How to Find a Lost or Stolen Android Phone

Google's Find My Device can locate, lock, or remotely erase your Android phone if it goes missing. Learn how to set it up before you need it.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.Make sure Find My Device is turned on
2.Locate your phone from any browser
3.Make your phone ring
4.Lock your phone remotely
5.Erase your phone as a last resort

Make sure Find My Device is turned on

~25s

Open your phone's Settings app. Tap "Security" (or "Security & privacy" on some phones). Tap "Find My Device" and make sure the toggle is turned on (green or blue). Your phone also needs location services on — go to Settings > Location and make sure it's enabled.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: On Samsung Galaxy phones, this feature is called "Find My Mobile" and lives in Settings > Biometrics and Security > Find My Mobile.

Locate your phone from any browser

~15s

From any computer or phone, go to android.com/find and sign in with the Google account on your missing phone. You'll see a map with your phone's last known location. The map updates every few minutes as long as the phone has internet.

Make your phone ring

~15s

On the Find My Device page, click or tap "Play sound." Your phone will ring at full volume for 5 minutes — even if it's on silent or vibrate. This is handy when you've simply misplaced it somewhere in your home.

Lock your phone remotely

~15s

Click "Secure device" to lock your phone with your PIN, pattern, or password immediately. You can also display a custom message on the lock screen — like your email address — so an honest person who finds it can contact you.

Erase your phone as a last resort

~24s

If you're certain the phone is stolen and won't be recovered, click "Erase device." This permanently deletes all data on the phone. Only do this as a last resort — after erasing, you can no longer track the phone's location.

Warning

Erasing is permanent and cannot be undone. Make sure you've tried locating and locking first. A clean erase is the right choice if sensitive financial or personal information is at risk.

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Losing your phone is stressful — and if it falls into the wrong hands, it's a serious privacy risk. Android phones have a built-in service called Find My Device that lets you locate your phone on a map, make it ring at full volume (even if it's on silent), lock it remotely, or erase it completely if you're certain it's gone for good.

Find My Device works as long as your phone is on, connected to the internet (even on Wi-Fi), and signed into your Google account. The best time to set it up is right now, before anything happens. All you need is your Google account password and about two minutes.

This guide also covers what to do the moment you realize your phone is missing, so you can act quickly and protect your personal information.

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