Losing a device like a phone, laptop, Chromebook, or tablet can be incredibly inconvenient. Besides disrupting communication access, these devices also store a lot of personal and valuable information that shouldn’t fall into the wrong hands. But don’t panic, because there are several methods you can try to track a lost device.
Android phones, for example, have several quite effective tracking methods. One of them is using the Google Find My Device service. You simply open google.com/android/find in a browser, then log in with the Google account connected to the lost device. After that, you can see the device’s location on a map, make it ring, lock the device, or even permanently erase all data. However, keep in mind that if you erase the data, the Find My Device app will no longer function.
Another way that can be tried is tracking your phone using your Gmail account. Log in to your Gmail account through a browser on a PC or laptop, then check the devices connected to that account. You can find your phone’s last location through the security features provided by Gmail.
In addition, if your phone still has access to WhatsApp, you can try to track it through that application. The way to do this is by logging into WhatsApp using another phone, then search for the contact or WhatsApp number on the lost phone. Select the “Share Live Location” option and choose the longest location sharing time, which is 8 hours. The location you share will appear on the receiving phone and can be used to track the position of the lost phone.
If the lost device is turned off, you can still try to track it through Google Maps. Enter the email address used on the lost phone into the Google Maps application, then check the “Timeline” to see the last location of the device.
Another method that is no less effective is tracking your phone using the IMEI number. The IMEI number is a unique identification that each device has. You can ask the police or provider for help in tracking the lost phone using the IMEI number.
In addition, you can also try to track a lost device using the phone number or a special account from the smartphone brand you use. iPhone users can use iCloud, while Samsung users can rely on Samsung Find My Mobile. Xiaomi users can also track their devices with the help of Mi Cloud.
Overall, there are many ways to track a lost device. However, the most important thing is to take action immediately after your device is lost, so that the chances of finding it again are greater.
