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How To Track Lost Android Phone With Google’s Find My Device

Timothy Iyekowa
By Timothy Iyekowa - Technical Writer
9 Min Read
Find My Device
Image credit: shutterstock

What will you do if your phone gets lost?. We’ve experienced that kind of feeling you get when your phone is missing and you don’t know where to start looking or have any idea where to look from. You’ve checked under the bed, workplace or it may even from your purse.

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Whether you are still searching for your device, and have no clue about it — Google’s Find My Device can help you track Android phone location for free. The feature lets you find your Android phone and secure it if need be.

Google Find My Android feature is one of the best in locating Android devices, it helps you manage your device from another phone or computer, even if the mobile phone is in another continent. You can do things like add text, play sound, and secure the device. But the lost phone must have an internet connection.

Although the effort of trying to get your device back might be helpless sometimes and dangerous as well because you don’t know who has taken your phone.

Find My Device can locate lost Android phones, but they are things you need to do if you know you won’t be getting your device back, with the option for formatting your device, securing it, and more.

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How to use Find My Device to track Android phone for free

How it works can’t be so different from using other Android applications. The app has options from recovery your device and protecting your information. Although it is not the kind of app that goes with lots of features.

Per se that you will be using Google Find My Device; you just have two ways of using the program; you can download the app from the Google Play Store, or use the tool from the Find My Device website.

If you’ve a Google Account you already have access to the feature and just need to download the Find My device app from the Google Play Store before your device goes missing.

Also Read: Security measures: 12 ways to make your Android more secure

What you need to locate a lost Android phone

The mistake many people make is that they don’t set up their device to help Google find it before it missing, if you didn’t set it up you can’t use Find My Device. Before your phone gets lost or stolen in any case maybe make sure that it’s:

  • Be signed in a Google Account
  • Connected to the internet
  • Have GPS and Find My Device turn on.

To check if Find My Device is enabled go to phone Settings, tap on Security, and click on Find My Device. If it’s switched off turn it on. 

Turn on Find My Device on Android

Without your phone set up, it’s a waste of time to use it, and this is the most to be considered. If you don’t do it, Google won’t be able to track your phone.

And another important thing you need to know is that before you can be able to find your lost phone, the phone must be:

  • Be turned on
  • Signed in to a Google Account
  • Connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi
  • Have Location and Find My Device turned on.

Also Read: .Emergency contacts and Medical ID: How to set it up the right way

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How to track Android phone

To be able to find your Android phone, you’ll need to sign in to the Google Account that’s in the lost phone to your computer. On another Android phone, download the Find My Device app, and tap Sign in as guest.

1. The first thing you should do when you open the Find My Device website or app is to check the location of your device. But before you can do that choose the lost phone at the top of the screen if you’ve more than one phone.

Find Phone on Map

2. The lost phone will get a notification that “Find My Device is trying to locate this device”. You’ll be able to see it on the map, and you can also check the percentage of the lost phone. If your phone can’t be found, you’ll see its last known location, if available.

Find My Device is Locating Device

3. With the available features, pick what you want to do.

Play Sound, Secure Device, or Erase Device on the Find My Device App

Play sound: If for an instant you got the location of the device right on the map, and you’re on the premises of that coordinate — you can ring the device with just a click.

All you have to do is tap on Play Sound and you might get to see you missing phone back, even if it’s set to silent or vibrate.

Secure device: With Find My Device you can secure your device from another device with a PIN, pattern, or password it you don’t have a lock.

Tap on Secure Device from there you can enter a recovery message and a phone number; it will display it on the lost phone screen.

Adding a phone number is something to consider in case someone finds the phone he or she can reach out to you just by tapping on the call button.

Erase device: You can erase your device if you know you won’t be getting it back. That is if it was stolen, you can perform a factory reset that will wipe all your data off the lost device. With that being said no one can then get access to your personal information.

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Once your device is factory reset you won’t be able to check the location on the Map or use any of the features. The erase feature might not delete contents from the SD card.

Tip: If you’re signed in to your Google Account, you can find or ring it by searching for find my phone on google.com.

The disadvantage of Find My Device is that the feature can only work when the lost phone is connected to the internet. If your device was stolen and you see the location in someplace you can’t go to, we highly recommend you to call the police instead of trying to get it back yourself.

Also Read: How to track iPhone with Apple Find My iPhone

Using Find My Mobile for Samsung

If you’re using a Samsung device, you’ll be able to locate Android device by using the Samsung own Find My Mobile feature. To track Android device with Find My Mobile you’ll have to turn it on.

Go to phone Settings, tap on Biometrics and Security, and click on Find My Mobile to enable it. Then you’ll need to choose whether or not you want to enable the Remote Unlock and Send last locations settings.

Samsung Find My Mobile

The Remote unlock will record your PIN, password, or pattern, which allows you to unlock your device even if you’ve forgotten it, and you can control the phone remotely when your phone is locked.

The Send last location sends your last known location to Find My Mobile servers when the battery falls below certain level. Once your Samsung phone is missing you can use the Samsung’s website to track your lost phone from another device.

If you ever used Find My Device? Tell us about your experiences in the comments! and if you’ve recovered your device? Have you been able to catch the person?. if it was stolen.

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ByTimothy Iyekowa
Technical Writer
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As a seasoned content writer with 5+ years of experience in consumer technology, Timothy has been a dedicated author and editor at Techvocast since its inception. Specializing in addressing user concerns, his articles offer effective solutions for Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac-related issues. Timothy's expertise also extends to crafting content about social media and various applications. Through his daily articles, he consistently aids users in overcoming their technology challenges.
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