Find, lock, or erase your lost Android device (2024)

FAQs

What happens when you erase a device on Find My Device Android? ›

You can delete your device if you can't find it. Important: These steps permanently delete all data on your device, but may not delete SD cards. After the device is erased, its location won't be available in Find My Device.

Play Sound: Make your Android play a sound, even if it's set to silent. Secure Device: You can lock your device remotely if you think it's lost or stolen. Optionally, you can add a message and a phone number to the lock screen in case someone finds it and wants to return the device.

You receive an email when the device is erased. When the device is erased, tap Remove This Device, then tap Remove. All your content is erased, Activation Lock is turned off, and someone else can now activate the device.

Erase device: Permanently deletes all data on your phone (but might not delete SD cards). After you erase, Find My Device won't work on the phone. Important: If you find your phone after erasing, you'll likely need your Google Account password to use it again.

If your phone doesn't have any sort of passphrase/passcode/anything then yes, they can just do as they please with your phone. Putting a 6-digit passcode on pretty much means your phone is secure. Secure enough for most purposes and secure enough so a thief isn't going to be able to do much of anything.

You can set up a screen lock to help secure your Android phone or tablet from unauthorized access. Each time you turn on your device or wake up the screen, you'll be asked to unlock your device, usually with a PIN, pattern, or password.

Blocking a Stolen Phone

If your phone is stolen, contact your carrier as soon as possible. They'll be able to disable the service for your phone line, preventing the thief from making calls or texts. Your carrier can also provide your phone's IMEI number, which you'll need to file a police report.

Your phone's location-sharing function ceases once it runs out of battery – basically, your live phone location tracking is turned off. However, the last known location remains accessible through applications such as Life360, provided you have previously granted location permissions to the app.

Just visit the Find My Device web page and sign in with your Google account. Your device will then be tracked, and if it's connected to the internet, its precise location will be displayed. In the event that your phone is switched off, Find My Device will indicate the last known location before it went offline.

Find My includes Activation Lock — a feature that's designed to prevent anyone else from using your iPhone or iPad if it's ever lost or stolen.

What happens when you mark a device as lost on Find My Device? ›

A confirmation email is sent to your Apple ID email address. You can create a message for the device that says it's lost and how to contact you. For an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch, your device doesn't display alerts or make noise when you receive messages or notifications, or if any alarms go off.

Erasing an iPhone means deleting all personal data, apps, and settings from the device, effectively restoring it to its original factory state. This process ensures that no personal information remains on the phone, making it safe to sell or give to someone else.

If you no longer want to see a friend's location, you can remove them from Find My. When you remove a friend, you can no longer see their location, and they can no longer see yours.

If you use the Erase Device feature, you will no longer be able to track the phone. Reserve this feature as a last resort. Should the thief turn off your phone, you won't be able to track it until it's turned back on and has a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. Google will send you an email once it locates your device.