What Do I Do When I Can't Find My Phone?

"What can I do when I can't find my phone?" is a question that must've occurred to you at least once.

Phones are not just gadgets we use to make phone calls; we have started to put so much of our lives into them. For example, in 2021, iPhones started to have everything you need inside them, such as credit cards, door keys, car keys, IDs, and driver's licenses. And, Apple is planning on including passports soon. 

So, losing your phone doesn't mean that you only lose it; you might lose very sensitive information along with it, which would only lead to more financial and material losses.

So, if I happen to lose my phone or if someone steals it, how can I find my phone?

How Can I Find My Phone?

Technology grows bigger every day, and so does greed. So, the more smartphones the companies make, the bigger the chance that thieves and scammers will be on the lookout to have these devices. 

So, it only makes sense that these companies would have built-in utilities to help you find your phone if you ever happen to lose it.

Let's break this down based on what operating system you use:

1. iOS

Apple has a "Find My" app for tracking your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. Once you enable it and allow the app to track your location, you will always be able to track your device, and no one will ever be able to unlock it unless with the iCloud password of the original account.
 

To enable Find My iPhone, go to Settings > choose Your Account at the top (where it shows your Display Name, Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store) > go to Find My > enable it.

You can also enable the "Share My Location" option to allow your friends and family to track your location. This feature is very helpful for family members to always make sure everyone is safe. 

Now let's talk about what we're here for. How can I find my phone using the "Find My" app?

You can easily track your lost iPhone by using the app on someone else's device or on iCloud.com; go to the "Find My" app > Devices > find the device in the list.

You can then command the device to make a sound (even if it's put on silent), you can mark it as lost, ask for directions to find it, and in extreme cases, you can erase it. If the device is offline, though, the commands will only go through once it's online. However, if you lose any hope of finding it, you can erase everything that is on it. 

2. Android

If or when you add a Google account to your device, the Find My Device option is automatically on. With this option, you will be able to locate your Android phone, tablet, or even your OS Watch. 
 

To locate your device, it must have the location turned on, and the "Find My Device" on. It must also be: 

• Turned on
• Signed in to a Google Account
• Connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi
• Visible on Google Play

How can I find my phone in this case? 

You go to android.com/find and sign in to your Google account > choose the lost phone > the phone will get a notification > on the map, you'll see where your phone is. You can command the phone to make a sound, and you can lock the phone and set a PIN code. If you lose hope in finding it, you can choose to erase all the data on the phone. 
 

Is There Any Other Way to Find My Phone?

The answer is yes. There is another, and even better, way to find your lost phone; Antiviruses. It doesn't make sense, right? Yet it does; let's break it down.

The common, most obvious use for an Antivirus is to protect your device from any potential viruses or malware. But what many people don't know is that Antiviruses also protect you from in-real-life dangers; a good Antivirus will have an anti-theft mode to help you find your device if you ever lose it and help you keep any sensitive information safe and hidden.

To make things easier for you, we have gone through the list of all Antiviruses and decided which Antivirus is the best for this task.

Avast
 

The Premium Security plan of Avast Antivirus provides users with an Anti-Theft tracking feature to make sure you can track your device if it's lost or stolen. It also provides you with the ability to capture photos and audio of whoever tries to open your device and sends it to your email. It also allows you to lock your photos and files with a PIN/fingerprint so that even if it gets stolen, no one can access your sensitive info. 

To be able to track a device, it must be turned on and connected to the internet, the Anti-Theft option should be enabled, and your device must be paired with an Avast account.

To send commands to your lost device, go to id.avast.com/sign-in > enter your account credentials and click continue > click Anti-Theft and select the lost device > select the chosen command.

Avast offers several commands: 

• Locate: Will track your device and send you the location.
   
• Lost: Will lock your device, command the device to make a sound, and with its "Camera trap," it will capture a photo of the thief and record a 1-minute audio file and send them both to you. It will also show you the last location of the phone. 
   
• Siren: Will trigger a loud siren on your lost device.
   
• Lock: Will lock your phone and no one will be able to unlock it without your Avast PIN.
   

• Wipe: Will wipe all the data on your device and initiate a factory reset.

Avast has three plans; one is free, and two are paid. The free plan does not include an Anti-Theft feature.

This table shows the prices of the Premium and the Unlimited plans: 

 
Avast has a 30-day free trial of the premium plans. In addition, a 30-day money-back guarantee is also available, adding up to 60 days of risk-free use of Avast until you make up your mind.

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