Security & Privacy

How to Find a Lost or Stolen Phone (Android and iPhone)

Use Google Find Hub or Apple Find My to locate, ring, lock or erase a missing phone, and set them up now so they work when needed.

By , Editor · 6 min read

Realizing your phone is missing is stressful, but acting calmly in the first few minutes makes a real difference. Android phones and iPhones both have free, built-in tools that can show a phone on a map, make it ring even when it’s on silent, lock it with a message, and erase it if needed. This guide explains how to use them, what to do if you think the phone was stolen, and which settings to check today so the tools work if you ever need them.

Do this first

  1. Call your phone

    If it’s nearby, you may hear it. Ask someone to call it, or call it from another device. If it’s on silent, the finder tools below can make it ring anyway.

  2. Open the finder service on another device

    Use a computer, tablet or a friend’s phone. For an Android phone, go to google.com/android/find or use the Find Hub app on another Android device. For an iPhone, go to icloud.com/find or use the Find My app on another Apple device.

  3. Check the map and ring it

    If the map shows somewhere you’ve just been, such as home or work, use the option to play a sound and follow the ringing.

  4. Lock it if it isn’t nearby

    Mark the phone as lost so it locks and can display a message with a number where you can be reached.

  5. Don’t go after it yourself

    If the map suggests the phone is with someone else, contact the police rather than trying to recover it in person.

Android: using Google Find Hub

Google’s finder service was called Find My Device until 2025 and is now called Find Hub. You can use it on the web at google.com/android/find, or through the Find Hub app on another Android device. Sign in with the same Google Account that’s on the lost phone.

For the phone to appear, it generally needs to be switched on, signed in to your Google Account, connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, and have Find Hub turned on. Some phones can also be located while offline through a network of other Android devices, if that option was turned on beforehand. Once you select the phone, you’ll see these main options:

  • Play sound: rings the phone at full volume, even if it’s set to silent or vibrate.
  • Mark as lost: locks the phone with its PIN, pattern or password, and lets you show a message or contact number on the lock screen.
  • Factory reset device: erases everything on the phone. After this you can no longer locate it with Find Hub, so use it only when you’ve given up on getting the phone back or need to protect sensitive data.

Some brands, including Samsung, also offer their own finder service linked to the brand account. It works alongside Google’s, so it’s worth setting up both if your phone supports it.

If you can’t sign in to your Google Account, for example because your sign-in codes go to the missing phone, Android’s Remote Lock may help. Go to android.com/lock, enter the phone number and complete the checks, and the phone locks its screen. Remote Lock has to be turned on in advance in the phone’s theft protection settings.

iPhone: using Apple Find My

Open the Find My app on another Apple device, or go to icloud.com/find in any web browser, and sign in with your Apple Account (formerly Apple ID). Select the missing iPhone from the device list to see it on the map. If the phone is offline, Find My may still show its last known location, and with the Find My network turned on, nearby Apple devices can help report where it is.

  • Play Sound: makes the iPhone ring so you can find it nearby.
  • Mark As Lost: locks the iPhone with its passcode, shows a message and phone number on the screen, and suspends Apple Pay cards on the device. You can also choose to be notified when it’s found.
  • Erase This Device: deletes all data on the phone. Activation Lock stays on, so nobody can set it up without your Apple Account password. Don’t remove the device from your account afterwards, because that turns Activation Lock off.

If you think the phone was stolen

  1. Mark it as lost straight away so the screen stays locked.
  2. Report it to the police and ask for a report or reference number. Your carrier and insurer may need it.
  3. Contact your mobile carrier to suspend your SIM or eSIM, so nobody can use your number for calls or to receive sign-in codes. In many countries, carriers can also block the phone itself using its IMEI number.
  4. Change the passwords of your important accounts, starting with your email and your Google Account or Apple Account, then banking and social media. Where a service lets you, sign the missing phone out of your account.
  5. Tell your bank if banking apps or payment cards were on the phone.
  6. Erase the phone remotely only when you’re confident you won’t get it back. On Android, erasing ends your ability to track it.

Set this up today, before you need it

Finder tools only work if they’re turned on beforehand. A few minutes now can save a lot of trouble later.

  • Android: Open Settings and search for “Find Hub” (or “Find My Device” on older software) and make sure it’s on. Then search for “Theft protection” and consider turning on Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock where they’re available.
  • iPhone: Open Settings, tap your name, then Find My, and check that Find My iPhone, Find My network and Send Last Location are on. Also consider Stolen Device Protection, found under Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode). It adds extra checks when someone tries to change important settings away from familiar places.
  • Use a screen lock that isn’t easy to guess, plus fingerprint or face unlock if your phone has it.
  • Record your IMEI: dial *#06# on your phone to display it, and keep a copy somewhere safe, such as your email or a note on your computer. Dual-SIM phones show two numbers; keep both.
  • Consider a SIM PIN, which stops someone from putting your SIM in another phone and using your number. On iPhone, look for “SIM PIN” in the Cellular or Mobile Data settings; on Android, search Settings for “SIM lock”. Have your carrier’s default PIN and PUK code ready, because entering the wrong PIN several times locks the SIM.
  • Add emergency information to your lock screen. Both systems can show emergency contacts to someone who finds your phone.
Can I find my phone if it’s switched off or the battery is dead?

Sometimes. You can usually see the last location it reported before going offline. Some newer Android phones and iPhones can also be located through their maker’s finder network for a while after they’re switched off, if that option was turned on beforehand.

Can I track my phone using its IMEI number?

Not as a member of the public. The IMEI helps police and carriers identify and block the phone, but there’s no official public service for tracking a phone by IMEI. Be wary of websites or apps that claim otherwise.

Will marking my phone as lost delete my data?

No. Marking it as lost locks the screen and shows your message; your data stays on the phone. Only the erase or factory reset option deletes data.

I found someone’s phone. What should I do?

If the lock screen shows a message or contact number, use it. Otherwise, hand the phone in where you found it, such as a shop or transport office, or take it to the police. Many phones also let you view the owner’s emergency contacts from the lock screen.

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