Lost your Android phone? Find My Device can help

We all know that sinking feeling. They one you get when you realise your phone isn’t where you left it. It’s the worst. But don't worry, we’ve got good news. If you’ve got an Android phone or tablet, you can use Find My Device to locate your gadget.  

This super-clever function not only allows you to find your Android device, but also remotely lock it. Or, if the worst happens, you can even erase your private information, so nobody can go nosing through it.

If you haven’t already, add a Google account to your Android device. This will automatically turn on Find My Device and ensure it is active should you ever need it.

For Find My Device to operate you’ll need the following things to be active. Your device needs to be switched on, connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, and signed into your Google account. 
 
To find your Android phone on a map, you’ll need to have ‘Location’ turned on too. You can do that by going to Location, Google Location Services, Location Reporting and Location History, then toggle on.

Yes, thankfully the Find My Device feature is free of charge for all Android devices, as well as being highly effective for finding an Android phone or tablet.

If your Android phone or tablet has been lost or stolen, you can remotely find it, lock it, or erase all of its data by following these simple steps:

To start, go to android.com/find and log into your Google account. From there, select the lost device from the top of your screen.

The lost device will then get a notification, and you’ll see its approximate location. If it can’t be found, you’ll see its last known position. If the phone is nearby and you believe it is lost rather than stolen, Android phones also offer a really helpful feature that allows you to play a sound. This will call your device at full volume for 5 minutes even if it’s on silent.

If your Android mobile is lost and you can’t locate it immediately, then the next step should be to lock your device remotely. This can be done using your PIN, pattern, or password. If you don’t have a lock set up, don’t worry – you can do this remotely. 

Another helpful feature for being reunited with an Android phone via Find My Device is that you can add a message or phone number to the lock screen. That way if someone finds your phone, they can use this info to get it back to you.

Lastly, if you reach the point where you’re pretty sure you’re not going to see your Android phone or tablet again, you can permanently erase all data from it. 

While this is a key measure for protecting your data, it will also stop Find My Device from working and being able to locate your phone, so make sure you’re absolutely sure you’re not getting it back.

If the worst has happened and you are sure you’ll never locate your missing Android phone, you should check if you’ve got Three Rescue. 

This insurance cover is your safety blanket when any Android phone or tablet gets damaged or lost, find out more about Three Rescue here.

Or, to cheer yourself up, why not treat yourself to a shiny new Android phone? Check out the latest Samsung phones or the full Android phones range.