4 methods to track your Samsung Galaxy smartphone

Losing a smartphone is one of our biggest worries. This is not only because they are hard-earned expensive purchases but the device has critical data which can pose a security risk. These include personal, financial, and social media details, as well as media files. If somebody gets hold of your smartphone, they can potentially access all the information.

While a panic-inducing terrifying feeling is common when you do not find your smartphone with yourself, it’s important to know that all hope is not lost. We say this because modern smartphones have become technologically advanced, armed with robust security and features to help find the misplaced device.

Top methods to track your Samsung mobile phone

Every phone comes with a built-in tool to help you find it if it’s lost or stolen. They are capable of tracking the location of the lost or stolen phone and also erasing data remotely. Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones also come with the company’s proprietary app. Additionally, there are other ways to track your lost Samsung phone. Read on to know more.

1. SmartThings Find

2. Google Find My Device

3. Third-party apps

4. Tracking with IMEI number

1. SmartThings Find

Formerly called Find My Mobile, SmartThings Find is Samsung’s own tracking service. It can be accessed via any web browser or through a dedicated Android or Windows app. SmartThings Find works similarly to Apple and Google’s Find My services. It has a host of features including ringing the phone at max volume for 1 minute, locking the device, remotely erasing data, and also automated location tracking updates every 15 minutes.

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SmartThings Find also lets you backup critical data on the phone to Samsung Cloud before performing a factory reset. You can also retrieve the last 50 calls and messages received on a lost phone. If you notice that your device is running on low power, you can enable the Extend Battery feature which will put it into power-saving mode and give you more time to retrieve the phone.

It’s worth noting that to use SmartThings Find and locate your lost device, the service first needs to be activated. The steps below will tell you how to enable the feature and track the device.

1. Launch the Settings app on the phone

2. Tap on your name to open the Samsung account

3. Select Find My Mobile and toggle all the features there to enable them

4. After setting up the service, visit the SmartThings Find webpage

5. Sign in to your Samsung account

6. You will see all Find-compatible devices in the left panel

7. It will display the phone’s last location along with battery level, network connectivity, and more options.

2. Google Find My Device

Google’s Find My Device is a valuable tool that comes pre-installed on almost every Android smartphone. It is capable of remotely locking the device with a PIN or password so the person won’t be able to access any data. Additionally, you can also add a message that can be displayed on the lock screen for anybody who finds it.

There’s an option to play sound that will ring the phone at max volume for five minutes even if it’s on silent mode. If you feel that your phone is truly lost and there’s no chance of getting it back, the factory reset option will remotely erase all the data.

ALSO READ: 4 ways you can use the updated Find My Device on Android

Google’s Find My has fewer functions than SmartThings Find, but it will come in handy if you forget to set up the latter. To enable Find My Device to track your lost and stolen smartphone, you need to follow these steps:

 1. Turn on location services.

2. Navigate to Settings > Google > Security > Find My Device.

3. Toggle it on.

4. Make sure that remotely locate this device and remote lock and erase options are enabled.

Once you’ve set up Find My Device, you will be able to track your smartphone through the service if it’s lost or stolen.
1. Visit the official website to locate your smartphone. 

2. The left panel will show a list of devices that are linked to the same Google account along with their location on the map. 

3. The service can also be accessed on the Find My Device Android app on another smartphone. 

4. You will need to sign in to the same Google account that is active on the lost phone. 

3. Third-party apps

Apart from the proprietary built-in apps, there are various third-party apps that can be used to track, lock, and wipe out data completely on a lost smartphone. Some of these include Cerberus, Life360, BitDefender Anti Theft, and more. Cerberus captures photos and audio recordings if your phone has been stolen.

4. Tracking with an IMEI number

An IMEI number is a 15-digit unique number of the phone you own. There are various sites and tools that can track the location of a lost phone with the number, however, it is rarely accurate. Getting back a lost phone can be an ordeal. You need to file a complaint with the police authorities and get a duplicate SIM card of the same number. The next step is to block the IMEI number of the device so that it doesn’t work with any network in India. The enforcement authorities and network operators will then work on tracing your phone.

ALSO READ: How to use Google’s Find My Device feature to locate your lost Android phone

Whether it’s Samsung’s built-in proprietary tracking service on Galaxy smartphones or any third-party apps, each method gives hope that your lost or stolen phone can be found. However, one needs to set up the tracking services ahead of time to save themselves from potential troubles later.