We present to your attention a program from Google - Android Device Manager. Finding a phone with it is pretty simple. Recently, this program has been renamed Find my device (you can download the update from the Play Store). Such an application is designed to search for lost or stolen Android devices with a small set of functions necessary for this.
A bit about features
The program supports the functions:
- call inclusion;
- phone lock;
- completely erase information from the device remotely;
- device discovery.
If the gadget was lost, but not stolen, the alternative to blocking it is much nicer than completely erasing the information. However, in the event of theft, data cleansing may be more useful than ever. Setting up and running the application is quite simple.
Program installation
Since the application is official, just click the “Install” button in the Play Market, and it will be installed. If you have a Google account and are logged into your device, the application will be installed automatically after you confirm the use of location data. After this procedure, a map of the area will begin to load.
The approximate location of your device will appear next to its description. On the map, it is reflected by a single dot. Also, if you drag with two fingers on the map in different directions, you can zoom in on the map to display the location of your device in more detail. The accuracy of the determination varies depending on the location of the device at the moment. Usually it does not exceed 20 m.
If you have multiple Android devices, you can switch between them. To do this, in the description of the phone, you need to click on the triangle under its name and select the necessary gadget.
If one of the devices is used more often than the others, then you can rename them to a more convenient form for reading. The location function of the phone is not enough to determine where exactly the lost gadget is located. To do this, use the “Call” function. This procedure does not require pre-configuration. When you press this button, the phone will ring for 5 minutes without turning off at maximum volume. Turning off this call simply by pressing the “Red Button” will fail. A complete shutdown of the device will be required.
Set up full cleaning and device lock
In order for your device to be able to remotely lock and clean, you must configure it.
How to do it? In the event that Android Device Manager is not installed on your device, there are two options for installing and configuring it. Either send a request from the web interface, and then simply click on it in the notification panel of your gadget to start the configuration process, or go to
Settings-> Security-> Device Administrators on the phone , then activate and enable the application.
Thus, you can run the program on most Android platforms. After that, you will be able to access functions such as “Delete all data”, “Change password to unlock the screen” and “Lock screen”. Even if you already have a password and a PIN code enabled, Android Device Manager will require you to enter your own.
It is advisable to use a new code that is different from the rest and write it down somewhere so as not to be forgotten.
In case of theft or loss, if someone unlocked your phone before you set up a lock on it, you will already have a password for blocking set in advance. When you click the "Block" button, a menu will appear in which you need to specify a new password. A message will also be sent in which you can offer to return the gadget to the owner for a fee or without. In addition, the menu has a line to indicate the phone number that you can call without unlocking the phone.
Privacy Issues
Very often, the user is worried about the confidentiality of their data, and on many online forums and other sites often write that the information can be used at the discretion of the creators or something like that.
If we consider this issue technically, then, indeed, there is the possibility of constant monitoring of your location. However, do not forget that Google is an officially registered legal entity. This suggests that the company declares its functions to the appropriate control organizations. In this regard, she formally announces how she collects and uses location information.
Important from Google! Android Device Manager does not collect history and does not make a reference report on the location. The approximate location of your device is determined when you first logged in. This data is deleted after you exit Device Manager. If your device is turned off or offline, Google doesn’t tell you where it is.
When you need to find a lost or stolen phone, the last thing you will worry about is the data that will be used to determine its location. Just exit the application and the information will be deleted.
On a note
Very often, the user thinks that he has nothing to hide on his phone and does not put a lock, without thinking that he can easily lose the phone. Thus, he endangers all the people who are in his contact list and facilitating the theft of his data for attackers. Locking the screen will help you avoid unnecessary problems associated with hacking your gadget, or calling your friends from intruders with requests to put money into your account.
Web interface and installation on a computer
It is necessary to explain for owners of personal computers that the Android device manager cannot be downloaded to a computer. The program has a web interface that runs through your browser. In order to find your device using this application, you need to go to “Android Remote Control”. If there are several, you should select the lost gadget from the drop-down list, and click on the “Target” button. After GPS determines the position of your device, it will be displayed on the map.
Conclusion
Summing up to all of the above, it is worth noting the changes for the better from Google, due to the simplicity and ease of use of Android Device Manager.
It should be noted that most people in our world have long been using phones, tablets and other devices and are aware that it is impossible to determine the location of the device if it is turned off. This fact significantly reduces the ability to detect a stolen gadget. You should not hope that the device will be in the hands of an inexperienced user, and he will not turn it off. Today, there are other applications for Android devices. Some of them have more features than ADM. These are mainly Internet security features. As for the detection capability, Android Device Manager is quite successful in dealing with this.