Are you afraid of losing your cell phone? With Android Device Manager , Google’s free service, you’ll always be able to locate it. Find out what it is and how it works.
The continuing dichotomy between fans of the Android and iOS operating system has become less and less marked over time. Although there is a completely different system for managing hardware and software, the development of very similar applications has made these solutions less different.
As you may have noticed, some features present on iOS have also been implemented on Android and vice versa, a condition that has drastically reduced the differences over time. In addition to Safari , Google Chrome and other third-party applications that can be used on both operating systems, you can also count on Android Device Manager , an alternative solution to the more famous Apple Find My . But how can you best use this service and is it as effective as the iOS counterpart?
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Index
- What is Android Device Manager
- How Android Device Manager works
- How to find your smartphone with Android Device Manager from PC or phone
- How to unlock phone with android device manager
- Delete devices from Android Device Manager
- How to turn on Find my device on your phone
- Google location history
What is Android Device Manager
Maybe you’re not aware that Android Device Manager exists , or even never heard of Apple’s Find My . If you fall into this category then it is advisable to stop for a moment and understand what Device Manager is.
When this expression is used, a free service for Android is identified that uses the Google platform to quickly locate your remote smartphone , simply by connecting to your Google account from a PC.
Although this is its main function, Device Manager also allows you to remotely control your phone, making it ring and allowing you to find it if it is in proximity. In addition to these two features, Device Manager was developed above all for problems related to smartphone theft , in fact, you can block or format the device when it has been stolen or lost.
Before starting these last functions, which would erase the data from your smartphone, it is advisable to check the position first and try to find it on the map, using the main service.
How Android Device Manager works
You will surely have guessed how a service of this kind works, but let’s see it in more detail to understand how to make the most of it. Android Device Manager is a free solution, this requires you to use the service extensively, but not automatically, in fact, you will have to activate some functions for Google to help you find your smartphone. To get a positive response you will need to turn on your phone and have an active internet connection . In addition to these basic conditions, the activation of geolocation is essential , in order to have real-time positioning on the map.
To verify that all these features are working, just go to the Android Settings and activate both the geolocation and the permissions to locate the smartphone . For the latter function, go to Settings and then to Google , from here select and activate Find my device . Activate geolocation and allow remote blocking and deletion .
How to find your smartphone with Android Device Manager from PC or phone
We anticipated that you can search for your smartphone or device with an Android system from your PC, but in reality, you could also do it from another Android smartphone by downloading the Find my device application .
Assuming that your lost phone has a network connection, geolocation and Google settings active, you can access your Google account from a PC.
Obviously the account with which to log in from the PC must be the same one present on the lost device, therefore, write down the e-mail and password on a file so that it can be easily recovered.
Connect to the Android Device Management site and log in with the same Google account linked to the device. Once you have logged in to your profile, you will be able to view the position on the map and perform the following tasks:
- Play Audio: The device will ring for 5 minutes even if set to silent mode.
- Lock device– Lock your device and sign out of your Google account. It allows you to write a message or a phone number to be contacted by anyone who finds your phone.
- Reset the device– erase all contents of the phone and you will no longer be able to locate it.
By accessing the geographical position, in some cases you have to wait a few minutes before the last position is updated, in fact, Google takes some time before showing the correct positioning on the map.
From a smartphone, the procedure is very similar, you will need to download the Find my device application on another Android smartphone and enter your Google account data. In a few seconds you can then interact with the Google Maps map to find the associated smartphone or device.
How to unlock phone with android device manager
One of the often overlooked features of Android Device Manager is the one that allows you to unlock your phone . Maybe you blocked it thinking that someone had stolen it, only to find it again shortly after by chance. To access this function you will first need to connect to the dedicated Internet page and enter the data with which you registered with Google. If you are using a PC and have already paired your smartphone, the map will automatically appear with the last position identified by Google.
If you have multiple devices associated with the same account, select the smartphone you want to find and wait for the map to load on the screen. To unlock the phone you will have to click on the item Unlock the device .
Delete devices from Android Device Manager
Google offers you several useful services, but in some cases it is very good at confusing users with an infinite number of options. One of the most common problems with Android Device Manager is identified with the presence of multiple smartphones associated with the same account , a condition which results in the synchronization of data and information that is not always reliable.
To get the most out of Device Manager , you should associate only one device so that Google can monitor it effectively. If you have associated several phones, you can delete some of them already stored by Google.
To do this you need to download the Google Admin console app .
- Open the Google Admin consoleapp .
- When prompted, enter your Google Account PIN.
- If necessary, switch to the administrator account: touch menu, down arrow to choose another account.
- Tap Menu > Devices.
- Tap the device or user.
- Tap Delete > Delete. Alternatively, next to the device name, touch More > Forget device > Forget , to confirm.
Alternatively, go to Google MyAccount and after logging in, click on Data and Privacy on the left menu . In the History settings section, tap on Location history and then on Devices associated with this account . Here, uncheck the device you want to dissociate.
How to turn on Find my device on your phone
Just like Find My from Apple , if you have a Samsung phone you can also take advantage of the Find my device option . To activate it with the latest Android versions, go to Settings > Security and privacy and after touching the Find my device item , tap to activate:
- Allow smartphone detection
- Remote unlock
- Send last position
- Offline search
To see the map go to the official SmartThings Find website .
Google location history
One of Device Manager’s strengths, just like Apple’s Find My , lies in its ability to list the last locations of the paired device chronologically. Specifically, the service uses Google Maps to view the movements. If you are using a PC connected to this Internet page and once logged in with your Google account you can select Location history and check your last position.
On the other hand, from a smartphone, you will have to access from Google Maps for Android and check the location in the sidebar by selecting the History option . Also in this case it is essential that there is an internet connection and obviously active geolocation. Whenever you have these active components, Google will record the location in its history.
Unfortunately, the Android Device Management service only works if the device to be located is turned on and connected to the Internet. To solve this problem you will have to contact third-party anti-theft apps or read our guide on how to locate a mobile phone .
