Google Find My Device to Locate Smartphones

The article provides a step-by-step guide on how to use Google’s Find My Device app to locate a lost or stolen Android phone. It explains the requirements for using Find My Device, such as having the phone turned on, signed into a Google account, connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, visible on Google Play, and having Find My Device and Location turned on, and then walks through the process of tracking, locking, erasing data, and making the phone ring remotely using the app.

Google’s “Find My Phone” feature is part of the Find My Device service, which helps users locate, lock, or erase their Android device in case it gets lost or stolen. This service is accessible through the Find My Device app on another Android device or via a web browser on any computer or smartphone. Here’s a clear explanation of how it works and what you need to do to use it:

Requirements

• Device Compatibility: The lost device must be running Android.
• Google Account: The device must be logged into a Google Account.
• Location Services: The device’s location feature must be turned on.
• Internet Connection: The device must be connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.
• Visibility on Google Play: The device must be visible on Google Play.
• Find My Device Activation: The Find My Device feature must be enabled in the device’s settings.

Features

• Locate: You can see the device’s location on a map if it’s available. If the device can’t be located immediately, you’ll be notified once it connects to the internet.
• Play Sound: Even if the device is on silent or vibrate, you can make it ring at full volume for 5 minutes to help locate it.
• Lock: You can lock the screen, display a custom message, and contact number so whoever finds it can call you without accessing the rest of the device’s information.
• Erase: As a last resort, you can remotely erase all data on the device. However, after you erase, Find My Device won’t work on the device.

Google Find My Device Settings

Earlier, the option was enabled within the Phone as a setting and enabled by a simple tap. The newer version of devices added this feature in a standalone app that we will discuss later.

To find the Google Find My Device option, navigate to Settings > Security. Under the security option, you can find Find My Device under the Security Status section. You can see the status as On or Off.

If the option is disabled, you can enable it to allow tracking. If you asked for location permissions, allow that too, then Google can track the device effectively.

If you wish to enable the remote data wipe option (useful in the case the device got stolen), enable ‘Allow remote lock and erase’ or ‘Allow remote factory reset’ depending on the Phone you are using.

Install and Enable Google Find My Device on Android Phone

You can enable the find my phone android option with Google Account. As mentioned above, in the newer version of Android devices, Google added all those features in a standalone application. So by default, none of the features are enabled.

To get all the tracking and data wiping features, you need to download the Google Find My Phone app from the PlayStore. But make sure to download the official app from the PlayStore. Find several tracking applications in PlayStore, so find the correct one.

To find the correct app, go to Settings > Security > Find My Device.

You can find ‘Get it on Google Play’ under the Find My Device option on that page.

Click on it, and you will be redirected to the PlayStore, where you can download the application.

Once downloaded and installed, sign in to the service using your Gmail address. It will ask for the password.

Once signed in, you will be asked to allow location permissions. Allow them to proceed. Once the setup is completed, you can see the following options.

Play Sound : PlaySound is helpful if you need to find a device with a ringtone. For example, if you connected the 2nd Phone to your Gmail account and need to find that device, click on the Play Sound option.

The other Phone will start ringing with a maximum sound, whether in vibration or silent mode.

Secure Device: This option is also helpful for locking the device remotely. Like the Play Sound option, if you need to lock the second Phone, click on the Secure Device option, instantly, the other phone will get locked.

It can be unlocked only using the PIN, Pattern, Face, Finger, or whatever the user already adds security.

Erase Device: Erasing the device is the extreme action used when your device gets stolen. If you have some valuable data on the device, you can use this option as a security measure.

Once use this option, all the Phone data get erased so that your data will not reach the other party. But keep in mind that all the data will be lost once erased, and you will not get any access to the Phone via Find My Device App.

Also, this option won’t wipe the data in your external storage. It can only clear the data in the Phone’s internal memory.

Limitations

• The service can only locate a device if all the requirements are met.
• If the device is turned off, its last known location (if available) is shown, but real-time tracking is not possible.
• Erasing the device will remove all data, including Google Accounts, and you won’t be able to locate it anymore using the Find My Device service.
• Google’s “Find My Phone” is a valuable tool for securing your device and data if you lose your phone or tablet. However, it’s crucial to set up the service before anything happens to your device.

How to Locate a Lost Cell Phone

Some third-party tools besides Google Find My device is available to track and find the lost phone. However, please note that you must turn the phone on to find any smartphone via the internet and use third-party tools. Some people are asking how to locate a lost cell phone turned off. Unfortunately, it is not possible. The tracking apps or device will work only once the phone is turned on next time.

Here are a few apps and services available to track any lost phone.

Samsung Find My Mobile

Samsung Find My Mobile is a free service for all Samsung users. You need to register with a Samsung account and have a working internet connection on the mobile for this to work. Once needed, you can track the phone from the official Samsung Find My Mobile website.

Lost Android – Track Lost Android Phone

Lost Android is another android tracking app that can find your lost mobile. You can download the application from the Play Store, and once installed; you should provide it with the administrator privilege to work. You can track the device from their official website by signing in with the same Gmail account that you are using on your mobile. The Lost Android can track your android device remotely and wipe data if needed.

One downside of Lost Android is its outdated look and feel. Both app and the website look too outdated, and the UI is boring.

Prey Anti Theft: Find My Phone & Mobile Security

Prey Anti Theft is another third-party tool to track and find the stolen or lost android mobile. It is not as powerful as other apps but can help you track the device remotely using GPS coordinates. The apps are not capable of wiping the data remotely. Due to the recent restriction on the Android OS side, some of the features are missing these times. But you can consider it a security service rather than a full tracking app.

Some Frequently Asked Questions About Find My Device Google App

Here are some frequently asked questions related FindMyDevice App.

Is Google Account Required For Find My Device App?

Yes, a Google account is needed to use the Google Find My Phone App. Google Find My Device service uses the google account to identify the phone associated with each account. So to locate the device using the Find My App, a Google account is required.

Can we use Google Find My Device App on iPhone?

No, find my phone google offered is completely for Android phones, and you cannot use it on iPhones. For iPhone and other apple devices, the Find My app is used to track and locate all devices associated with an Apple ID.

Which Options Available to Access Find My Device?

While you access the Find My Device option on your phone, you can see that two options are listed which says, Find My Device app and Find My Device web, which means you can access the Find My Device google app on your android device as well as via any browser on your PC, Laptop or other devices.

What are the options available with Find My Device App

You can see all the android devices associated with your Google account using the Find My device app. You can see the details of each phone, like the battery percentage, connected network, etc.; you can also Secure Device, Play Sound, and even Erase Device option with the Find My Device.