In “How to find a lost smartphone?”, we cover the key points of the topic and practical details useful for smartphone repair technicians and electronics users.
A missing phone feels urgent, and the first few minutes matter most. Android phones, iPhones and Samsung Galaxy devices all have a built-in way to locate, ring, lock and, as a last resort, erase a lost device. These tools only help if they were switched on before the phone went missing, so this guide covers both sides: what to do right now, and what to set up today so you are covered next time.
We first published this article in March 2023. In October 2026 we rewrote it against the current Google, Apple and Samsung help pages. Some names have changed since then: Google's Find My Device is now called Find Hub, and Samsung's Find My Mobile became part of SmartThings Find.
If a Google Account is added to an Android phone, Find Hub is switched on automatically. To secure or erase the phone remotely, Google says it has to have power, be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, be signed in to a Google Account, have Find Hub turned on and be visible on Google Play.
To find it, open the Find Hub app on another Android device (a friend can let you sign in as a guest) or go to google.com/android/find in a browser and sign in. The map shows the current location or, if the phone cannot be reached, its last known location. Then choose an action:
Find Hub can also locate a phone that is offline. By default, Android stores encrypted recent locations with Google and takes part in the Find Hub network, a crowdsourced network of Android devices that helps owners find lost devices. You can check this in Settings under Google, All services, Find Hub, "Find your offline devices". Google notes that you need a PIN, pattern or password for this to work.
Newer Android versions add theft protection: Settings, Google, All services, Theft protection. Remote Lock lets you lock the screen at android.com/lock with your verified phone number instead of your Google password, which helps under stress. Google lists the conditions: a screen lock, an active SIM, a verified number, Find Hub turned on and an internet connection. Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock lock the screen automatically if the phone is snatched or taken offline. Availability depends on the Android version and phone model.
On an iPhone, Find My has to be on before the loss: Settings, your name, Find My, Find My iPhone. Turn on the Find My network as well. Apple says that on supported models it lets you locate the iPhone for up to 24 hours after it is turned off, or up to 5 hours in power reserve mode. Send Last Location sends the position to Apple automatically when the battery is critically low.
When the iPhone is missing, use the Find My app on another Apple device or sign in at icloud.com/find from any browser. You can also use a family member's device. From there you can see the location, play a sound and mark the device as lost. Lost Mode locks the iPhone with your passcode, suspends Apple Pay cards and passes, and shows your phone number and a message on the screen.
Erasing is the last step. If Find My was not turned on before the iPhone went missing, it will not appear in Find My, so you cannot mark it as lost or erase it remotely. Apple also warns that it never contacts owners to say a lost iPhone has been found, so treat such texts and calls as phishing. Activation Lock stays on after an erase, so nobody can set the phone up again without your Apple Account password.
On iOS 17.3 or later, Stolen Device Protection adds Face ID or Touch ID checks and a one-hour security delay for actions such as changing your Apple Account password when the iPhone is away from familiar places. It has to be turned on in advance.
Galaxy phones work with Google Find Hub like any Android phone, and they also have Samsung's own service. Samsung's conditions are similar: the phone has to be on, connected to a network and signed in to a Samsung account. If it is powered off, only its last known location is shown. Check Settings, Security and privacy, Lost device protection, and turn on "Allow this phone to be found", "Send last location" and "Offline finding".
On smartthingsfind.samsung.com (or the Samsung Find website) you can lock the phone, track its location with updates every 15 minutes and erase the data. If you think the phone was stolen, Samsung advises against going to the location yourself: tell the police and let them recover it.
The IMEI is the phone's unique identifier. Your operator can use it to block the handset, and the police may ask for it, together with the serial number, when you report a theft. Write it down now while the phone is in your hand. Dialling *#06# shows it on most phones, and it is also listed in Settings under About phone (on an iPhone, General, About) and on the original box.
If the phone is already gone, you can still look it up. On Android, open the device in the Find Hub app or at google.com/android/find and check its settings. For an iPhone, sign in at account.apple.com and open the Devices section. A SIM PIN is worth setting as well: without it, a thief can move your SIM to another phone and receive calls and texts meant for you, including verification codes.
These settings overlap with the everyday habits in our guide to protecting your phone and accounts from hackers. An old handset in a drawer can serve as a temporary spare while you sort things out, and our article on what to do with an old smartphone has more ideas for it.
The same apps can find trackers and some accessories. If you mostly lose keys or a bag, a small Bluetooth tag helps. Before you buy one, check which app or finding network it works with: many budget tags use their own maker's app rather than Apple Find My or Google Find Hub.
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Turn off Lost Mode or unlock it with your PIN, look for unfamiliar apps and account sign-ins, and change any password you typed in while it was missing. If it was dropped or got wet, back it up before you take it in for repair. Our article on common phone repair myths explains what really happens to your data during a repair.
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