How to find a lost Android phone

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

On any browser, go to google.com/android/find and sign in with the Google Account that is on the phone. You can see the phone on a map, make it ring for five minutes, lock it with a message, or erase it.

Google's Find Hub, earlier called Find My Device, is switched on by default on most Android phones. It works when the phone is on, signed in to a Google Account and has a data or Wi-Fi connection. Newer phones can also be found through other nearby Android devices.

The steps below need no diagrams. Menu names are the ones Google uses.

Step by step

  1. Open Find Hub on another device

    Use a computer or a friend's phone and go to google.com/android/find. Or open the Find Hub app on another Android device and sign in as a guest.

  2. Sign in with your Google Account

    Use the same account that is on the lost phone. If you have several devices, pick the lost phone from the list.

  3. Look at the map

    You see the current location, or the last known one with the time it was recorded. The battery level and network are shown too.

  4. Tap Play sound

    The phone rings at full volume for five minutes, even if it is on silent. This is the fastest way to find it in the house or the car.

  5. Tap Secure device if you cannot reach it

    This locks the phone and signs it out of your Google Account. You can show a message and a phone number on the lock screen so a finder can call you.

  6. Erase the phone as a last resort

    Factory reset device deletes everything on it. After that you can no longer locate it, so only do this if you are sure it will not come back.

Good to know

Check that it is switched on before you need it: Settings, Google, All services, Find Hub. On some phones: Settings, Security & privacy, Device finders.

If the phone was stolen, do not go to the location yourself. Give the details to the police and ask your mobile network to block the SIM.

Samsung phones also have SmartThings Find at smartthingsfind.samsung.com, which works with a Samsung account.

Keep your data safe in advance with a backup: how to back up an Android phone.

In short: google.com/android/find, sign in, Play sound. Secure device if you cannot reach it, erase only as a last resort.

Sources
  • Google Account Help: Find, secure or erase a lost Android device

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