How to locate a lost or stolen smartphone? Digital, loss, flight: locate my phone thanks to its IMEI and delete data
Loss, flight: Locate my phone thanks to its IMEI and delete data
The first reflex to have is obviously to have your line suspended. To do this, you have several possibilities:
How to locate a lost or stolen smartphone ?
What could be more annoying than losing your smartphone or worse, to be robbed ? If we cannot help you be less dizzy or prevent pickpockets from acting, we can explain to you how to locate an Android or iOS smartphone disappeared. But above all, there are a few parameters to settle.
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What to do in case of loss or theft of your smartphone ?
You can no longer put your hands on your phone ? Do not panic, before you tell you that you had to steal it, you may have lost it just. In both cases, it should be easy to find, provided that it is always on connected to a network (mobile network or wifi). Indeed, without connection, no possible location.
Now that you know the basic condition to locate your lost smartphone, let’s see in detail the actions you need to do to find it. And in particular, some other prerequisites depending on your device.
Indeed, you will have to think about it right away: find a lost smartphone, it is prepared upstream (alas). So be sure to follow our indications before losing yours !
If your device has been stolen, you will also find below how to block it remotely. In addition, remember to declare it stolen from your operator so that it blocks your SIM card. In case you find your precious, the operator can then unlock your SIM – which will save you the galley of having to change the number. In the police station, file a complaint with your IMEI identifier (you can recover it on the box of your device) which will be responsible for transmitting to your operator. Your IMEI code will then be put on black list. The smartphone will be blocked on the network, whatever the operator it is then used. The phone therefore becomes unusable thanks to its IMEI number.
How to activate the localization under Android ?
To access the location of an Android smartphone, you must open the setting manager of your device. In general, just go to the notification bar, then click on the notched wheel. You will arrive in the main settings menu of your smartphone. The entries of this menu can vary slightly depending on the brand of your device (manufacturers likely add an overlay that is specific to Android).
In this menu, you must find the line that allows you to manage the settings of your Google account (the capture below was made on a Google Pixel, but the settings are similar to other manufacturers). In the new menu, descend to locate my device. In order for your device to be found, this option must be activated.
How to locate my lost Android phone ?
To locate your phone, on an internet browser, connect to the Google site Locate my device. You will be asked to enter your Google identifiers, if not already done. A pop-up message will ask you for authorization to use the location service. Of course, if you have lost your device, you will have to accept to go further.
The service interface is really very simple to use. On the right of the screen is a Google Maps card that locates your device and makes the zoomé plan appear on the place where it is. You can see the exact address, if your smartphone is on the network (as we have already indicated).
On the left, a menu allows you to carry out certain actions. For example, if your phone hides at home (or, at least, where you are), you can ring it to locate it faster. This allows you to ring your device for five minutes, even if you had left it in silent mode.
Two other safety options are also offered. In case you have discovered thanks to the card that your smartphone is not lost where you are, but elsewhere, you have the possibility to secure your device by disconnecting your Google account. This option also allows you to display a message on the screen, which is useful if you have forgotten your smartphone in a public place and want you to be warned if it is found. You can for example indicate a number where you join. Note that the location will always work.
The last option is to be used as a last resort. If it turns out that your device has been stolen, you can completely erase all of what it contains. Please note, the operation is irreversible: you will therefore no longer be able to locate the device since it will no longer be linked to any Google account.
Finally, note that if you have several devices connected to your Google account, you can go from one to the other via the icons at the top of the left column. In the capture offered, you can see a smartphone and a tablet: to locate the latter, just click on it. Note that you also have access to the percentage of battery remaining in the device and in the name of the WiFi or cellular network to which it is connected, if it is connected to a network (condition sine qua non to locate it).
If the phone is off, all of the above cannot be done. However, you have the possibility of seeing the history of the places recorded by Google. Unfortunately, if the option was not already activated, you will not be able to access it. If it is practical to locate a stolen smartphone, you don’t necessarily want to communicate your position permanently in Google.
How to activate the location of my iPhone under iOS
Again, you will have to activate the function so that it is available in the event of loss or theft. To do this, go to settings, confidentiality, then location service. From there, you can activate location service and share my position. You can also activate alerts according to the location.
How to find my iPhone or my iPad ?
Once the option is activated on your iPhone or iPad, go to the iCloud website. Find out your identifiers, then go to locate. You can also use the application on your Mac if you have a.
At the top, you can choose the terminal you want to find by clicking on all my devices. You can ring your terminal, lock it or erase the contents. It works for all Apple devices, so you can use it for both an iPhone and iPad, MacBook or Apple Watch.
When the device is located, it appears on the card on the screen with a green point. Click on the point to obtain the options. You can then ring, put in lost mode (safety lock) or delete the device according to your choice. You can also see its battery level.
Let us recall that this functionality locate, which we often know better under the name of Find My in English, is based on an anonymized network created between Apple devices using functionality-which, let us recall, is available from iOS 13. It also works on AirTags and, recently, on third -party devices mentioning their compatibility.
How to locate my Samsung Galaxy smartphone ?
Apple is not the only one to provide a location service dedicated to its terminals. Since 2020, Samsung offers its alternative, called Find My Mobile. Its operation is very comparable to that of the apple. You have to go to the settings of your galaxy, in security and confidentiality, then activate the location option. Do not forget in parallel to create your Samsung account: it is via the South Korean servers that you can find the location of your device.
After leaving your smartphone, you will have to go to the Find My Mobile site which will allow you to find the last location; It will continue to be located as long as it is turned on and connected to a network (mobile or wifi). You can ring it, lock your screen remotely, display a message, save your data and, as a result, erase the contents of the device.
Loss, flight: Locate my phone thanks to its IMEI and delete data
Your smartphone has disappeared ? You have been the victim of a flight ? Be aware that it is possible to locate your phone but also block it and erase your data remotely. We explain the procedure to follow.
Photos, banking information, mailbox, contacts, messages, professional documents … Our smartphones contain a slew of sensitive data that we do not want to see bad hands down when loss or theft of your device. If necessary, there are fortunately parades that will allow you to Locate your phone remotely, to block it and, in some cases, to delete your data.
Before getting to the heart of the matter, remember that you have to act very quickly in this type of situation, the goal being to quickly prevent the thug from accessing your phone and your precious data. We will detail the methods that allow you to locate and lock your phone remotely. Please note: these will depend on the preliminary precautions that you have taken.
How to block my line remotely ?
The first reflex to have is obviously to have your line suspended. To do this, you have several possibilities:
- Access your personal space On your operator’s website. You will then have any hobbies to suspend your line to prevent any malicious use.
- Contact customer service of your operator by phone.
Your SIM card will be blocked instantly and no one can use your package and your number without your knowledge. We have identified below the numbers of the different operators to make your task easier:
How to locate my lost phone with the IMEI number ?
Even if your line is suspended, the thief can always use your phone with another SIM. There is a radical method that will allow it to put sticks in the wheels. It consists of Communicate the IMEI number to your operator (International Mobile Equipment Identity) your smartphone.
15 figures long, it may Locate the approximate position of your phone, depending on the last antenna used, to proceed its remote blockage.
There are several ways of Recover your IMEI number ::
- Type the code *#06# On the keyboard of your smartphone to display your IMEI number. You can then make a screenshot that will have to store elsewhere than in your phone (to be able to access it in the event of loss or theft).
- Preciously keep the box of your smartphone. Generally, manufacturers print this unique identifier on it.
- Access your customer area. At some operators, it is possible to have access to your IMEI number by logging into your account.
- Access the settings of your phone and find the “About” section.
As soon as you have your IMEI number, go file a complaint in a police station or to the gendarmerie. You will then have the minutes that will have to be sent to your operator. The latter will be responsible for adding the IMEI number in a base referencing stolen phones, common to all French operators. Once the IMEI number has registered in it, the communications that the stolen smartphone will try to pass will be blocked (only in France).
How to locate my smartphone with a remote management service ?
Remote blocking by the operator avoids certain uses of your phone. However, it does not block all functions and does not delete the data from the device. To do this, you must use A remote management service, Like the “Locate” function at Apple or “Locate my device” on the side of Google. Preferably and for obvious security reasons, avoid using third -party software.
Note that again, it will be functions to set up on your smartphone before his loss so that they are effective. In particular by activating the remote location functions.
How Find my iPhone thanks to the location application ?
Be sure to activate the “Locate my iPhone” function to anticipate a flight or loss.
- Access Settings of your iPhone.
- Select your number then press Locate.
- Activate the switches of Locate myiphone and of Locate network.
Once done, you should be able to follow your smartphone on track, even if the latter is off. Two options are available to you :
- To usethe applicationnativeLocate From another apple device such as a Mac or an iPad
- Enter this iCloud URL.Com/Find in a browser to connect to your account.
If by chance you manage to locate the criminals who have stolen your iPhone, do not act alone and contact the police that will take the right measures.
In addition to the location, the application also allows you to erase data from your device remotely:
- In the application Locate, Access the section Devices.
- Select the device to clean.
- Click on Delete this device.
How Find my Android smartphone thanks to the Locate my device app ?
The principle is generally identical on Android. Again, you will have to have configured everything upstream by following these steps:
- Activate the option Location in the Settings or in the quick settings menu.
- Then switch to the section Security.
- Find the section dedicated to the location of your device (at Samsung, it is called Mobile tracing)).
- Check the boxes Locate this device remotely, Sending the last position And Offline detection.
- You can follow the location of your smartphone directly from the Locate my device application or on the Google site.com/Android/Find/
- You will then have the possibility of locking the device remotely, ringing it, logging out of your account and even deleting your data remotely.
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