For a modern person, the loss of a mobile phone is a serious nuisance. There are at least two reasons for frustration in this case. First, the device itself often costs a lot of money. And secondly, his memory contains information that is extremely necessary for the owner and not intended for prying eyes. This can be both personal correspondence, photos and videos, as well as secret data, for example, passwords from payment services or working documents. How can I find my phone in case of loss or theft? This article describes effective ways to find mobile devices even when they are turned off.
If the phone is lost at home
How to find a mobile phone, if you know for sure that he was lost in a house or apartment? The easiest way to search is, of course, a call to your number from another device. In this case, the gadget must be in the on state.
If the phone's battery is low, then it remains to hope for your own memory andattentiveness. In this case, it is recommended to try to remember to the smallest detail the events that preceded the loss of the mobile device. You should go along this route, scrupulously examining everything around. After all, the gadget could, for example, fall behind the sofa, or it quietly lies on a shelf, covered by another thing. Might even end up in the fridge or trash can.
If an alarm is set on the phone, this can greatly facilitate the search, because the alarm almost always works even when the device is turned off. Maintain silence when the mobile should ring and listen carefully while following the sound.
If the phone is lost on the street
Obviously, the chances of finding a mobile device lost on the street or in a public place are significantly lower than in the previous case. But don't give up. How to find phones under such circumstances?
First of all, you should call your number. A mobile device could be picked up by a person who, free of charge or for a certain fee, will gladly return the gadget to its rightful owner.
If this action did not bring results, you need to strain your memory and try to determine the place where the mobile phone was lost. You should remember where the gadget was last used and thus try to narrow the search area. It is worth posting ads about the loss of the device along the entire route of movement with a request to return the mobile for a fee. It can also be an effective way to post a note in the appropriate groups.social networks.
And if the device is turned off, how to find the phone? By the IMEI number, which is unique for each mobile and does not change when you change the SIM card, you can search for a gadget even when it is not working. This process will be detailed below.
If the phone is stolen
In the case when it is known for sure that the phone was stolen, you should offer a reward for returning the gadget. After all, this thing was stolen precisely for the purpose of profit. From a mobile device that belongs, for example, to your friend, you need to send a message to your number indicating the amount that you are willing to pay the thief for the phone.
You should also check with family members and close people if any of them use applications that determine your location by mobile. If so, then you need to report the available coordinates of the phone to the police so that its employees can find and return the gadget to the owner.
How to find stolen phones if the above methods were ineffective in your case? You must file a complaint with the police. To do this, you need to collect evidence that will confirm that the device belongs to you. That is, find the package of documents received upon purchase. Next, you need to go directly to the police and write a statement. After that, you need to report the theft of the device to the mobile operator. After providing the necessary package of documents confirming that the phone is really stolen and you are its legal owner, you will be issuedpermission to access information about this machine. The operator will have to notify you if anyone uses the device.
Are there other ways to find the phone? By the IMEI number, you can also try to find the device. To do this, add this unique mobile code to the worldwide database. And if someone finds your phone, they can contact you using the specified coordinates.
Depending on the operating system with which the mobile device is managed, there are several ways to find the phone. Android, iOS and Windows Phone support various applications that have similar working principles. The following is a more detailed description of these search methods.
Searching for an iOS phone
How to find phones if they have iOS installed? It will be quite easy. After all, the iPhone initially has a function to determine the location of the device. The main thing is that it be activated before the gadget is lost or stolen.
In order to find such a phone, the owner must log into iCloud using their account and click "Find iPhone". After that, a list of your devices managed by iOS will be displayed on the screen. If the find gadget function is active and the phone itself is turned on, the service will determine the location of the iPhone.
If you select the "Information" icon on the location panel, you can send SMS, play the selected melody, blockdevice or delete all existing data from it.
After determining the location of the phone, you need to analyze the information received. If the indicated area is not familiar to the owner, his friends and acquaintances do not live there, then the device is in the hands of a thief. You need to block the gadget immediately before the ill-wisher has time to use your personal information or turn off the Find My iPhone function.
The indicated coordinates of the location of the device must be reported to the police so that its employees can find it and return the phone to its rightful owner.
Searching for a Windows Phone
If the lost device is managed by Windows Phone, how to find the phone? A special application from Microsoft Corporation should be launched through a computer, which allows you to determine the location of a mobile device.
Also, this program has other useful features. If you press the "Call" button, the phone will emit beeps until the corresponding key on the device is pressed.
When you press the "Lock" button, a blocking message will appear on the device screen, which can be removed by entering a password known only to the owner.
If you press the "Erase" key, all data contained in the phone will be deleted. Please note that even the location function cannot be used after this.
After establishing the coordinates of the location of the device, you need to report them to the police, claiming the theft.
Searching for a phone with an operatingAndroid system
If this operating system is installed on the missing device, how to find the phone? "Android" supports an application such as PlanB. This program compares favorably with analogues in that it can be installed on a phone that has already disappeared.
To do this, you must log into the Android Market using your account. After you need to install the specified program on the missing device and run it. An email will be sent to the owner's email box indicating the location of the gadget. Then all that remains is to report the received coordinates to the police, and they will help return the phone to the owner.
Search phone by sim card
You can try to find the device by contacting your mobile operator directly. This is another effective way to find a phone. By the name of the owner and the number of the SIM card, the mobile communication company is able to determine the location of the device using its own channels. The main condition for this search method is that the phone must be turned on.
Search for a phone by satellite
How to find phones via satellite? To do this, one of the special applications must first be installed on the mobile device. Programs can notify about the current location of the gadget and the replacement of the SIM card, allow you to control the camera of the missing mobile, block or delete the information contained on it. There are a number of such applications, each supported by a specific operating system.
If the mobile device is equipped with a GPS receiver, then there are also certain programs to search for it. In order to see the location of such a phone, you need to register on a special site, and after that you can determine the necessary coordinates at any time.
And how to find the switched off phone? It is impossible to do this via satellite, because a prerequisite for searching for a device in this way is that the mobile must be turned on.
Search phone by IMEI code
This is the only way to find a missing phone that is turned off. The IMEI code consists of 15 digits. It is individual for each device and does not depend on the SIM card used.
How to find a phone using IMEI? First, you need to write a statement to the police indicating the code. And secondly, you need to register the IMEI number in the global database. If someone finds your mobile device, he can contact you using the coordinates left on the site.
Helpful tips
If you managed to determine the location of the stolen phone, it is not recommended to try to return your mobile phone on your own. You should contact the police.
All documents confirming that you are the legal owner of the device must be kept in a safe place during the entire time you use the phone.
If the gadget still could not be found, block the account and restoreSIM card by contacting your mobile operator. The IMEI code of the stolen phone must be blacklisted. After such actions, an attacker will not be able to use the device, even using another SIM card. These are the last resort to use if you are sure the phone will not be found.
The owner of the gadget should install the necessary applications to determine the location of the device in advance, without waiting for loss or theft.
Conclusion
There are several ways to find a missing phone. They vary depending on the place where the device was lost or stolen, on the operating system installed on the gadget, and other factors. The owner of the mobile phone should install special applications in advance that will help determine the location of the phone if it is lost, protect the device with a password, and use cloud storage rather than a smartphone memory card to save data. It is necessary to act quickly after revealing the fact of loss, because time plays a key role here, and delaying the situation only plays into the hands of attackers.
