Your Android gadgets are the most
important things in your life. It contains all your important contacts
and information. If you lose your equipment, you will be losing all
those sweet memories with the photos and video. But there is some good
news to android phone/tablet users, you can now easily find or at least
know where your missing phone is with or without using android
application.
Let’s first look at the way of finding your lost phone which doesn’t contain any app installed on it.
Use the IMEI Number
Every android phone carries a unique IMEI
number (International Mobile Equipment Identity Number). It will be
printed at the back of your device. If you are unable to find the
number, you have to launch your phone app and dial the number *#06#.
This will give you the IMEI number of your phone. Store this number in a
safe place so that it helps you in locating your phone when it is lost.
When you file a complaint, this number
has to be added in the report. Your service provider uses this number to
track your phone and tell you where it is. No matter if the person
using the phone is using a different SIM card or has switched off the
phone. Once the device is traced, you can request your service provider
to block it from using.
This is one of the easy ways of locating your lost Android phone or tablet.
Plan B
Another way of tracking your lost Android
gadget in no time is through Plan B app. This app does not require you
to install any recovery software previously but still helps in finding
your lost phone. All you need to do is log on to your Google play
account. Lookout mobile security offers free software called Plan B.
Download the software from play store to your phone. This will be
possible only if your phone is within the Internet coverage area. Wait
for some time and then send the keyword “locate” without the quotes
through SMS to your phone. And a map showing where your equipment is
will be sent to your Gmail account. This app is very much useful in
situations where you don’t have IMEI number.
If you have installed and configured any of these below android software previously, there is good chance of finding it.
You can log on to Google Play store >
My Android Apps, on your computer and check if you have installed any of
the following apps previously.
Lookout Security and Antivirus
Lookout is the best android app for
security and antivirus. So far, it has received millions of downloads.
Just recall if you have installed this on your phone.
If you have activated the option “Missing
Device” in this app, it is easy to find your device. If you have also
enabled “Signal Flare” option, you can trace the last known location of
your android device. This is helpful in case your phone battery is dead
or tablet is switched off.
Now sign in Lookout to locate your
device. The map shows the location of your phone. If you are at a short
distance from the tablet, you can choose Scream option to make a loud
noise to find it.
Android Device Manager
Google has recently released a new
locator feature for Android gadgets called Android Device manager, which
helps its users locate their lost or stolen phones and tablets. It
functions in the same way as Lookout and Samsung’s “Find My Mobile”.
Here’s how to use Android Device Manager.
Go to the Google Settings app, then
select Android device manager. By default the locator feature is
activated but to activate remove data wipe, select the box next to
“Allow remote factory reset”, then select “activate”.
To use this feature, open the site https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager
and sign in to your Google account. You may be prompted for permission
to allow Android Device Manager to use location data. Select the Accept
tab to continue.
Now you will be provided with a map that
shows the location of your device along with other details such as the
name of the place, when it was last used and more. The location data
doesn’t help you if your phone is misplaced somewhere in your home.
Instead of making a call to your phone using other’s phone, you can call
your phone directly from Android Device Manager. This will make your
device to ring with high volume for 5 minutes, even if it’s in silent or
vibrate mode.
One feature that is missing in Android
Device Manager is remote locking, which can be useful in preventing a
stranger from accessing your data, while you’re tracking its location.
Apart from these, there are other apps
such as Android Lost, Where do My Droid and GadgetTrak that help you in
finding your lost Android phone/Tablet
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