How To Wipe, Lock, Or Find Your Lost Android Phone

Shackcham Mirchandani - Jul 12, 2019

Google built a “Find My Device” feature that can be used on any Android tablet or phone. all you have to do is go to Google.com and type ‘find my phone’

It always sucks to lose your phones. But it’s 2019 now, and your loss is definitely not permanent. As for people who use Android, it’s even easier to find your phones.

In these modern days, some of the Android manufacturers built their own recovery services on phones. But Google did more than that. The giant made a “Find My Device” feature that can be used on any Android tablet or phone. Since Google has always been a search engine, all you have to do is go to Google.com and start typing ‘find my phone.’

Find-my-phone-Android — Google built a “Find My Device” feature that can be used on any Android tablet or phone

If your browser is currently signed in to your Google account link with your phone, there is a high chance that Google will ask you to sign in again. In this case, an information card, together with a map, should appear immediately in search results.

Once you’re logged in, you’ll find the exact location of your Android devices on Google Maps. Click on it, and you’ll see the signal level and current battery of your devices, and you should also get access to some device controls.

Find-my-phone-Android-Google — You’ll see the signal level and current battery of your devices

If you are sure that the Android device's location is inside your home, tap on ‘play sound’ and the phone will ring at maximum volume for the whole five minutes. This should still work even if your phone is on silent mode.

If you want to lock your phone, tap on ‘secure device.’ After doing that, your phone will not be accessed unless someone fills in the passcode. You can make threatening messages like ‘It’s my freaking phone, give it back to me, or I’ll punch you in the face’ appear on the screen. You can also give an additional phone number for those who are having your Android device to get in touch with you.

Find-my-phone -Android-secure-device — Tap on 'secure device' to lock your phone

And if there is no other choice, you’ll have the last option of wiping your Android device. Once this is done, there is no way for you to locate your phones’ locations anymore.

If you own or a voice-enabled device that is directly linked to your Google Assistant or a Google Home, try saying “Hey Google, find my phone.” That should make your phone to ring at maximum volume. It might sound like a small feature, but it would be helpful if you’re in a hurry and do not know where you leave the device.