How to find a Samsung phone if it’s lost: searching for a device using your Google account and through the manufacturer’s website in 2022

Initial actions

To find a Samsung due to its theft or loss, you should not get lost, but you need to take the first and most important steps. These include contacting law enforcement agencies or searching on your own. So, when choosing the second option you need to:

It is better to call a lost phone more than once. These steps will help ensure that you haven't left it at home or with friends.
Remember the last time you used the device or just held it in your hands.
Determine approximate locations where a Samsung mobile device was lost or stolen.
Walk through them.
If possible, find a Samsung phone by IMEI.

In addition, you can go to pawn shops located near the approximate place of loss or theft, or contact resellers. The chances are slim, but it's worth a try.

Setup

Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET
If you signed into your Samsung account during initial setup, like I said, odds are Find My Mobile is already turned on.

Check on your device by searching for Find My Mobile in the Settings app. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Lock Screen and Security > Find My Mobile . If prompted, sign into your Samsung account to enable the feature.

I suggest turning on all options associated with the feature as well. Remote controls will allow you to do things like force a remote backup, retrieve call and message logs, enable battery saving features and so on. Google location service provides more accurate location information — vital at a time when you're tracking down a lost device. Send last location will monitor the device's battery and send its last known location right before it loses power.

What determines the success of finding a Samsung phone?

To find a Samsung Galaxy phone, you need to use geolocation or another method. But for the result to be positive, various factors must be taken into account. For example:

time elapsed since the theft or loss. Every minute is important because... if a telephone device is lost, it may be found by a person who does not want to return his find. In case of theft, the thief will have time to remove the SIM card and will no longer be able to call the number;
find a Samsung phone through a Google account and other Google services, provided the gadget is linked to them. If this is not done, then it will most likely not be possible to detect the loss via a PC;
correct configuration of the operating system and installation of the necessary data. Almost all existing search methods require preliminary configuration of the smartphone. Otherwise, you cannot do without the help of the police, but it may be ineffective.

If the above conditions are met, then finding a stolen or lost Samsung phone through an account or using another method will not be difficult.

Search functions on Android

After this activation, you will be able to:

find the location of a lost device using Wi-Fi or GPS turned on;
delete all data;
send messages even if the device does not have a SIM card;
make calls to the phone for 5 minutes, in “silent” mode;
change the code on the main screen.

If your phone is lost, if the Internet is connected, you can: find out the approximate location, call it, delete data.

Search via account

The most common method is to find a Samsung phone using your Google account. This functionality is available to all owners of gadgets running on the Android OS, including products from the South Korean manufacturer. To get your “lost” back, you need to register a Google account and check your network connection.

Attention!
The search will give results if the device is active and the Internet is turned on. Otherwise, your efforts will be in vain.

You need to do the following:

Log in to your Google account on your computer and select the “Search for phone” menu;
examine the list of devices that are assigned to the device profile;
select the desired model from the list;
authenticate by following the prompts.

After completing these steps, you can use one of two options: call the number or determine where it is via the Internet. In the first case, the device receives a call, with which you can determine whether it is on the street or at home. If the device is stolen, you will be able to determine its approximate location.

But if it is turned off, then you should wait until it is turned on to make searching easier. The disadvantage of the method is the error, which is 300 m. In other words, if the map where the system directs after logging into your account shows a multi-story building, then it is almost impossible to find the loss. The only solution is to constantly update the program to monitor the movement of the device.

Conditions for effectively searching for an Android device

To remotely track a lost device, another device is required from which the search will take place. Another smartphone, computer, laptop or tablet is suitable for this. Here are the main conditions needed for the search:

free Android device with access;
presence of the Internet, preferably quite powerful;
authorization on both gadgets must be in the same Google account;
the lost phone must be turned on and connected to the Internet;
On the stolen device, the “detect geolocation” function must be activated.

Search via apps

Thanks to the Find My Mobile application for Samsung, you can find your lost item very quickly. To do this, you will need to gain access to the gadget, find the place where it is located, or block it. To use this service, your Samsung account must be active on your phone. To do this, immediately after purchasing a smartphone, you need to download the program and register in it. In addition, a prerequisite is to allow Google to collect data and agree to the terms of use of wireless networks.

But you will be able to find a Samsung device through your account, provided that the “send last location” function is active in the settings. In this case, before the device is turned off, it will send information about its last location to the server, so it will not be difficult to find the device.

Attention!
If the gadget is not connected to the network or remote access is not enabled, then all efforts will be in vain.

In addition, using Find My Mobile you can:

lock screen, on/off buttons and Samsung Pay;
call your device and if it is nearby, a loud call will sound within a minute;
delete information available on the device;
save a backup copy to the Samsung cloud service.

This is not the only application that helps detect lost items, but it is the most popular.

Using Google Location History

To find a lost Samsung gadget, we will need Google's location history, now known as the Timeline.

To work with it, the following conditions are required:

Your lost phone must be associated with a Google account;
Your smartphone must have access to the Internet before it was turned off;
You must have location reporting and location history enabled on your device (you can do this in the Google Settings app) on your phone;

Unlike the Find My Device tool, Google Maps' Timeline feature doesn't focus on tracking your Samsung. It uses location history data to determine the gadget's last recorded location by the system. This means that even if your phone's battery is dead, you can still find it.

Go to the Timeline service and make sure the current day is selected in the calendar.

Select the current day in the chronology

In the left sidebar, you can see a timeline for that day, including the names of all recorded locations. On the right you can see all the locations visualized on the map.

Data from the Timeline service from Google

The benefit of Timeline is the ability to track the location of your Samsung phone over a period of time. This way, even if someone stole it, you can identify actively visited places that could be the thief's home or place of work. This will help you in catching him.

Track visited locations with the Timeline service

Search by IMEI

Thanks to this method, you can find a lost Samsung phone using its IMEI serial number. It is a 15-digit code that is assigned to each product before it goes on the market. Changing this combination on your own is problematic, so the average user will not be able to cope with this task.

To find out your IMEI, you need to look at the box in which the device was sold, at the battery, or dial the combination *#06#. But this method in case of theft is not the most effective, because... the thief will immediately reset this parameter. Users often start calling the call center to find their Samsung phone if they have lost it, or to get information about it. Unfortunately, they have the right to provide such information only to police officers, and they will not be able to block the device remotely.

This method requires time and effort, but its effectiveness is not always justified. Therefore, if there is no special equipment, it is better not to use this method.

Feature descriptions of Samsung Find My Mobile

Find my phone - Find my phone lets you find the current location of your lost device.

Lock your device - The ability to remotely lock a lost device reduces the risk of unauthorized access and theft of personal information. You can also set a message to display on the screen of a locked device and a phone number that you can call even when the device is locked.

Place a Call to Device— When you use the Place a Call to Device feature, your device plays the default ringtone at maximum volume for one minute, regardless of your ringtone or vibration settings. This allows you to draw the attention of others to your lost device and increase the likelihood of finding it.

Call Logs— Call Logs allows you to view lists of the most recent calls made using your device during the week. Call logs can be used to see if you've missed a call or if someone has used your device to make calls; it's also worth noting that viewing message logs is not supported.
Delete device contents - The Erase Device Contents feature can be used as a last resort to protect your information. This function deletes all data saved in the internal memory, external memory and SIM card. It also deletes all data saved on the device and restores factory settings.
After wiping and resetting your device, Find My Phone will no longer be available.

Unlock Screen - You may have encountered a situation where you were unable to unlock your device because you forgot your PIN, password or pattern. The Unlock Screen feature allows you to remotely disable the screen lock settings on your device.

SIM Card Change Alert - If the SIM card on a lost device is replaced by an unauthorized person, there is a high risk of personal information theft. The Find My Phone service notifies the owner when the SIM card on the device is changed. In addition, a text message indicating a SIM card change is sent to the number specified for the Lock Device feature.

How to find a smartphone by number

The easiest method is to call your number. Undoubtedly, it is not effective, because if the device was stolen, the number will no longer be available. But it often happens that if a gadget is lost, it is returned to the owner.

But there are often situations when a smartphone is lost at home or is located near the owner. In this case, a call from another device will help. But this does not apply to situations when the phone is in silent mode.

Attention!
If the SIM card is stolen, you must immediately remove the SIM card, because if the attacker wants to make a call, then its holder will pay.

In serious situations, you can call the operator, and he will provide information about calls that came to the device after it was lost. But it is important to take into account that the information will not be received by the user, but by representatives of law enforcement agencies after an official request.

Is it safe to search for a smartphone via the Internet?

All data is transferred to the Samsung server, from where the device owner receives a notification. The company assures that the data is securely encrypted before transmission and only the owners of the gadget and no one else can access it.

For clarity and understanding of how the function will actually work, Samsung published a short video in which it showed all the subtleties and features. The found gadget is actually displayed on the map. When the loss is detected, the owner will be able to plot a route to it or activate an audible alarm when he is already nearby. Augmented reality elements will be used to search in close proximity. The screen will display color graphics, which will become brighter as you approach the desired gadget.

How to find a switched off phone

Another problem that a Samsung smartphone user faces is that the device is lost and it is turned off. In this case, only law enforcement officials will be able to find the loss. You need to do the following:

Go to the police and file a missing person report. At the same time, hand over documents that confirm ownership of the gadget. Often this is a receipt from the store, packaging, or a warranty card.
Authorized authorities will open a case and try to find a phone from a South Korean brand via satellite online if the IMEI is known. This can be done if an attacker tries to use the device.

Without contacting the police, it will be impossible to find the thief or the loss, because... Employees have access to a database of IMEI numbers.

Track

Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Samsung doesn't have an app you can use on another phone to track a lost device. Instead, you can use any mobile or desktop browser to visit findmymobile.samsung.com. Once there, log into your account and select the device you're looking for.

If it's powered on, you will see its current location and battery percentage. A popup will also provide a series of actions to take on the lost device:

Ring
Lock
Erase data
Back up
Retrieve calls and messages
Unlock
Extend battery life
Set guardian

Most of these are self-explanatory. There are a couple that are worth explaining a bit more. For example, retrieve calls and messages will sync with the phone and show you the last 50 calls and messages, complete with phone numbers.

The Extend battery option will provide the option to help you track it longer. Lastly, the Set Guardian option allows you to designate a friend or family member as someone who can log into Find My Mobile on your behalf to track or control your device.

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How to lock a phone if lost

It is possible to track and block a Samsung phone that is stolen or lost. To do this, you will need to choose one of several available methods. Suitable for this:

Google account;
special Samsung services.

The second option involves searching for a Samsung phone through the manufacturer’s official website. To do this, you need to go to the “Android Remote Control” or “Find Smartphone” menu - it all depends on what action needs to be performed. After that, log into your Samsung account from your computer to find your phone and block it. it is possible to carry out the reverse procedure provided that the user knows the PIN code of the device.

Using Google Photos functionality

The method works great if the attacker or thief left the device with them after the theft. In other cases, it will be pointless to use it. The essence of the method is that the user can find out whether certain photographs were taken after the loss or not. If photographs are taken, you can easily view the location via Google. In order for the function to work, you need to connect it to the backup.

Connecting a backup is simple:

First you need to go to settings;
Go to “Account” and select a Google account;
Now you need to activate photo synchronization using this service. This is done by moving the slider to the active state.

After this, all photos taken on the device will also be available in the service on other devices. To see the location in the photo and whether they were taken at all, you should:

Go to the official Google photos website;
After this, profile data is entered. It is worth entering data from the account linked to the device;
After that, we look through the photos we took;
Select one of the photos;
The location will be available on the right side.

Loss protection methods to quickly find your smartphone

Often, owners of lost mobile devices hope that those who find them will notify the user about the find. But not all people are honest, so often the SIM card is immediately confiscated and disposed of.

In order to find your device in such unpleasant situations, you need to set it up immediately after purchase. To do this you need:

Go to settings and select the “Security” menu, go to “Device Administrators”.
Here install “Remote control” and confirm your choice.
To complete the setup, go to google.com/android/devicemanager. Here you must link the account with which the smartphone is associated, as well as its password.

Next, in the device menu, select the “Lock and protection screen” section, where there is the “Find phone” item. You need to select it and link it to your Samsung account. The next step is to activate “Remote Control”, as well as Google Location. With these simple steps you can find your property yourself.

It is possible to find a smartphone from a South Korean brand if you do not turn to unverified companies that promise the impossible, but configure the gadget correctly.

How to find out where your device is, block it, or delete data from it

Go to android.com/find and sign in to your Google Account.
If your lost phone has multiple user profiles, sign in to your primary profile's Google account.
A notification will be sent to your lost phone.
Information about where the phone is located will appear on the map.
If it cannot be identified, you will see where the phone was last seen.
Choose an action. If necessary, first press Lock your device and delete data.
Lock the device. The device will be locked using a PIN code, pattern or password. If they haven't been set up, you can lock the screen and add a message or phone number to it so that whoever finds it can return your device.
Clean the device. All data will be deleted from the phone without the possibility of recovery (but information on SD cards may remain). After this, the Find My Device feature will no longer work. Important! To use a phone from which all data has been erased, you will need to enter your Google Account password.

Search via app

Open the Find My Device app on another Android phone or tablet. If the application is not installed, download it from Google Play.
Sign in to your account.
If you're helping someone else find a device, select Sign in as a guest so that person can use their account.
Follow the instructions above.

Search using your Wear OS watch

If you lose your phone or tablet connected to your Wear OS by Google smartwatch, you may be able to find it using it.

Geolocation settings

In general, as a standard, the geodata function on Android smartphones is not only enabled, but also works. However, if it was disabled independently or by the user, and now you need to enable it, you should go to the settings. You should find a special “Location” section in them. It is here, in these parameters, that all those points that in one way or another relate to geodata are concentrated. There is also a switch with which the user can both enable and disable the geolocation function.