Find My Device is Google’s tool for locating, ringing, locking, or erasing an Android phone. It must be enabled before the phone goes missing, so check it while the device is still in your hand.
These steps apply to Android phones running Android 9 and later signed into a Google account, including Samsung, Pixel, Motorola, and similar devices.
Does This Affect You?
Use this if you want a recovery plan before a phone is lost, or if you need to locate, secure, or erase a missing Android device.
Confirm Find My Device Is On
- Open Settings.
- Search for Find My Device.
- Open the result under Google, Security, or Device finders depending on the phone.
- Make sure the main toggle is on.
- Enable remote locating, locking, and erasing if those options appear.
- Turn on Location for the most accurate map results.
Locate, Ring, Lock, or Erase a Lost Phone
- On another device, go to android.com/find or open the Find My Device app.
- Sign in with the same Google account used on the lost phone.
- Choose the missing device.
- Use Play Sound to ring it at full volume for several minutes.
- Use Secure Device to lock it and show a message or phone number.
- Use Erase Device only when you accept that it factory resets the phone.
Erase Device removes data from the phone. Use it when recovery is unlikely or data protection matters more than finding the device.
Find My Device Notes
Offline and Last Known Location
If the phone is offline, Find My Device can show the last known location and time. It updates again if the phone reconnects.
Powered-Off Finding Is Limited
Some recent models, such as supported Pixel phones, can use the Find My Device network while powered off. This must be enabled ahead of time and is not universal to all Android phones.
Factory Reset Protection
If a phone is reset without removing the Google account first, Android can require that account during setup. This makes stolen phones harder to reuse.
Needs a Connection
Normal location updates need Wi-Fi, mobile data, or supported offline Bluetooth network behavior. Airplane Mode, no signal, or power loss limits what you can see.
Sources
- Google Support: Find, lock, or erase a lost Android device
- Google Support: Turn Find My Device on or off
- Google Support: How the Find My Device network works