It’s easy to let panic set in the moment you realize you’re at home and your phone is nowhere to be found. Did you leave it at work? On a bus? Is it in the hands of hackers right this very minute and are they draining your bank account? Before you give into the temptation of worst case scenario thinking, remember: there’s a helpful phone setting designed to combat this very anxious moment in every smartphone owner’s life. Find out the exact location of your phone in seconds and cut down on catastrophic thinking by enabling this one life-changing setting that tech experts say you should use to find a missing phone.
Find My Phone
Apple’s Find My iPhone app is an absolute treasure and one that you’ll be so happy you’ve enabled when your busy life and schedule result in you misplacing your device every now and again.
“This app is available on all Apple devices and can help you locate your phone in an instant,” said Thomas Niemczewski, CEO and founder at Dream Chasers “All you need to do is make sure the setting is enabled on your phone.”
Once you have enabled the Find My iPhone setting, your phone will be connected to your Apple ID. This means that you can log into your Apple account from any device, and it will show you the exact location of your phone, Niemczewski noted. “You’ll also be able to access a map to see the last known location of your phone, as well as the option to lock it remotely or wipe the data if necessary,” he added.
To enable Find My iPhone, open the Settings app and tap your name, then tap Find My. Turn on Find My [device] to enable this feature and to see your device when it’s offline, turn on Find My Network. If you want to share your location with family and friends for extra security, you can also turn on Share My Location. But be careful of sharing this info only with people you trust.
Android also boasts a Find My Device feature that provides the same convenient service. Simon Bacher, co-founder and CEO of the startup Ling App, shares these steps to enable this setting on an Android:
1. Open the Settings app on your phone and select the “Security” or “Location” option. 2. Tap “Find My Device” or “Find My Phone”..
3. Sign in to your Google account if prompted.
4. Select the device you want to locate.
5. Tap “Locate” or “Find” to view the device’s location.
6. You can also remotely lock the device or erase all of its data from this menu.
“Using the Find My iPhone setting is the best way to quickly and easily locate a missing phone,” Niemczewski said. “Not only is it secure and reliable, but it’s also incredibly convenient. You can make sure your phone is always safe and sound, no matter where you are.”
