Have you downloaded the “Find My Device” app for your Android phone? It may be time to check for that extra peace of mind.

by | Mar 10, 2022 | FIND MY DEVICE

I received a frantic call last night from a concerned customer saying that they could not find their new shiny SAMSUNG phone and could I help them find it via FIND MY DEVICE which I helped them to download two months ago

The customer recalls last making a call at a local Woolies store and then driving home only to discover that an hour later, he could not find his Samsung phone

Luckily, we had configured his phone with an App called FIND MY DEVICE and from this, we could see that the phone had somehow fallen out of the car at the car park and was luckily still there three hours later

Its a timely reminder to all phone users whether you have an Iphone or Android to ensure that

FIND MY PHONE  ( for IOS) and

FIND MY DEVICE ( for Android )

are configured on your devices so that you can trace them if required.

I know that this is not a foolproof system and has its limitations but at least it gives you some hope of backtracking and finding the phone when and if you lose it.

In this customers case, we were lucky, so if you do value your phone and its contents, then add this additional layer of security to give you peace of mind

I have included the step by step guide on how to use download and use FIND MY DEVICE on Android phones but as always, if you require help to set this up, Connect My Tech can assist you with set up and install as part of their services.

 

Be ready to find a lost Android device

To be prepared in case you lose your phone or tablet or Wear OS watch, you can check that Find My Device can find it. If your device is already lost learn how to find, lock, or erase it.

 

Important: Some of these steps work only on Android 8.0 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.

Make sure your device can be found

To find, lock, or erase an Android phone, that phone must:

  • Be turned on
  • Be signed in to a Google Account
  • Be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi
  • Be visible on Google Play
  • Have Location turned on
  • Have Find My Device turned on
Step 1: Check that Find My Device is on
  1. Open your device’s Settings app.
  2. Tap Security And then Find My Device. If you don’t see “Security,” tap Security & location or Google And then Security.
  3. Make sure Find My Device is turned on.

Tip: If you have a tablet that people share, only the tablet’s owner can change these settings.

Step 2: Check that Location is on
  1. Open your device’s Settings app.
  2. Tap Location. If you don’t see “Location,” go to your phone manufacturer’s support site for help.
  3. Turn on Location.
Step 3: Check that Google Play visibility is on
Important: If you hide a device on Google Play, it won’t show in Find My Device.
  1. Open play.google.com/settings.
  2. Under “Visibility,” pick the device.
Step 4: Turn on 2-Step Verification backups
Important: If you use 2-Step Verification for your account, you need to have a backup phone or backup code.
  1. Go to your Google Account.
  2. Tap Security.
  3. On the “Signing in to Google” panel, tap 2-Step Verification.
  4. Add at least 1 additional second step, either: ​        ​​           
Backups help you get back into your account if you forget your password, lose your phone, or can’t sign in for another reason. Learn more about setting up 2-Step Verification and backups.
Step 5: Check that you can find your device
  1. Open android.com/find.
  2. Sign in to your Google Account. If this device has more than one user profile, sign in with a Google Account that’s on the main profile. Learn about user profiles.
  3. If you have more than one device, click this device at the top of the screen.

Install the app

To be prepared to use one Android phone or tablet to find another, install the Find My Device app .

Watch a video about finding your device

 

 

Patrick Larobina