Finding even a switched off phone is not a problem – where and how to look correctly

How to find a turned off Android phone through a computer

One of the methods is to search for Android using a computer. The method is used with a caveat - the device can only be found if it is lost at home. From your computer you can send a message or call a mobile number.

You can make calls using special applications, for example, Skype, Viber, WhatsApp.

Via Google account on a computer

You can also find even a turned off smartphone through your Google account.

There is a special function that searches for an Android phone if you link an account to your device. To find a lost cell phone, you need to prepare some settings in advance:

• Log in to your Google account on your mobile phone.
• Go to your smartphone settings.
• Select "Security".
• On some models there will immediately be a “Google” section or a “Device Administrators” line. Tap and see the “Device Manager” item.
• Check the box and confirm the action.

These actions will open up the ability to perform the necessary actions on the gadget via a computer.

Vyacheslav

For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.

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Question to the expert

Don't all Android smartphones have this feature?

On Android 5.0 and higher, there is no need to configure the security feature in your Google account, because the feature is enabled by default. This is the only case when remote control can be performed even without making additional settings. These configuration changes open up the ability to manage your lost cell phone from your computer. The preparatory stage is now complete.

Geolocation

A lost phone that is turned on with active functions such as the Internet and GPS can be easily found by geolocation. For this, each operator has a corresponding service:

1. MTS and Beeline have Lakator.

1. Megafon has “Navigator”.

The service is activated by sending an SMS to a specific short number or in a communication salon; it is paid. In order for “locators” or “navigator” to be useful in case of loss of a gadget, they must be activated in advance. Tracking must be carried out on another device, but with confirmation of consent from the tracked phone. Location results can be sent in the form of SMS or displayed on a map in a special application, which also must first be installed. This is convenient when you need to know about a child’s movements; by the way, children lose gadgets more often than adults. You can also control the movements of adults, but will they agree, and it is impossible to track the phone in this way if geolocation is turned off.

The same principles are used in existing tracking programs. If the smartphone is turned off, then it is definitely not possible to track it by any special means; if it is turned on, the Internet and GPS are working, it is possible, but subject to a number of conditions, which I will discuss below.

If the phone is turned off and without a SIM card

It is difficult to find an Android device if it is not only turned off, but also does not have a SIM card. In such cases, finding a device is much more difficult. Especially if the mobile device is lost or stolen. Here you will have to act only through law enforcement agencies. Therefore, it is better to perform the following sequence of actions:

1. Call your mobile operator and block your SIM card by calling the number.
2. Contact bank operators that have credit cards, accounts or salary cards. It is necessary to block them so that in case of loss or theft, attackers will not be able to use the data.
3. Contact law enforcement agencies. Here they write a report about the loss of a mobile device, after which specialists get to work and search. The search uses modern satellite tracking programs.

It is recommended to use a small trick to prevent theft of your Android - install some applications or standard programs. The following possibilities are available on this issue:

• use of multi-level screen lock;
• settings for notification of SIM card replacement - a corresponding signal will be sent to the device used for this;
• verification of use by the owner using a fingerprint.

The presented applications can be easily downloaded from the Play Market completely free of charge. It is recommended that you immediately set up a SIM card replacement notification immediately after purchasing your Android. As soon as the device is searched using a satellite, it will receive a replacement signal. This will help law enforcement locate the loss.

iPhone

You can track your iPhone using the iCloud service provided by the manufacturers. To search, you need to download the Find iPhone app and activate geolocation on your gadget.

If your i-phone is disabled, then go to icloud.com or “Find iPhone” on another device. You will need to enter an ID and a password. After identification, you will be able to view the last recorded location of your iPhone. Through iCloud you can also:

1. Send a sound signal to the device.
2. Send a message asking to return the “find” to the owner, which will appear on the screen immediately after turning on the iPhone, even if you change the SIM card.

Friends, I have described enough methods for you to try to find your smartphone. I hope you find them useful. Please write down your search results in the comments - help us determine the most effective method.

How to find houses

It sounds surprising, but it is at home that the Android gets lost much more often than on the street or at a party. Therefore, owners are much more interested in how to find a device at home. As for possible methods, the following points are highlighted, presented in the table.

Google Maps application data will only be correct if Geolocation is previously enabled. It helps determine the location of the phone owner - in fact, the location of the device itself is determined.

If the owner has not used the Alarm Clock application in advance, they begin the search on their own. If the mobile device is turned off, proceed to the process in accordance with the following sequence:

1. First, you should analyze your actions and movement around the apartment. They do this in reverse order, because then there is a greater chance of finding the loss quickly. During a thorough analysis, the affairs and location of the owner are determined, who could have left the android in the most unexpected place. At the same time, bags, backpacks and packages are checked.
2. Next, they ask about the lost device to relatives and friends - everyone with whom the owners of the mobile device live. If there is a small child in the house, analyze his behavior and games in the last few minutes or hours. This is the only way to determine the route and the possibility of a child playing with an android.
3. If there are pets in the house, you should also analyze its habits and games. Perhaps it was the animal that hid the mobile phone in its secluded place.
4. Check the most unexpected places yourself - balcony, bathroom, refrigerator (and on the refrigerator), washing machine (phones are often found in the drum), trash cans.
5. If the above steps are not successful, I proceed to general cleaning. It is important to sort out all the places where things accumulate, first move away small-sized and light furniture (stools, armchairs, tables), then move on to large-sized ones (sofa, chest of drawers, closet). Phones often fall behind dressers, shelves, sofas, armchairs, and computer tables. During the search, many previously lost things and dust are found, which are immediately wiped away.

The following steps will help you find your Android if it is lost at home. Therefore, before starting your search, you should analyze your route, remember when you came home and use your mobile device. Only after making sure that the phone is definitely at home do they begin the search.

Free satellite search

You can track your Android by satellite only if you contact law enforcement agencies, a repair center or the manufacturer's company. In the first case, specialists work using the SIM card number. There are special programs that peel the location of the device. An important criterion in this case is the ability to track only if there is a SIM card on the phone. If it is removed, it will be difficult to track the device.

A turned off Android can be found by the IMEI number - a serial number that identifies the device. The number is always unique and can be found at the manufacturer’s office.

How to find a phone by IMEI

As mentioned above, IMEI is the serial number of any mobile device. It is always unique and is displayed in technical documentation. With its help, you can check whether the device in front of the owner is real or not a fake. To do this, contact the manufacturer's office with documents. Department employees check the number in the database. If it is there, then the device is not tampered with.

The IMEI is displayed on a sticker under the battery of the mobile device. It has 15 digits. It is recommended to copy down the number immediately after purchasing the phone in case the documents for the mobile phone are suddenly lost.

Search by IMEI occurs only through police officers. Otherwise, you need to access the mobile operator database. And this is difficult without authority. They go to the police department with a passport, documents for an android, or a piece of paper on which the IMEI was written in advance. If available, it is recommended to provide an agreement for a previously registered SIM card.

Applications in case of theft or loss of a smartphone

Above we have already presented some ways to find a mobile device in case it is stolen or lost. If you don’t have a SIM card and turn off your Android, you can only find it by its IMEI number. But there are also additional search applications that should be installed on your mobile phone in advance:

• Find My Device – allows you to lock the screen of a lost smartphone, which will prevent scammers from committing illegal actions. They first create a Google profile and search through it.

• Lookout is a paid antivirus that saves information about the location of the smartphone before turning it off or reducing battery power. The data is sent to an email that is specified in advance in the application.

• Kaspersky Internet Security is a paid antivirus that gives you more options for protecting your Android. In the event of a theft, it turns on a loud call signal or siren, which is controlled by the owner remotely and from another mobile device. The application also automatically deletes all personal data, blocks access to the device, takes photos from the front camera, and transfers the data to the email address whose address was previously entered into the program.

If you have an expensive mobile device, it is better to take advantage of additional paid protection measures. In this way, you can protect yourself not only from losing your Android, but also from the subsequent use of personal data by attackers.

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Looking for an iPhone

Apple devices, which include smartwatches, have functions similar to those installed on the iPhone:

• tracking the location of the device;
• forced dialing;
• phone lock;
• deleting user data.

You can also find a lost iPhone using Apple Watch. You can do this as follows:

1. Press and hold the Digital Crown until the watch face appears.
2. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and a control point should appear.
3. Click on the smartphone icon.

Don't forget, the trick will only work if the watch is synchronized with the iPhone.

How to set up Find My iPhone

To find your missing iPhone, you need to pre-set up your device:

1. Go to the gadget settings.
2. Select your name.
3. Go to the "iCloud" section.
4. Click Find iPhone.
5. Select Allow.

Now, using the Apple service, you can find your device and perform several actions with it to protect your personal information:

1. Go to the search page icloud.com/#find on your Mac or PC.
2. Enter your AppleID.
3. Select your phone.
4. Launch Find My iPhone.
5. Turn on Lost Mode.

Now you can track where the gadget is, display a message on the iPhone screen, your contacts, or lock the device. If you've added card numbers to Apple Pay, Lost Mode will temporarily disable the ability to make NFC payments.

An important limitation of this service is that your gadget must be turned on and online.