Ways to find a lost Android phone through a computer. How to find a lost Android phone - Effective ways

The cell phone boom is a thing of the past. Today even schoolchildren have pipes. A mobile phone not only serves as a means of communication, but also stores important data. This includes phone numbers, photographs, management programs bank accounts or electronic wallets. Therefore, if you lose your gadget, you can find big problem. However, in some situations it is possible to find the phone even when it is turned off.

If your phone is lost

There are two options for solving the problem of a lost phone: Buy a new one and forget about it after being sad for a couple of weeks (this is what they do most often), or pull yourself together and use possible ways find a mobile phone. After all, applications can be installed on it to log into various accounts. It's not only social media, but also banks and electronic wallets. You need to act quickly. If search attempts were not made immediately, most likely you will not find your loss. According to statistics, the device can be found in the first 10–15 days. Then it is almost impossible to do this. No more than 30 percent of mobile devices are returned.

Ways to find a mobile phone

Losing a mobile device is an unpleasant event. Therefore, try to prepare in advance for this incident. Install possible programs to help you find your device. Password protect your phone. Keep the data in cloud storage. Do not throw away the documents and the device box. They will be useful if you contact the police.

There are three ways to find a switched off phone:

• It’s good to search the place of the loss, walk along the route where you definitely were with the phone;
• search by SIM card subscriber number;
• if the phone is somewhere nearby, but the search did not help, and you know that you set the alarm clock. Just wait for the signal.

All other methods only work on devices that are turned on.

Search via computer

Telecom operators offer the Locator service to track phones with the consent of their owners. Since you are the owner, this will not be a problem for you.

Search by IMEI

The method is suitable for phones with a GPS receiver on any operating system. Download the program for your device and install. Register on the website of this program. Now your phone will be constantly tracked by satellite, and the data will be recorded on the website. The IMEI code is a number that is located on the box and under the battery on the phone body. You can find it by dialing *#06#.

How to find a device by phone number

Mobile operators can send signals to a switched off device. If the attacker did not remove your SIM card, then you will know where the phone is. To do this, contact your telecom operator.

Looking for the address

At the address you will only find subscriber number SIM cards or landline phone, not a mobile handset.

Built-in search function

In different operating systems It provides a device search using the built-in function and the Internet. The smartphone must be turned on.

How to determine location using Google account

This method is only suitable for smartphones running Android OS. By using Google account You can not only determine the location of the phone, but also lock the device and erase data. To do this, the following conditions must be met:

• the phone is connected to the Internet;
• installed Google app. In this case, the Find My Device feature is enabled by default;
• the gadget is displayed in Google Play;
• remote enabled Android management Device Manager. It is located in the security settings;
• geodata transmission is activated.

To find your phone, do the following:

1. On your computer, go to android.com/find. To find a gadget using a tablet or other smartphone, open the “Find Device” application in it and log in to your account.
2. If you're tied different devices, choose among them lost phone.
3. The map in your account shows where the device is currently located. If the current location is not determined, then you will see the last one found. The information provided is approximate.
4. Once you have determined the location of the smartphone, you can immediately select an action:
   • ring. The phone will beep for five minutes. The function also works when the sound is turned off;
   • block. You can also lock the screen and display text with a phone number on it;
   • clear. All data except the SD card is deleted. After cleaning, you can no longer use the “Find device” option.

Search function for iOS

iPhones are searched similarly to Androids.

1. In Settings, turn on Find My iPhone.
2. Register with icloud and link your device.
3. Go to the application on icloud.com.
4. Select your smartphone. If it is enabled, you will see it on the map. You will have access to the same actions as on Android. If your phone is lost at home, select beep. Well, if it was stolen, then turn on the lost mode. The thief will no longer be able to use the device, and you will see the movement of the phone on the map. You can erase all data so that no one can use it again.

Search feature for Windows Phone

Turn on the Find My Phone feature in system settings and link your device to your account on the Microsoft website. Here you need to check both boxes: for faster connection and saving the phone’s position at intervals.

If your phone goes offline, you'll see its last location. Next, similar to previous devices, look at the map and select necessary actions to make a call, lock or clean your smartphone.

Search with apps

If you don’t want to use the Internet when searching for a phone, you can turn to programs that are controlled by messages or calls. These are antivirus and search applications:

• Avast! Mobile Security;
• Kaspersky Internet (Mobile) Security;
• WatchDroid;
• Pray Anti Theft;
• Where's My Droid;
• Plan B;
• Android Lost Free.

These programs flash, emit sound signals, track the location and show it on the map, allow you to remotely control the phone, take pictures from the camera, and broadcast the sound surrounding the lost device. As a last resort, you can lock and wipe the device.

Software from Lookout is very popular. It is designed for different operating systems. The Signal Flare program received new feature for Android, which is a few seconds before complete discharge battery records the device's coordinates.

Other ways

If your cell phone is missing, contact the police. But only if you are sure that the device was not lost at your home. Otherwise, if discovered, you will have to pay a fine. To contact law enforcement agencies, prepare documents for your phone number and personal passport.

When the phone cannot be found

A mobile phone cannot be found if the SIM card or battery has been removed from it and reflashed to change the IMEI code. If a device gets into an unfavorable environment and fails, the owner will never find it again. For example, a phone that falls into a river or hot sand on a beach will stop functioning.

How to reduce the possibility of losing your cell phone

There is no way to completely protect yourself from losing your device. But you can reduce this probability by observing simple rules and recommendations:

• try to keep your phone in one place at all times. If you use a bag, then allocate a separate pocket for your mobile phone. At home or at work, place the device in a permanent place. Then the loss can be immediately noticed;
• never put the gadget in your back pocket;
• In crowded places, try to use your phone only when necessary. The probability of snatching it is very high;
• Buy a headset that alerts you when there are more than five meters between you and the device. Such a signal will warn you about a phone left in a cafe or a thief running away;
• There are special keychains for finding things. They respond to different sounds;
• when in public transport There are many passengers standing close, you may not feel the attacker pulling out the phone. Carry headphones with you. Good music will make the trip not boring, and an unexpected cessation of sound will signal that the gadget has turned off;
• play Pokemon Go very carefully. This is not funny, because Pokemon are found in various gateways and precarious courtyards, where there is no lighting or people. Attackers can take advantage of this.

No one is immune from losing a cell phone. In order to find a gadget and avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to use suitable means. In cases where this is impossible to do, hurry to change the passwords for accounts that were accessed via a mobile phone.

One of current problems today – the opportunity to determine the location of an expensive device that stores a lot of personal (important) information. The question of how to track the location of an Android phone if it is lost or stolen is especially acute. For this purpose, many special programs have been created.

Unfortunately, Android does not have an “official” mode (like Apple), but a series of special (third-party) tracking applications have been developed that also help improve security. The work of some of them is impossible without pre-installation to the tablet.

Search through pre-installed applications

Responsible users don't wait until they lose their Android to install one of the programs that can track its location.

Lookout Security & Antivirus (Antivirus | Lookout), allows access from personal account(via computer) to the following functions:

• activation of loud notification, which does not depend on the set sound mode;
• possibility of remote device locking.
• recovering data from a lost device.

If the tablet is turned off or this application has been removed from it, the last coordinates with working (active) protection will appear on the screen.

Will help you find lost android. After sending a specific code via SMS, you can:

• make the phone ring;
• get current coordinates.
• The Pro version provides the ability to:
• take a photo of the thief (front camera);
• remove applications (uninstall);
• block (remote access) all functions on a lost tablet:

Android Lost Free is also worthy of attention – absolutely free application, which has a rich set of functions that can be activated remotely:

• starting an alarm (which cannot be turned off), accompanied by a flickering screen;
• switching on or turning off Wi-Fi and GPS;
• deleting all existing data;
• call tracking;
• obtaining images from any of the available cameras.

Another advantage is a notification about a SIM card change, sent to the specified email address.

Since Android Lost does not appear in the menu, it is quite difficult to remove.

And this is only a small part of the existing software. However, such programs should be installed in advance.

The device is already lost. What to do?

How to track Android phone, if it is lost and none of the above programs have been installed.

For this there is a “Plan B” (“Find my phone”) - it is provided remote installation apps from Google Play Store. The only caveat is that Android must be registered in the system (availability account Google).

The procedure is as follows:

• install “Plan B” on a lost tablet (phone);
• open a letter sent by the program to the linked account;
• read information about his location.

It is worth noting that this application does not work for everyone. Android versions. And there is no confidence in the veracity of the result obtained.

It's better to try to track Android in real time through computer - Android service Device Manager or “Android Remote Control”, which allows you not only to see the location of your tablet or phone on a map at any moment, but also to erase data, clearing the built-in memory, or change passwords.

To track your Android, you need to:

• Open on your PC " Android Remote Control»or Android Device Manager from another Android.
• Log in - log in to your account using your login (lost tablet).
• Find the tablet you are looking for in the form of a blue circle on the Google map. In addition, the address near which the loss is located will be indicated.

Correct operation of the service is possible only when the GPS module is turned on, otherwise lost device will not be determined.

The possibility deserves special attention:

• Call using the button of the same name in the pop-up window. To confirm the action, select “Yes”. The option allows you to find a phone “hidden” nearby. In this case, Android will call for about five minutes ( maximum sound). Pressing the power button turns off the beep. If the phone is far away, the person who finds it will be able to answer the call.
• Configure blocking and deletion of data, for which the system will ask you to send a notification - click “Submit”.

When erasing all data from the device, you must remember that the operation is irreversible.

Blocking is done manually:

• open Google Setting (on tablet)
• enter "Android Remote Control"
• find " Remote blocking and reset settings" and check the box
• enable geolocation
• make sure the device you are looking for is found
• after this a new lock code is set
• If desired, you can specify the text of the message that will be displayed on the lock screen of the lost tablet.

The disadvantage of this method is that constant access to GPS drains the tablet very quickly.

Advanced Mobile Care also has similar functions. In this simplest free antivirus There is a built-in function such as “Anti-Theft”. You just need to enable this function to track the location of your tablet (phone) directly on the site, after logging in first. Here you can raise the alarm, which guarantees a lot of unpleasant moments for the robber.

Many methods have been invented to help in the search for the missing Android. And yet it is easier to prevent such a situation. You just need to be careful (attentive) with your own property. Take care of your nerves!

Even if you are one hundred percent sure that the phone is stolen, this will still help you. Perhaps it’s just lying somewhere nearby, maybe a kind stranger found your phone and wants to return it, or maybe you just left it in a store or cafe.

Also find out if anyone close to you uses apps that can track your movements. For example, or a significant other. Many programs allow you to specify exact coordinates. Finding the phone in this case is much easier.

Collect all the information that will help prove that this is your phone. This may be a warranty card and other documentation issued to you.

Report the theft to the police. To do this, you just need to fill out an application. It’s good if you already have approximate coordinates and know the IMEI code.

If you cannot find your stolen phone, contact your mobile operator to block the account and restore the SIM card. Remember that blocking will prevent the operator from contacting the phone.

iPhone owners

Owners of iPhones and smartphones running Android OS (Samsung, HTC, etc.) are lucky, because it is much easier for them to find. In some models it is not even possible to replace the SIM card

If you have an iPhone, log into your iCloud account using a computer or other Apple devices. Click on the “Find My iPhone” button (for owners of the English version: “Find My iPhone”) with the radar image.

Then in the window that appears, click on the information icon. It is located on the black location bar. After this, you will have the opportunity to lock the phone, erase data from it, send a message, or simply play a melody.

If you managed to find the coordinates yourself, do not attempt to pick up the phone yourself. This way you can avoid hassles and unnecessary litigation.

If you were able to locate your phone, and it is in an unknown place, then it is better to block it completely. This fact completely eliminates the chance that your iPhone was picked up by relatives. If the phone is not locked, the thief can simply disable the location function.

Android owners

Android owners have only one advantage over owners of simple mobile phones - the package special applications. Such programs are developed specifically to deal with theft.

The advantage is that if you have the account data, you can install the application from another device. Go to Play Market, go to yours and select required application. Then allow access and click the install button. If you manage to do everything correctly, Gmail will receive the necessary coordinates.

As practice shows, most often a phone is stolen through a primitive robbery in a dark alley, quiet park, or underground passage. Such actions are usually aimed at people who cannot defend themselves and fight back against attackers. Young women and teenagers become victims of criminals most often. Unnoticed theft occurs mainly in a crowded place, where, amid the rush and crowd, it is difficult to notice how the thief snuck into a pocket or bag.

The theft or loss of a mobile phone always brings a lot of worry to its owner. The difficulty of returning a found phone is due to the peculiarities of the Russian mentality. People, having found the phone, do not want to return it and take it for themselves. One of the most effective ways is to search for a mobile phone by IMEI.

What is IMEI?

IMEI is a 15-digit code ( international identifier mobile equipment). It is unique for each device and is assigned to the phone by the manufacturer. This code is issued to each cellular device operating in the GSM, IDEN, WCDMA networks. IMEI is stored in the phone's factory firmware. Its main task is authorization and identification in cellular network. Therefore, searching for a cell phone by IMEI can be effective if it is stolen or lost.

When a smartphone is stolen, the owner submits an official report and blacklists the IMEI. In the EU countries and the USA, such a phone will not work in any cellular network, since it is subject to call barring, with the exception of emergency services, and when you try to register, a signal is sent to the service, which allows you to transmit the relevant information about the place and time of access to the network to the police. Therefore, in foreign countries, thanks to this system of work, it is possible to successfully track a phone by IMEI and prevent theft, since when it is blacklisted, it becomes a useless thing. In Russia, unfortunately, such a mechanism for combating intruders has not yet been developed.

How to find out the IMEI of a phone?

First of all, to answer the question of how to find a phone by IMEI, it is important to find this code. In order to find out the IMEI, just dial a simple command *#06# - and the 15-digit code will appear on the screen. The information is also located under the battery in the table along with serial number, on branded packaging or sticker and warranty card. Thus, this code is a kind of “fingerprint”, since every time you register on the network GSM operator cellular communications sees location by Phone IMEI.

Is it possible to change IMEI?

On some phone models, a way to change IMEI has been found; as a rule, these are Chinese devices. This feature is not available on newer mobile devices. Since manufacturers are interested in providing their users with the maximum level of protection and security, they are constantly looking for solutions to combat theft. However, along with manufacturers, scammers are also looking for ways and loopholes to hack the device’s software and resell the stolen phone. It is worth noting that in some countries, for example in Kazakhstan, there is an article for unauthorized access to protected information, which is punishable by imprisonment for up to 3 years. In Russia for change IMEI Articles 273 and 272 of the Criminal Code are provided. And in judicial practice there are cases of imprisonment under these articles for a period of 3 years.

How to find a phone by IMEI

In Russia, mobile operators have access to information about the location of phones. However, they do not have the right to disclose this information to ordinary citizens and provide it only at the request of law enforcement agencies.

To search for a phone by IMEI, you need to contact the police with a free-form statement, indicating your last name, first name and patronymic, passport details and IMEI of the stolen phone. It is also necessary to provide copies of documents confirming ownership of the device. After this, police officers make a request to cellular communication companies in Russia, which check whether the subscriber with the specified IMEI is registered on the network, and give an official response to law enforcement agencies. The intelligence services, in turn, having learned the location of the attacker, search for him and take appropriate measures.

However, in practice, due to the bureaucratic structure of our state, requests to the police are processed quite slowly, and by the time things get underway, the attacker will already have time to resell the phone on the secondary market or change the IMEI. And cellular operators, in turn, do not turn off a cell phone until it is proven that it is indeed stolen. Therefore a revision is required legislative framework to simplify the system for dealing with thefts of mobile devices.

Is it possible to return a stolen phone by identifying it using IMEI yourself?

Despite the fact that there are a number of web services on the Internet that offer to search for a phone by IMEI code, they do not provide any guarantee about the accuracy of the information. Since officially only mobile operators have information, they do not have the right to give information to anyone except law enforcement agencies. Therefore, these methods are questioned, and it is worth remaining vigilant when using them. It will be possible to identify a stolen phone only if it is not turned off and any actions are performed from it - calls, checking the balance, sending messages.

How intelligence agencies determine the location of a stolen phone

The mobile phone can only be detected using the cellular standard GSM communications. The signal from the mobile device is analyzed by software, which allows you to determine the sector and the nearest station base in which the subscriber is registered. This search system allows you to find a phone by IMEI and find out its location with an accuracy of 100-200 meters, which is sufficient for an attacker to be caught by law enforcement officers.

What to do if your phone is stolen?

For those who want by IMEI, just follow the following steps.

1. To find a stolen phone, you should not immediately block the SIM card. If calls are made from it, there is a possibility of detecting the location of the intruder, which will help police officers in investigating the case. It is advisable to block only if there is a large amount of money in the account and a tariff with a postpaid payment system is used, since all conversations cell phone the attacker will have to pay the owner.
2. Find out IMEI. If the IMEI is unknown, it can be found on the original packaging in which the device was sold. Using the identifier, it is possible to find a stolen phone even if the SIM card is replaced with another mobile operator. However, the factory code of the phone does not always coincide with the code indicated on the packaging, so it is worth checking it at the stage of purchasing the phone.
3. Contact your operator's mobile phone store to obtain a printout of calls from the date the phone was lost.
4. With your passport, documents for purchasing the phone that confirm ownership (warranty card, receipt, box), printout of calls, you must contact the police to report the loss of your mobile device. In the application you must indicate your contact information, as well as IMEI number, and insist that law enforcement officers contact the cellular operator to search for the loss using the identification number.
5. You can enter your phone into one of the databases of stolen phones on such Internet resources as imeis.ru, trackerplus.ru, tech-touch.ru and others. If you enter your details, you can protect buyers from purchasing a stolen phone. And also if an attacker tries to sell the phone on the secondary market, other participants in this service will notify you about this.

Methods for finding a stolen phone

Android Device Manager is a service that is provided for mobile devices running on Android. When registering in the service, you have the opportunity to use the “Search for a phone by IMEI satellite” service. The option also suggests making free call for a lost phone maximum volume, which allows you to find your phone if it was not stolen, but lost on the street or at home.

How to find a phone by IMEI made by Apple

iPhones are popular all over the world and most often they become a tasty prey for attackers. These devices are characterized by high demand, price and good liquidity. Manufacturers of Apple products have taken care of the safety of their users by providing the ability to track the location of the device thanks to the geolocation system. To do this, you need to use the iCloud option, in which you can enable the “Find My iPhone” function. After your device is lost, just go to icloud.com and enter your password and Apple ID. If this function was not activated before the theft, the system will not track the phone, and it will not be possible to find it this way. In this case, the only correct decision is to file a corresponding application with law enforcement agencies.

Alternative options for finding a stolen phone

1. It is recommended to create a business card on the phone about the owner with contact information in case the phone turns out not to be stolen, but lost, and the people who found it want to return the loss to the rightful owner.
2. Many mobile device manufacturers offer various services, which involve sending SMS messages when changing the SIM card to the number specified during registration.
3. You can use the LoSToleN service, which is a database of stolen phones and allows you to place information about the IMEI of the missing gadget for a reward if found.

Searching for data on the Internet

With development information technology Many services on the Internet offer a program to find a phone by IMEI. However, it is worth remembering that in most cases such offices are fraudulent and operate illegally. They ask you to send a paid SMS message to gain access to the service, which ultimately does not provide any information. Therefore, when looking for a solution to the problem of how to find a phone by IMEI, you should not resort to methods of searching for information on the global network.

In order to find a phone, you must have access to equipment and software everyone mobile operators countries. Therefore, such a service cannot be provided by ordinary web offices. Access to information is only available to law enforcement agencies, who receive information upon request from any operator mobile communications. That's why independent search Recovering a stolen phone is a futile endeavor that takes a lot of time and effort. The only correct solution that can help is to contact the special services.

How to prevent yourself from buying a stolen phone

When buying a phone on the secondary market, it is worth checking it in the database of stolen phones to avoid troubles in the future. Since if the owner has already filed a statement with the police, it will be quite difficult to prove that it was not you who stole the phone, and the device will have to be returned to the copyright holder. However, not all are stolen mobile devices are entered into the database. You should not purchase a mobile phone without documents from a private person, and if such a device is offered, this should immediately alert you. Also, when purchasing a device, it is recommended to check the IMEI of the phone with the one indicated on the package.

Due to the increasing incidence of mobile phone thefts, many are increasingly interested in how to find a lost Android phone.

In general, if you lost your phone, there are several ways to find it.

Of course, there are banal methods like posting an ad offering a reward for finding a phone.

This also should not be neglected, but this can be returned to only in the most extreme cases.

Before this, you should use one of the methods described below.

Via standard management tool

Important: To find a phone using software methods, it is necessary to perform certain manipulations on it even before it was lost. Otherwise, all you have to do is contact the police.

This means that almost anyone can use the standard tool for managing and searching for an Android phone.

But, again, to search for a device via Google, the following steps must be done on it before it is lost:

1. First, you should go to the settings of your phone and select the “Security” item there (shown with a red frame in Figure 1.a).
2. Then go to “Device Administrators” (Figure 1.b).
3. After this, check the box next to “Android Remote Control” as shown in Figure 1.c.

This sequence of actions will allow you to later find out the location of your mobile phone via the Internet.

Actually, to search for a device you need to do the following:

• Follow the link remote control mobile phones - https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager.
• Log in there, that is, enter your username and password, and then click on the “Login” button. By the way, if you are not a user of Google services, it is better to register.

• Then everything will happen automatically. The user will see a window with approximately the same content as shown in Figure 3.

As you can see, here you can block your phone directly through your computer by clicking the corresponding button in the field highlighted in blue in Figure No. 3.

There are also buttons “Call” (the phone will receive a call from a robot) and “Clear” (remove all data from the device’s memory).

You can also see that you can find out where the phone is now, that is, the location on the map, and when it was connected to the Internet (this entire field is shown with a red frame).

Finally, the device model itself is written above (highlighted in green).

Important: On latest versions Android does not need to make any settings, all this is created automatically. Therefore, even if you did not enable the option on your phone remote access as described above, but have been authorized in Google services, it is quite possible that the phone will be found!

Through additional programs

In addition to the standard remote access tool, there are many other programs with similar functionality. Surely the best of them should be Lost Android.

You can install it in the same way as any other program - go to Google Play, enter “Lost Android” there and click the “Install” button.

But the most interesting thing is that after installation, this program is displayed not as Lost Android, but as Personal Notes with an icon notebook.

This is done so that thieves do not have any suspicions - very reasonable!

In general, Lost Android needs to be installed and running. After this, the program must be given administrator rights.

To do this, when starting for the first time, you need to press the corresponding button (it is highlighted in Figure 4 with a red frame).

After this, you should go to the official website of this application - http://www.androidlost.com/. There you should log in again, and again through Google.

To do this, there is a corresponding button in the upper right corner, shown in Figure 5 in red.

After authorization, which occurs in exactly the same way as described above - entering your login, password and clicking on the “Login” button, you must allow the program to use this account by clicking the appropriate button (it is highlighted in Figure 6 with arrows).

After this, the user will see the following message, which is highlighted with a red frame in Figure 7. It indicates that everything went well.

Now you can go to the “Management” menu (highlighted green).

After going to the “Management” menu, the user will see the entire list of commands. In particular, to find out the location of the phone, you need to click the “Send location” button.

Note: The two methods described above make it possible to find even a switched off phone due to the fact that the meansGoogleThey record the moment when the phone was last connected to the Internet and thus can find out where it was then.

Other functions include turning on the siren, sending SMS messages, viewing files and much more. In general, it's much more functional program, rather than standard remedy Google.

But this method is only suitable if the user has previously installed Lost Android.

What to do if there is no such program?