How to Find a Lost Phone: iPhone Find My and Android Find Hub
Your phone's built-in tracking can usually show where it is, make it ring and lock it down. Here's exactly where to go on iPhone and Android, and what to do if it's been stolen.
To find a lost iPhone, sign in at icloud.com/find or open the Find My app on another Apple device. To find a lost Android phone, go to google.com/android/find or open Google’s Find Hub app (formerly Find My Device) on another device. Both show the phone on a map and let you play a sound, lock it with a message, or erase it remotely.
These tools only work if they were turned on before the phone went missing, which they are by default on most phones. If yours is still in your hand, scroll down to the setup checklist and make sure everything is switched on.
Find a lost iPhone
- On a computer or a friend’s phone, go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account. Or open the Find My app on your iPad, Mac or a family member’s iPhone if you use Family Sharing.
- Select your iPhone from the device list to see its current or last known location.
- If it’s nearby, choose Play Sound. It plays even if the phone is on silent.
- If it’s somewhere you don’t recognize, choose Mark As Lost (also called Lost Mode). This locks the phone with your passcode, shows a message and phone number on the lock screen, and suspends Apple Pay cards on the device.
- Use Directions to get to the location only if it’s a safe, public place.
Apple’s Find My support page explains each option. If the phone is offline, you’ll see its last known location, and Lost Mode takes effect the next time it connects.
Can you find an iPhone that’s turned off?
Often, yes, for a while. With the Find My network enabled, recent iPhones can broadcast a Bluetooth signal that nearby Apple devices relay anonymously, and Apple says a device can be located for up to about 24 hours after it powers off. The phone will show “iPhone Findable After Power Off” when you turn it off if the feature is active. Once the battery is fully dead or more time has passed, you’ll see only the last location.
Find a lost Android phone
- On any browser, go to google.com/android/find and sign in with the Google account used on the phone. Or open the Find Hub app on another Android device.
- Select the phone to see its location, battery level and when it was last seen.
- Choose Play sound to ring it at full volume for a few minutes, even on silent.
- Choose Secure device (or Mark as lost, depending on the version) to lock it, sign out of your Google account on it and show a message or callback number.
- Choose Factory reset device only if you’re sure you won’t get it back.
Samsung Galaxy owners can also use SmartThings Find through a Samsung account, which offers similar options and sometimes extra ones, such as extending battery life remotely.
Can you find an Android phone that’s offline or off?
Google’s Find Hub network uses nearby Android devices to locate phones that are offline, as long as you allowed it in settings. Some newer phones, such as the Pixel 8 and later, can still be located for several hours after they turn off. Google’s help page on finding a lost device lists which settings must be on.
iPhone vs. Android tools at a glance
| Feature | iPhone (Find My) | Android (Find Hub) |
|---|---|---|
| Web address | icloud.com/find | google.com/android/find |
| Play a sound | Yes | Yes |
| Lock with a message | Mark As Lost | Secure device / Mark as lost |
| Remote erase | Erase This Device | Factory reset device |
| Find while offline | Find My network | Find Hub network (if enabled) |
| Find after power-off | Recent iPhones, for a limited time | Some phones (e.g. Pixel 8 and later), for a limited time |
| Stops a thief reusing it | Activation Lock | Factory reset protection |
If you think your phone was stolen
Treat theft differently from a phone left in a cab.
- Don’t try to recover it yourself. If the map shows a private address, give the location to police instead of going there.
- Mark it as lost right away. This locks the screen and, on iPhone, suspends Apple Pay. Don’t remove the device from your account, or you’ll lose the ability to track it and Activation Lock protection.
- File a police report. Your carrier and insurance usually need the report number. Have your phone’s IMEI or serial number ready; it’s often in your account on the carrier’s site, the phone’s box, or on the Apple Account or Google account device list.
- Call your carrier to suspend service and block the SIM or eSIM, so the thief can’t use your number to receive your verification codes.
- Change key passwords, starting with your email, Apple Account or Google account, and banking apps. Review your two-factor authentication settings.
- Erase it if you’ve given up on getting it back. On iPhone, Activation Lock stays on after erasing, so the phone remains tied to your account.
Watch for follow-up phishing. Thieves sometimes send fake “Your iPhone has been found” texts or emails that lead to a fake sign-in page. Apple and Google won’t ask for your password by text.
Set it up now: a quick checklist
iPhone
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone.
- Turn on Find My iPhone, Find My network and Send Last Location.
- Turn on Stolen Device Protection under Settings > Face ID & Passcode. It adds extra checks before someone who knows your passcode can change key settings away from familiar locations.
Android
- Open Settings and search for Find Hub (it’s usually under Security & privacy or Google). Make sure Allow device to be located is on.
- Under the Find Hub network or offline finding option, choose whether your phone can be located through the network in busy places only or everywhere.
- Keep Location and Bluetooth on, and set a screen lock.
- Look for Google’s Theft protection settings (search Settings for “theft”) to turn on features such as automatic locking if the phone is snatched, where your phone supports them.
A recent backup also matters. If the worst happens, you’ll lose a phone, not your photos. See how to back up an iPhone for one way to do it.
Bottom line
Use icloud.com/find for an iPhone or google.com/android/find for Android to see the phone’s location, ring it and lock it. If it was stolen, mark it as lost, let police handle recovery, ask your carrier to block the SIM and change your important passwords. Spend two minutes today checking that Find My or Find Hub is switched on.
FAQ
Can I find my phone without another phone?
Yes. Any web browser works: icloud.com/find for iPhone and google.com/android/find for Android. You’ll need your account password, so keep it somewhere you can access without your phone.
Can I track a phone by its IMEI number?
Not as an individual. Carriers and police can use the IMEI to block the phone or in investigations, but there’s no legitimate public tool to track a phone by IMEI.
Will erasing my phone stop me from finding it?
Yes, usually. After a remote erase you generally can’t see its location anymore, so erase only when you’ve given up on recovering it.
Does Find My work if the thief removes the SIM?
It can, if the phone connects to Wi-Fi or the offline finding network picks it up. Removing the SIM doesn’t remove Activation Lock or Google’s factory reset protection.
