Everyone at least once faced a theft or loss of a phone. If not you, then certainly heard about this problem from friends. It was impossible to track where the device was located a few years ago. But technology does not stand still, and now the chance to find a smartphone after the theft is not zero. Let’s talk about how to locate a lost cell phone that is turned off.
One fine day, you patted your pocket, stuck your hand there, and did not find your smartphone. Shock, awe, panic – where is he? Thinking that you didn’t leave it anywhere, you realize with horror that it was stolen or fell out when, for example, you were tying your shoelaces at the neighbor’s entrance. First of all, find a way to call your phone. People often put the phone in an unusual place or even left it at home but immediately began to panic that it had been stolen from them. In addition, if the gadget fell out, then one of the surrounding people could see it and pick it up. In these cases, the call will solve everything, and you will quickly return the loss.
If you are convinced that the phone was stolen, then try sending an SMS to it asking for a refund as a reward. Of course, you don’t want to pay a thief for your gadget, but sometimes this is the only way to return a smartphone dear to your heart and wallet. However, if you have an inexpensive dialer and no vital data, it’s easier to restore the SIM card and get a new mobile phone. But if it was a flagship smartphone, you don’t want to part with it just like that, and then a return message can help, but not always, unfortunately. However, there are still ways to find your phone, but everything depends on the operating system.
How to Find a Turned-off iOS Phone
It just so happened that Apple smartphones are trendy among robbers. And it’s not that they consider them the best, it’s just that the iPhone costs fabulous money, and even if you sell it for spare parts, there will be enough money for food for a month or even two. But of course, the thief will try to get more and sell a working device, maybe even buying a box and all the necessary accessories to make it look like just a used one. And this is where you can stop him. The fact is that Apple took care of users and created a unique service that allows you to find the iPhone or block it, so much so that the attacker can no longer use it. And accordingly, he will not be able to sell a non-working device either.
Alas, finding the iPhone is real only if you have activated the corresponding function. Therefore, it is worth worrying about this in advance and enabling this option. Of course, this requires an iCloud account, and the iPhone is linked to it. All this is done in the settings on the device itself.
Find Your Phone With Find My iPhone.
Turn on Find My iPhone on your smartphone. It will help you find out the location of a stolen or lost smartphone.
Moreover, if you link your iPhone to an iCloud account, then thieves will no longer be able to activate this device. Even if they reflash the device, they won’t do anything without your email address and password. In this case, only a reward message will help return the gadget. In addition, such a message will work if you just lost your phone and a well-wisher found it, but he cannot find you for some reason. Such a message is sent through an online service, but this is far from its only function.
So, to remotely control your iOS device, go to iCloud.com and go to the Find My iPhone app. All Apple devices that are only connecting to your account will be available there. However, the Find iPhone application is also available instead of the site, which performs the same functions.
Several actions are available as soon as you get into the program and see that your smartphone is online. First of all, look where the smartphone is located, if it is at home or somewhere with friends. If he is lost at home, start playing the sound on the iPhone through the website or application, and it will immediately begin to vibrate and play a melody, which will allow you to find it quickly. If you are sure that the phone was stolen and it is not somewhere nearby, turn on lost mode. This will prevent an attacker from accessing the data, display your message on the screen, and allow you to record your smartphone’s movements on the map. If you understand that the smartphone cannot return, there is also a function to erase all data on the device so that they do not fall into the wrong hands.
There is no way to bypass the Activation Lock mode in iOS higher than version 7. Therefore, make sure that you have the latest version of the operating system, and if this is not the case, then update, at least for security purposes. It makes no sense for criminals to keep a non-working phone, and it will sell for parts pretty quickly. Or they will give it to you for a fee if they understand that this is a good offer. However, some attackers start to terrorize and extort the account password (even offer money) to unlock your phone and sell it for much more. In no case do not agree to such offers and do not enter into conversations with criminals; instead, immediately contact the police.
How to Find a Turned Off Android Phone
Google Device Manager
The easiest and most convenient way is to launch the Google Device Manager service in the browser. This feature is active in the basic settings for most devices because the phone will not support GPS without it. It is enough to log in to your Google account at least once using a mobile gadget for everything to work correctly.
Without authorization, it isn’t easy to download applications from Google Play, so that most smartphones can be found through the Google service on the first try. All that is needed for this is to go to Gmail with a username and password from an Android smartphone and go to the Google Device Manager page.
If the device was detected outside the network, it is better not to close the browser page and leave it active. The service will fix the last available location of the phone as soon as the device goes online.
Google Maps
If the phone is turned off, try to find it using Google Maps. Go to the service, click on the menu (three bars) in the upper left corner and select the “Chronology” section. But this function will work if the options “Send geodata” and “Location History” is previously activated.
Applications
There are apps for extra security. Google has to Find My Device. Popular brands also have their versions. Xiaomi has developed the Mi Cloud app, while rival Samsung has launched Find My Mobile. Popular universal apps Cerebus and Lost Android. The search option is also supported by many antiviruses: Bitdefender, AVG, and Avast.
How to Find a Turned Off Windows Phone
Smartphones running Windows also have a system responsible for finding the phone. It is instinctively calling Find my phone. It will only work if you’re signing in to your device with your Microsoft account. The feature is disabled by default to conserve battery power, so you need to enable it first. The function is located in the main system settings, open the Find my phone item and activate both options available there.
Find My Phone is disabled to save power. Don’t forget to turn it on if you want to be able to find your smartphone.
The first option is to Speed up the connection to services. It is needed so that the system communicates with the phone not using SMS messages but through push notifications. Especially if you suddenly have paid incoming messages. In addition, the service allows you to send no more than 15 SMS in three days, and with push notifications, there is no such limit. The second option is to Save the location every few hours. This function is necessary so that in case of loss, you can track the movements of your device. In addition, if the phone is out of range or the battery runs out, you will at least know the last location of the gadget; maybe it stayed there.
You need to go to a particular site to see the smartphone’s location. After selecting the device, the map and the approximate location of the smartphone will be immediately visible. Remote control functions do not differ from those in other operating systems. You can make a call, block your phone, or delete all information from it.
What to Do if Your Phone Is Stolen
When you know that you lost your phone not at home, at a party, or in a cafe, you need to prepare for a visit to the police. First, gather as much evidence as possible that the smartphone belongs to you.
Everything is helpful for this: a receipt, a warranty card, a box, instructions, and any other things that directly or indirectly confirm the property rights. If you paid for the purchase by card, contact the seller with a request to restore the documents.
Were you able to get the location data? Also, save them in digital or printed form. Pre-set police coordinates make it much easier to track down an intruder.
You need to write a report to the police about the loss of equipment. It is also advisable to take a document stating that you have accepted this application. Keep copies of the documents you handed over to the police and the application in advance. Just in case, take them with you on the day of treatment. As soon as the loss is discovered, block the SIM card. The most reliable way is to contact the operator’s office. Technically, the mobile service provider can track the location of a stolen phone, but they only do so at the request of the investigative committee. All ordinary citizens with a similar request, unfortunately, are denied.
How to Track Phone by IMEI
Each smartphone has a unique 15-digit IMEI code. Usually, it is indicated on the box with a sticker on the inside of the case under the battery. You can also find out the IMEI by dialing *#6#.
With the help of this digital combination and search programs, it is possible to determine the device’s location and status: lost, stolen, wanted.
This method would work if the GPS function were previously activated on the turned-on device. It will be possible to find the gadget by the code even if the attackers remove the SIM card.
Unfortunately, you will not be able to find the phone by IMEI on your own. To do this, you need to file a complaint with the police. Only employees of law enforcement agencies have the right to apply with a request to a provider that has such a technical capability.
Search Programs
You can also find a lost or stolen phone by IMEI using specially designed utilities. Unfortunately, their effectiveness remains in question. Mobile provider data is grouped into databases and securely protected. Although many software developers claim this possibility, free use of this information will not work.
Would you like to test the search utility? Use programs that work with data received directly from the gadget owner. A suitable example is the IMEI-Poisk 2.0 program. This utility determines the coordinates of the smartphone and the last time a 15-digit code is used in the equipment.
Conclusion
Finding a switched-off phone remains a daunting task even in this age of high technology. Finding a gadget without any problems will be possible if a particular chip is built into it in advance.
When the smartphone is turned on, it is easier to determine the location of the equipment and the owner. This can be done using a SIM card, GPS, or IMEI code.