For a modern person, the loss of a mobile phone is a serious nuisance. There are at least two reasons for the disorder in this case. Firstly, the device itself often costs a lot of money. And secondly, in his memory contains information that is extremely necessary for the owner and not intended for prying eyes. This can be either personal correspondence, photos and videos, or secret data, for example, passwords from payment services or working documents. How can I find a phone in case of loss or theft? This article describes effective ways to search for mobile devices even when they are turned off.
If the phone is lost at home
How to find a mobile phone, if it is known for certain that it was lost in a house or apartment? The easiest way to search will, of course, be 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, it remains to rely on its own memory and attention. In this case, it is recommended that you try to restore to the smallest detail the events that preceded the loss of your mobile device. You should go along this route, scrupulously inspecting everything around. After all, a gadget could, for example, fall behind a sofa, or it imperceptibly lies on a shelf, covered with another thing. Could even be in the refrigerator or the wastebasket.
If the phone has an alarm, this can greatly facilitate the search, because the signal almost always works even when the device is turned off. Provide silence at a time when the mobile should ring, and listen carefully, while going to 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 do not give up. How to find phones in such circumstances?
First of all, you should call your number. A mobile device could be picked up by a person who, with no charge or for a certain fee, would gladly return the gadget to its rightful owner.
If this action does not bring results, you need to strain the memory and try to determine the place where the mobile phone was lost. It should be remembered where the gadget was last used and thus try to narrow the search area. It is worth putting up announcements about the loss of the device along the entire route of movement with a request to return the mobile for a fee. Also an effective way can be posting notes in the appropriate groups of 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 changing a SIM card, you can search for a gadget even when it’s not working. This process will be described in detail below.
If the phone is stolen
In the case when it is known 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. You need from a mobile device that belongs, for example, to your friend, 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 loved ones if any of them are using applications that determine your location on a mobile. If this is the case, then you need to report the available phone coordinates to the police so that its employees find and return the gadget to the owner.
How to find phones that are stolen if the above methods are ineffective in your case? You should file a report 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 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 rightful owner, permission will be issued to access information about this device. The operator will need to notify you if anyone uses the device.
Are there other ways to find a phone? You can also try to find the device using the IMEI number. To do this, add this unique mobile code to the worldwide database. And if someone finds your phone, he will be able to contact you using the specified coordinates.
Depending on the operating system that controls the mobile device, there are several ways to find the phone. Android, iOS and Windows Phone support various applications that share similar working principles. The following is a more detailed description of such search methods.
Finding an iOS Phone
How to find phones if they have iOS installed? It will be very easy. After all, the iPhone initially has a function for determining the location of the device. The main thing is that it was activated before the gadget is lost or stolen.
In order to find such a phone, the owner should log in to iCloud using his account and click on “Find iPhone”. After that, a list of your devices controlled by iOS will be displayed on the screen. If the gadget search function is active, and the phone 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 an SMS, play the selected melody, block the device, or delete all available data from it.
After determining the location of the phone, you need to analyze the information received. If the specified area is not familiar to the owner, his friends and friends do not live there, which means that the device is in the hands of a thief. You need to immediately block the gadget until the ill-wisher has time to use your personal information or disable the "Find iPhone" feature.
The specified coordinates of the location of the device must be reported to the police so that its employees find the returned phone to its rightful owner.
Finding a Windows Phone Phone
If you manage a lost device using Windows Phone, how can I find a phone? Through a computer, you must run a special application from Microsoft, which allows you to determine the location of a mobile device.
Also in this program there are other useful features. If you press the “Call” button, the phone will emit sound signals until the corresponding key on the device is pressed.
When you click the “Block” button, a blocking message will appear on the device’s screen, which can be removed by entering a password known only to the owner.
If you press the “Delete” key, all data contained in the phone will be deleted. Keep in mind that after this it will not be possible to use even the location function.
After establishing the coordinates of the location of the device, you need to inform their police, stating the theft.
Finding an Android Phone
If this operating system is installed on the missing device, how can I find the phone? Android supports an application like PlanB. This program compares favorably with its analogues in that it can be installed on a phone that has already disappeared.
To do this, log in to 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 with the location of the gadget. Then it remains only 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 your phone. By the name of the owner and the SIM card number, the mobile company is able to determine the location of the device using its own channels. The main condition of 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 replace the SIM card, allow you to control the camera of a missing mobile, block or delete the information contained on it. There are a number of such applications, each of which is supported by a specific operating system.
If the mobile device is equipped with a GPS receiver, then certain programs also exist for its search. In order to see the location of such a phone, you need to register on a special site, and after that it will be possible at any time to determine the necessary coordinates.
And how to find the phone turned off? It is impossible to do this by satellite, because a prerequisite when searching for the device in this way is that the mobile must be turned on.
Search phone by IMEI code
This is the only way that can help you find a missing phone that is 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 through IMEI? Firstly, you must write a statement to the police with the code. And secondly, you need to register an IMEI number in a worldwide database. If someone finds your mobile device, he will be able to contact you by the coordinates left on the site.
Useful Tips
If the location of the stolen phone could be determined, it is not recommended to try to return your mobile phone yourself. Contact the police.
All documents confirming that you are the rightful owner of the device should be stored in a safe place during the entire time you use the phone.
If you still could not find the gadget, block the account and restore the SIM card by contacting your mobile operator. The IMEI code of the stolen phone must be blacklisted. After such actions, the attacker will not be able to use the device, even using another SIM card. These are extreme measures that should be used if you are sure that the phone will not be found.
The gadget owner 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, from 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 in case of loss, protect the device with a password, and use cloud storage rather than a smartphone’s memory card to save data . It is necessary to act promptly after the fact of loss is discovered, because time plays a key role here, and tightening the situation is only at the hands of the attackers.