The first hour after the phone is gone
The instinct when a phone disappears is to wipe it immediately. That is usually the wrong first move, because an erased phone can no longer be located, rung or locked. The better order is to locate it, lock it, cut off the accounts it can reach, report it, and erase it only once you have given up on getting it back.
The first hour, in order
- Open Google's Find Hub from another device Sign in at android.com/find with the Google account on the lost phone. It shows the last known location, and Play sound rings the phone for five minutes even when it is on silent.
- Lock it with Mark as lost Called Secure device on older versions. It locks the screen and can show a message and a number to call, for the honest person who picks it up.
- Do not go and confront anyone If the location points to a stranger's address, give it to the police rather than going yourself.
- Change your Google password and remove the phone In your Google account's security settings, look at Your devices and sign the lost phone out. Do the same for any other important account that was signed in.
- Call your mobile provider Ask them to suspend the SIM, so nobody can receive your verification codes by text, and to block the phone by its IMEI if it was stolen.
- Tell your bank if banking apps were on it They can watch the accounts and block cards that were saved in a phone wallet.
- Report it to the police if stolen The reference number is usually needed for an insurance claim.
- Erase it only when you have given up on it Erasing is permanent, and afterwards the phone can no longer be located through Find Hub.
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Where each action happens
| Where | What it can do | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Find Hub, on the web or another Android phone | Locate, ring, lock, erase | Location and Find Hub turned on, the phone signed in |
| Samsung's own find service | The same on a Galaxy, plus a few extras such as extending battery life | A Samsung account on the phone |
| Google account security page | Sign the phone out, change the password | Your password, and a second way to verify |
| Mobile provider | Suspend the SIM, block the IMEI, issue a new SIM | Proof of identity |
| Police | A crime reference for insurance | The IMEI helps |
| Bank | Block cards and watch for fraud | A phone call |
Set this up now, while you still have the phone
- Check Find Hub is on Settings, Security or Google, Find Hub. Also allow the phone to be found through other Android devices when offline, where your phone supports it.
- Turn on the theft protection settings On phones that have received them, Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock lock the screen if the phone is snatched or taken offline, and Remote Lock lets you lock it with just your phone number.
- Write down the IMEI Dial *#06# and keep the number somewhere that is not the phone.
- Set a SIM PIN It stops the card being used in another phone to receive your codes.
- Use a real screen lock A six digit PIN or a password rather than a simple pattern that can be read from smudges or over a shoulder.
- Back up photos and authenticator codes The phone is replaceable. The photos and your two-factor codes are the part that hurts to lose.
Apps that make the first hour easier
Google's Find Hub, the new name for Find My Device. Install it on a family member's phone too, so you can find yours from theirs.
SmartThings. On Galaxy phones, Samsung's find feature lives here and in its web version, alongside Google's service.
Google One. Where the phone backup lives, so a replacement phone can be restored quickly.
Google Photos. With backup turned on, losing the phone does not mean losing the pictures.
Google Authenticator. Codes can sync to your Google account, so they survive the loss of the phone.
Microsoft Authenticator. Supports cloud backup of its accounts, which is worth turning on before you need it.
Aegis. An open source authenticator with encrypted backups to a folder you choose. Keep a copy off the phone.
Bitwarden. Your passwords stay safe behind the master password, and the web vault can sign out every session at once.
Cerberus. A long standing anti-theft app with more remote controls than the built-in service. Paid after a trial.
Prey. Anti-theft tracking for phones and laptops, with reports you can hand to the police.
Google Family Link. For a child's phone, the location is available from the parent's device.
WhatsApp. Once your number is on a new SIM, registering WhatsApp on another phone signs the lost one out.
Locate, lock, secure the accounts, suspend the SIM, report it, and erase last. Then set up the protections on the replacement before you need them again.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find a phone that is switched off?
Usually you see its last known location. Some recent models can still be found for a while after powering off, through other nearby Android devices.
Can a thief reset the phone and use it?
Factory Reset Protection asks for the previous Google account after an unauthorised reset, which is why many stolen phones end up sold for parts rather than used.
Someone messaged to say they found my phone and asked me to sign in. Is it real?
Be careful. Messages claiming your lost phone has been found, with a link to sign in, are a known way of stealing the account password that would unlock it. Sign in only on the official site you typed yourself.
What will insurance ask for?
Usually the police reference number, the IMEI and proof of purchase. Collect them during the first day while the details are fresh.
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