These free apps will make sure that you can find your iPhone, iPad or Android if you ever lose it or it gets stolen.
iPhone and iPad
Apple devices come with pre-installed software which will allow you to locate your device, should you misplace it. To activate this software, go to your ‘Settings’ app, then scroll down and tap ‘iCloud’. From here you will have to sign into your iCloud account, or if you don’t have one already, you’ll have to make one now. Once you’re signed in, scroll down to and tap ‘Find my iPhone’.
From here you can turn the feature on by tapping the slider.
You can also activate a second feature which will send the location of your iPhone or iPad to Apple if the battery is about to run out, so you’ll be able to track down your device even if it’s out of battery.
Now your device is ready to be found. To test out the Find My iPhone feature, head to www.iCloud.com and sign into the iCloud account you entered earlier. You can also visit the app store and download the Find My iPhone app, which will allow you to track your device from another iPhone or iPad.
Once you’re signed into the ‘Find My iPhone’ app or website, you’ll be able to view your device’s location, make it ring (which is great if your phone is constantly being eaten by couch cushions), or enter ‘Lost Mode’.
Lost Mode will lock the phone and allow you to enter a phone number that whoever finds the device can call, it will also play sounds to draw attention to the device.
If you think your device has been stolen, contact your local police station as soon as possible and update them with the location of your device; do not attempt to retrieve it by yourself.
As a last resort, you may erase all of your device’s data, in case you fear you won’t be able to get your device back.
Read more on Apple.com.
Android
To track your Android device, you can download Google’s Android Device Manager app for free from the Google Play Store.
Upon opening the app you will have to sign into your Google account, and you will then be able to see your Android device(s) and name them if you want. Now you can tap the options at the bottom of the screen to ‘Ring’ your device, ‘Lock’ your device or, as a last resort, ‘Erase’ the contents of your device.
None of these options will be of any use to you at the moment, because you are holding your Android. But if you visit the Android Device Manager website, you will be able to view your device(s) and activate these features remotely.
Unfortunately, at this time, if you have Location settings turned off, you will not be able view the location of your device; however, you will still be able to ring the device or erase its data.
If you think your device has been stolen, contact your local police station as soon as possible and update them with the location of your device; do not attempt to retrieve it by yourself.
