There are instances when we lose our phones, sometimes in our homes when we can’t remember where we put them, and unfortunately sometimes they get stolen or misplaced when We are outside.
In the former example, it is easy to find our Android phone using the Find My Phone feature on our paired smartwatch, or simply ask someone else to play it. But if it gets lost outside our homes, we need a little extra help. Luckily, there is an easy way to remotely locate and search your Android phone, lock it, and even erase all data when needed.
Google provides a simple process in which users can find, lock, and erase all data on their Android phone – in the event that you lose it. The Find My Device feature allows Android users to locate the handset, remotely keep unwanted eyes by setting pins, passcodes, or patterns.
Users can call the finder to display a message on their lock screen asking that you have a phone once. This feature also allows users to erase all data on their Android phone so that the searcher does not have access to it and at the same time triggers phone security, making the phone unusable for anyone else.
How to find your lost Android smartphone and wipe data remotely
To find, lock, or erase Android phones, there are some prerequisites. The phone must be turned on, the user must sign in with a Google account, the user must be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, they must appear on Google Play, their location settings must be turned on, and in addition to their Find My Device setting also turned on. If all these pre-requirements are met, the user should follow these steps:
Go to Android.com/find and sign in to your Google account, similar to the one used on the phone. Once you sign in, you will see your phone in the top left corner. If you have multiple phones with the same account, select the one that is lost. It will show you details about battery life and when it was online.
Google will simultaneously show the approximate location of the handset on the map. If your phone cannot be found, you will see its last known location, if available.
If the phone is located nearby and you know the location, you can go to the location and then select the Play Sound option to make your phone ring non-stop for five minutes, even if it is set to silent Ho.
If the phone is located in an unknown area, readers are cautioned not to attempt to recover their Android phone themselves, and instead contact law enforcement – who may request an serial number or IMEI code .
How to find your phone serial number
If you want to lock the screen, select the Secure Device option. This will allow you to lock your phone and sign out of your Google account. You can also display a message and phone number on the lock screen to get in touch with the finder if they search the phone in front of you. If you do not have a lock, you can set one through this option.
You can also choose to select the third option – wipe the device. It permanently deletes all the data in your phone and after you are erased, FindMy device will not work on the phone. If your phone is offline, it will start erasing as soon as the next one comes online. This will prevent nuisances from accessing any data on your phone.