method won't work for finding a turned-off or discharged phone.
How to track an iOS phone?
The manufacturer of iPhones has equipped devices with a special function to facilitate finding the phone. The user should have previously enabled the Find My iPhone service on their smartphone. If it was enabled, you only need to follow the instructions below.
How to locate an iPhone?
- Go to the icloud.com website.
- Log in to your previously created account (i.e., your Find My iPhone service).
- You will see your phone's location on the map. At this point, you can also remotely play a sound and call your number. This is a great help during your search.
If you haven't enabled the Find My iPhone option beforehand, use the other methods we suggest. We've described them later in the post.
How to locate a phone using an app?
In the Play Store and App Store, you'll find many apps that will assist you in your smartphone search 💪. Take a look at a few of our suggestions.
Prey – app for Android and iOS
Prey is a free app that will show you the location of your device. Thanks to it, you can remotely lock your smartphone if it has fallen into the wrong hands. You can also erase its memory content or take a photo of the thief with the front camera 🕵️. It's worth mentioning that the app requires internet access to function. The mobile app has few options, as most actions are initiated from a logged-in account on the website.
Find my Phone – Family Locator for Android and iOS
With this app, you can locate even multiple lost/stolen devices. Family Locator is a family app 👪 that offers many tools to help you react in emergency situations. One of them is so-called panic signals, which are messages sent to all family members. If you're wondering how to locate your child's phone, this app is an ideal solution. Also, read our post on parental control for a child's phone.
Google Find My Device for Android
With this app, you can remotely connect to your lost/stolen smartphone. Using the app, you can locate your device and erase all sensitive data from it 💪. Google Find My Device requires access to the mobile network and active GPS service.
Can a phone be located by IMEI number?
Of course! But you can't do it yourself. The IMEI number (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit string of numbers. You'll find it on the phone's packaging, on the device itself (near the battery or on the back of the casing), and in its settings. Only special services, such as the police, are authorized to find a smartphone by its IMEI number. This is possible through analyzing the device's connection to cellular base stations.
What to do in case of losing or stealing a smartphone?
First, take a few simple preventative steps. In this case, protecting the sensitive data on your phone is very important.
Steps for losing or stealing a phone:
- Block the IMEI number: go to the police and ask them to block the device. This is a major obstacle for the thief, as no Polish SIM card will work in the phone. The police will, of course, ask for proof of purchase of the phone or an installment agreement from the operator. If you had a dual-SIM phone, remember to provide both IMEI numbers when meeting with the authorities.
- Change passwords for accounts and apps: this applies to access to banking, email inboxes, or social media accounts. This action will make it harder for a thief to steal your data.
- Erase data from your smartphone: try to remotely delete photos, SMS messages, and other information important to you. You can do this via your Google or iCloud account.
- Contact your mobile operator and request a theft block on your phone number. This will prevent the thief from using your phone number. Also, ask for a duplicate SIM card.
At Mobile Vikings, you just need to report the theft/loss of the device to a #PerfektHelpDesk agent. We will send you a declaration form to fill out and forward the request to block the IMEI number to our infrastructure partner (which is Play).
We understand that losing or having your phone stolen is very stressful 😱. However, remember that emotions are bad advisors. Sit down, take a deep breath, and use the Vikings' advice. First, try to find your smartphone using GPS. Maybe your Samsung got stuck in some corner of your backpack. Then, opt for one of the recommended apps and request an IMEI block. All the tips described will help you locate your smartphone for free.
