Theft or loss of a smartphone is the harsh reality of our day. After all, most people either themselves faced this problem, or heard about it from friends or colleagues. At the same time, until recently it was impossible to independently track the location of a missing mobile device. However, technology is constantly evolving, and there are several real ways to track and try to return the loss.

How to track and block a missing iPhone

Smartphones from the American company Aplle are respected by robbers around the world. The reason for this is the cost of "apple" mobile phones, which can be sold in the form of a used phone or just make money on spare parts.

If the device was sold for parts, then there is no chance of finding it. But when trying to sell a stolen smartphone, the owner of the mobile gadget can track and block its work in such a way that an attacker can not use the mobile phone for his own selfish purposes.

The algorithm of actions in this situation is as follows:

  • go to your account on iCloud.com;
  • activate the application “Find iPhone”;
  • turn on the remote control of the smartphone.

After that, you can track the missing phone, if it is active and has Internet access, and act on the situation:

  • if the phone was found at home or with friends, then you just need to call and find the loss by the sound of the call;
  • the lost smartphone was in the wrong hands - it’s time to turn on the “loss” mode, which will block the gadget, display an inscription for the thief and authorize tracking the movements of the smartphone;
  • in cases where the device is not online, it is worth trying to activate the option that destroys the data recorded on the device.

Attention!!! Robbers will not be able to activate a stolen iOS phone above the seventh version. Therefore, the owner of the mobile device needs to regularly update the operating system.

This method will not work if the option called “Find iPhone” is not activated on the mobile device, and the owner has not “linked” the mobile device to the iCloud account.

Tracking lost Android

It is possible to detect and track missing and stolen smartphones running on the Android OS only when the phone is “tied” to a Google account, and the “Find device” option is activated in the smartphone’s settings menu and the mobile gadget location service is connected.

Method number 1

These precautions will allow the owner to track the missing mobile gadget, if it is online, using a computer:

  • open the browser;
  • follow the link Android.com/find;
  • enter your Google profile information;
  • select a device.

Immediately after this, the owner of the phone will be able to:

  • make a remote call to a smartphone;
  • block a mobile device;
  • erase all data.
The latter option is acceptable only if the owner of the “handset" has no hope of returning the phone. Indeed, in this case, all information is erased from the device and the possibility of tracking the missing gadget disappears.

Method number 2

You can detect a missing phone using the Google Maps application:

  • open the application and go to the "Google Maps" section;
  • enter your account;
  • We look in the menu and activate the "Timeline" button.

Immediately after this, the user has the opportunity to set a specific date in order to track the location and movement of the phone for this period. This method can only be used if the smartphone is active and has access to the Internet or Wi-Fi.

Method number 3

If the recommendations for tracking a missing smartphone published above did not help, you need to go to the police. This solution may not add chances to return a smartphone, but professionals who have access to the information bases of mobile operators, and not dubious services and programs that are mainly engaged in pumping money out of customers, will be engaged in the search for the missing gadget.

The chances of finding a loss will increase several times if the owner of the smartphone attaches to the application:

  • warranty card;
  • purchase receipt;
  • a box from the phone;
  • unique IMEI code (can be found using the command * # 06 #).