Phone thefts are the order of the day these days. Locating a lost or stolen phone has therefore become an important function. Technology evolves rapidly. Phone manufacturers attract customers with all kinds of interesting features and more and more powerful specifications. But the temptation is great not only for customers. Many users have quickly found themselves in the situation of using the location of a lost or stolen phone, especially since some phones can easily pass several hundred euros.
Fortunately, the same performance that delights users allows for more accurate location of the phone than ever before. With the help of some applications, regardless of the brand of the phone or the operating system, you can locate it or block it. Locking your phone helps keep personal data on that device, such as pictures or private messages, private.
How to locate a lost or stolen phone
Android
One of the free phone location and lock apps on Google Play is Find my device . Another way is with the Find my device online service , which can be accessed HERE . After opening the page, you will be able to select the device you want to locate. Then a map will be displayed on which it will try to locate the Android device automatically. However, it should be known that if the criminal has already managed to remove the SIM card from the phone, the chances of locating a lost or stolen phone decrease dramatically.
The application offers several functions:
- Play a sound– activates a loud alarm sound, in case you suspect that the phone is still nearby, or if it was not stolen, but simply moved without your knowledge
- Secure device– locks your phone and disconnects it from your Google account
- Erase phone– completely erases all data from the phone
If the phone has indeed been stolen, it will still be impossible to receive the necessary authentication codes in some cases. This is precisely why it is recommended that you choose a different phone number for recovery when setting up two-step authentication. You can also choose to generate backup codes that can be used later without a phone.
iOS
It is very important to know that in order to be successful in locating a lost or stolen iOS phone, the location function must be activated before the phone is lost.
First, THIS link is accessed. You sign in with your Apple ID and password from your iCloud account. Then you select Find my iPhone and if the phone is in the area, you can use the feature to emit a loud locating sound.
If the phone is not nearby, the lost option can be activated . From there you can choose to encrypt the phone with a password or wipe the data completely.