Updated 4/25/12
A few weeks ago, I couldn’t find my Motorola Droid. I searched my apartment and car high and low and it was no where to be found.
I eventually remembered having it when I played volleyball the night before and drove across town to go see if they had it. Fortunately, someone had found it and turned it in to the lost and found. It was probably a good place to lose my phone as most of the people there know each other and are generally pretty honest.
Then last week I was talking to my mom and she mentioned she misplaced her Droid (I convinced her over Christmas that if she was going to get a smartphone, the Droid was her best bet – she’s a former Verizon employee and would never touch anything AT&T so the iPhone was out as an option).
She wasn’t quite as fortunate as I was. She set it on top of her car and drove off (don’t ask me why it was there in the first place). She couldn’t figure out where it fell off and she eventually had to use her smartphone insurance, pay the $89 deductible and order a new Droid.
However, that got me to thinking there must be an app to track down and find a lost Android based phone.
As it turns out, there are several.
Probably the most popular is “Where’s My Droid.” I just installed it and tested it out myself and it’s pretty sweet if you’re forgetful and misplace your phone.
You can send a special code word via SMS to your cell phone and it will turn on the ringer even if it’s on vibrate or silent. I wish I’d have had that feature on my old Razr (the flip phone, not the new Droid Razr smartphone) – I always had the ringer off and managed to misplace that thing every couple weeks it seemed.
It also has a special code word you can text (you can pick and customize these words, by the way) your phone that will activate the GPS antenna and will text you back it’s location and a link so you can get directions to your phone via Google Maps.
There’s another fun app called Instamapper that also allows for remote activation where you can watch on a map where your phone is and if it’s moving. I have both installed. (This one also allows for remote tracking without the phone user knowing it’s on – it’ll run quietly in the background once setup if you like.) This app isn’t quite as user friendly and takes a little time to get setup, but works great once it’s up and running.
Another app that’s been getting some love in the comments is Lookout Mobile Security. I’ve used it as well and can recommend that as an excellent alternative to the apps above. It’s a free app though there’s a premium version available for those who need more comprehensive security.
What If Already Lost Your Phone But Didn’t Install This App?
The app you install after you lose your Android phone.
Since a lot of people don’t necessarily plan ahead and find this page after their phone has already been lost, I’m often asked what they can do if their cell phone is already gone. In the past I’ve always had to tell them they’re out of luck. However, now there’s a new option called Plan B. It’s from the company Lookout Mobile and best of all, it’s a free app! In order for this app to work, you’ll need access to your computer and your Google (gmail) account. Since pretty much every Android phone needs a Google account to work properly, you probably already have that.
Plan B is the Android App that helps you find your phone after you lost it or it was stolen - even if the phone is already lost!
To use the app, you’ll need to use the web version of Google Play (formerly known as the Android Market) – again, the app is called Plan B. Your phone needs to be running Android 2.0 or later but these days, that’s pretty much all of us.
Once you’ve installed the app remotely, you’ll get emails in your Gmail account telling you the approximate location of the phone. While it isn’t accurate enough to tell you it’s in your couch cushion or that it’s actually sitting on your desk, it is accurate enough to let you know if you forgot it in the coffee shop or left it at home or in your car.
A special thanks to Clayton Hughes for bringing this app to my attention.
Of course, this all implies the phone is still turned on. If it’s powered off or the battery is dead, you’re SOL.
So what can you do if you’re phone’s battery is dead or the phone has been turned off or SIM card removed?
You can use an app like Wavesecure that will lock down your phone should it ever get stolen. It will contact a friend (who you can specify when you setup your account) if your phone is stolen and allows you to remotely lock down your phone so that it can’t be used until the unlock pin code is entered.
And it has one feature that makes this a killer app. Smartphones have access to a ton of your personal information (I’d much rather someone steal my wallet than phone – they can do less damage with my wallet) – that information is worth far more than the price of the phone.
However, with Wavesecure, you can remotely wipe the the data on your phone and memory card so that least your private personal data can stay safe even if your phone can’t be recovered. (Just remember to do regular backups of your phone – MyBackup Pro is what I recommend – the 30 day trial is free and $2.99 after that, but well worth the small investment – I spent that much on coffee this morning. You can also use Titanium Backup if you have your phone rooted.)
I also like to make it easy for people to get in touch with me so they can give my phone back to me.
While I know that high end smartphones like the Galaxy Nexus and HTC Vivid are certainly attractive to thieves, I give people the benefit of the doubt and just assume that I misplaced or dropped the phone and that someone found it and would be more than happy to give it back if they could get in touch with me.
One App that makes that simple is to install the “Contact Owner” app on your phone. It’s a very simple app that will display your name on the unlock screen of your phone, an alternate phone number and email address for anyone who finds your phone to contact.
I actually have my Google Voice number set as my contact number. Even when it forwards back to my cell phone, I can still see the call log and will get any text messages sent to that contact number without needing my phone to access them. Also, if they leave a voicemail, I can check it online – no phone required.
So there you have it, some apps to keep track of your phone if you’re as forgetful as I am.
Special note if Where’s My Droid Isn’t Working
Where’s my Droid is awesome but I recommend you test it out to make sure it’s working before you depend on it to help you find your lost phone. If you send the specially coded messages and don’t get any response from your phone, your text messaging app may be messing the whole thing up. If you only use the standard messaging app, skip this section as it doesn’t apply to you.
Go SMS - Open the app and click the menu button and go to settings. Then go to “receive settings” and uncheck “Disable other message notifications.” Not go to the built in messaging app, hit menu and click on settings and uncheck the “notifications” box.
Handcent - Open the app, and click the menu button on your phone and again go to settings. Click on “Application Settings,” “Default Messaging Application” and set to Disable. Again, open the built int messaging app, click menu and go to settings. Again, just uncheck the notifications checkbox and you should be all set.
Last Resort – When You’re Phone Really Is Gone
While having the ability to install apps that let you track down your phone often makes finding your phone much easier than finding a lost wallet or misplace car keys, it isn’t fool proof and a sophisticated thief can counter even your best efforts.
But that doesn’t mean you have to let the thief get a working phone free and clear.
When you’re sure you’re not going to get the phone back, it’s time to call up your carrier, report the phone as stolen, and have them flag the phone so no one else can use it. Each phone has a unique identification number called the Electronic Serial Number – ESN – for CDMA phones (like Verizon and Sprint) or International Mobile Equipment Idenity – IMEI – for GSM phones (like AT&T, T-Mobile and most International Carriers).
Your carrier can flag a phone in their system so that your stolen phone cannot be activated and used again unless you call them up and have them remove the flag – keep in mind the person whose name appears on the account must call to get it removed. While it may not help you phone get back to you, it dramatically decreases the value of the phone to a thief.
Conclusion
So there you have it – my recommendations if you lost your Android phone or if it was stolen. I hope that one of these apps or recommendations helps you locate your missing phone and that it ends up back in your hands safe and sound sooner than later.
Any apps that I missed? Is there an app you feel I should have mentioned? Did one of these apps help you find your lost phone? - post in the comments and let me know.
About Gary Ruplinger
Can Plan B be installed on a phone that is in airplane mode? I tried to install it on the computer. The gray bar said that it was installed, but no messages have been sent to my gmail account. Any suggestions on how to find it in this circumstance?
Thanks.
If the phone is in airplane mode, then all of its antennas are shut off which means the phone is disconnected from the outside world. Unfortunately, the only way to find the phone then is to do it the old fashioned way – look everywhere you can think of and see if you can figure out the last time you’re certain you had your phone with you and see if you can follow the path to your phone.
I already lost my phone tried downloading plan b, and wheres my droid but the same thing is happenning.. The phone does not use sim card. the phone is still ringing. What happens is the program will say installed then when I go back later and look at it , it will just say install. What exactly does this mean how do i know if the program actually got installed remotely??
If you go to Google Play, you’ll see the gray button say “installed” instead of “install” if it was able to successful install the app remotely.
Also, keep in mind that Where’s My Droid will likely not be of any use to you if your phone is already lost since you can’t remotely activate the app.
i cant find my android phone i being looking for it for 3 months i need help i used that wheres my android app and i cant find it i tryed to find it on my gmail account but i dont know how to work it so can anybody please help me
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if your phone has been missing for three months, there’s no app on the planet that can help you. Hopefully by now you’ve reported the phone as lost to your carrier and gotten yourself a new phone.
I did try almost all apps out there and some work better than others. Recently I started using one called Family Tracker. The things that I like about it as opposed to the others is that it works with both Android and iphones. So I have it on all of my familys phones (my daughter insists on having an iphone). I can now track them and also use it as a way to find their phones if they misplace them.
One more thing… you can also use their stealth ping feature to force the remote device to update its location without it indicating anything, so my kids or (the thief if it get stolen) have no idea what is going on. Links if anyone is curious:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fibercode.familytracker
I found their site helpful to set it up: http://fibercode.com/android/family-tracker
So I work in a place that handles calls like this on a regular basis, and your statement that once a phone has been placed on a lost/stolen list its gone.. Is completely and utterly false, if you ever get your phone back call you carrier because the original owner can have it removed.. but your name must be on the original bill of sale.
Thanks for the tip, Clint. I misunderstood how the flagging processing worked but I’ve updated the post to make sure it’s accurate now.
Thanks again!
Gary
But does plan b still work if the thief changed the gmail account on the phone? I call my droid and it rings so it’s still on.
In that case, not it won’t as Plan B depends on the phone having your Google account associated with it. If that’s been changed, the Play Store can’t identity the phone it’s supposed to be sending the app to.
Hey thanks for the great write-up. This was really helpful. Cheers
so, I reported my phone lost, got a new one, so from what I am reading here I am now s o l as to finding the phone, correct? There is one thing I completely forgot about- the person who found my phone tried to rent a movie from googleplay- luckily my cc info was outdated and the charge didn’t go thru. Even if the phone device is off, some phones will continue to work as a link to the Internet, and if you store your email and other apps to auto purchase, you are screwed until you change ALL your passwords! I’m just hoping that’s the only charge! I wish there was a way to track it after you shut off the phone!
Please some one help me find my cell phone i already upload plan B but I’m not getting anything no information of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s likely the phone has been turned off or the battery has died. One thing I’ve done in the past when I’ve lost my phone is just go back to all of the places I’ve been and ask if anyone has turned in a phone. It’s not as cutting edge as using an app to locate the phone but as long as the phone hasn’t been stolen, it’s a surprisingly effective way to track that phone down.
If you think it’s somewhere in your house or apartment, just go through your house carefully – check all couch and chair cushions thoroughly and be sure to check the unlikely places too. Believe it or not, I’ve found my phone in my refrigerator before… you just never know where you’re going to set something down when you’re not paying attention.
my phone has been stolen its a tmobile htc sensation with all my pictures and important infortation. i havent turn the service off becuase im hoping i can get my phone back please feel free to help me track my phone thank you
Hi Ashley, if you’ve tried installing Plan B and still can’t locate the phone, then the thief has likely turned the phone off. Report the phone as stolen with your carrier – they’ll flag the ESN and the phone won’t be able to be activated again.
Hello well i went to install plan B but the icon that i have never used google play from my smartphone so now what? My phone might still be on its an android
You don’t need to have used Google Play, all you need is a Google Account (i.e. a Gmail Account that you attached to your phone the very first time you used it).
please help me to find my droid. how can i locate my phone if the sim card has removed already?
what now? should i use to send the word “locate” if my sim card has been removed already? Please help…
NotLost>> pls. help
There’s not going to be any way to track it down using an app on the phone. If you can’t figure out who took it, then you’ll need to report the phone as stolen and should do so as soon as possible. Sorry.
It is advisable to register the IMEI of any stolen / lost phone on http://www.MyCellWasStolen.com so that nobody can use your phone and it does not get into wrong hands.
my phone was stolen and they turned it off and put it on another account , so how can i track the phone if i dont know nothing
With this software you don’t need tons of other software to: track your phone, lock your phone, wipe data on it, etc. It’s called Avast Antivirus and besides being a very good smartphone antivirus it also does the things I mentioned above and even more. Here’s the link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity&hl=en
Oh, and it’s free also
If you were worried about someone abducting your child… Which tracking program would be best? I wouldn’t want it to indicate on her phone if I was tracking… It would have to be able to turn on the gps remotely… Would I have to install it on each individual phone? That.ka
I think an app called GPS Tracker will do what you’re looking for. You can remotely activate it without the phone showing that it’s actively reporting its location… and it refreshes every 15 seconds or so which means you can tell if the phone is moving or stationary. Hope that helps.
I have a question.. how about if im trying to downloas PLAN B for my android and it says i have no devices under that email adress how or what is another way that i can locate my lost phone.. ? please let me know of anything I can do> ?
I have called my phone but its out of reach and I installed Plan B but still I haven’t gotten any emails from it.
Will Plan B still work if the sim card on my lost phone has been changed and there is no wifi or internet connection on my phone? I just lost my galaxy a while ago *sobs*
Once the SIM card is removed or swapped, there’s nothing you can do to track the phone down except report the phone as stolen and get a new one – sorry.
My sister phone got stolen from someone.Her phone was off and no one couldnt find her phone.She had a case in her phone but only the phone was dissapeared.
Help
It’s just a shame that I’ve been waiting for 40 minutes + just to get an email from them. I don’t think it worked. It was my last shot at finding my phone.
My question is, if it ever did get stolen and the tracking software such as, “where’s my droid.” said it was in a house etc…what are you going to do, knock on the door? Call the police and they have no warrant? I mean if its stolen it seems almost pointless to have the software anyways. Cause usually if a phone goes missing, it was because some low life stole it. I know some people just forget it somewhere or may have dropped it in some cases, but not as much as I see them getting stolen. Even thieves have legal rights unfortunately and can dispose of it even if there was a warrant issued 2 weeks later. It would be nice if their was some kind of alarm company for a cell phone that actually get the cops called ie Brinks etc for houses. I know, wishful thinking but just a thought.
In the past six months, my son’s phone was stolen twice. Once, when it was left in a lobby – janitor found it. We were able to trace it to a house, then back to the lobby. When confronted with a street address where it had traveled, he suddenly “remembered” that he had found a phone, and “accidentally” put it in his car.
Another time, it was stolen at school. He realized it within five minutes, called me, I tracked it to the quad, then made it “scream.” He took it out of the thief’s hand as he was fumbling to try to turn it off.
The phone has also been lost twice – we were able to determine where he’d left it (within 9 meters) and retrieve it.
Lookout (mylookout.com) is a great program !
You can register your new or the Stolen phone here & be safe for the future.
http://www.mycellwasstolen.com
check the status of the phone that you are going to buy and know “is it a stolen phone ? ”
refer here for more info:
http://www.mycellwasstolen.com/resources
Help to break phone theft cycle
If the GPS locator is cut off can your phone still be tracked
Most of these apps run in the background meaning that the person who took it won’t be aware that tracking has been initiated. However, if they know enough to look through the phone for those apps, they can uninstall and disable them meaning tracking the phone will no longer be possible.
However, if the thief simply turns off the GPS antenna, these apps simply turn GPS back on.
my LG optimus V was lost on Friday the 27 at my school please help me find it.
Thank you very much. That is very helpful information.
If I have my phone removed from my ex-husband’s account and start my own account using the same phone and sim card, will he still be able to stalk me using the lost phone software?
Only if he has the password for your Google Account – if he does know it, change it. If not, then no.
I lost my zte blade in morning today.running on android 2.2 i search for that and was unable to find.it is switched off now.can it track it by using my friends android phone?if yes please help me
If the phone is switched off, then there is no way to track it.
what if you remotely install the plan b app when the batteries dead will it activate if the phone is turned on ? i lost my phone some where along the way of many stops and a few hour drive the battery was dead so i just installed the plan b app in hopes if the phone is connected to the charger it will activate the app and send me coordinates
Yes, it should install if somebody plugs it into a charger and turns the phone back on.
My phone was sneaked out of my coat pocket in a busy shop. It has been 9 days since its gone. I have given my IMEI number to the police and also remotely installed “Plan b” but I havent received any emails yet. Also soon after I realised it was stolen I had tried calling on it and after 2 rings it started going on voicemail. So I am guessing that the thief removed the SIM card or turned the power off. It has been nine days and I havent got any intimation. Is there anything else I need to do to get my phone back?
Samsung Galaxy S with Ginger bread updated last month.
Yeah, unfortunately it looks like your phone was taken by someone who knew what they were doing and how to make sure tracking systems weren’t activated on the phone. It sucks that it happens. Hopefully you had the insurance package on it so that you don’t have to pay full price for a new one.
Thank You Very much, This is very helpful to be known such things. Recently, my nokia 6120 classic symbian S60 version 3rd mobile phone got stolen. Do you have any idea to find it?
I am a future customer of android smart phones because I am willing to buy htc Sennsation XE mobile phone.It is totally cool, isn’t it?
Thanks.
Yes, the HTC Sensation XE is a really cool phone for the music and movie lover. The beats audio thing is pretty neat.
i recently bought a droid at a local pawnshop. took it to the service center to activate it. The tech said the phone MDN number was being used and that the phone had been reported lost or stolen and the phone is useless. is this true? should i trash it?
When you get a cell phone, it has a unique ESN number attached to it. That number is attached to an account. If a phone is reported stolen, your cell phone carrier will flag the number so that the phone cannot be activated.
My recommendation for purchasing any cell phone from a pawn shop, eBay, or Craigslist – call up the cell phone carrier (their logo is on the phone) and ask if the ESN number is clear, meaning not flagged (stolen, unpaid account balance, under contract) and able to be activated.
A good pawn shop would have called and verified this information before buying it, but if it had just been stolen, it might not have been reported yet.
So to answer your question – yes, the phone is useless as a phone and will never be able to be activated. Since it was reported stolen, please turn it into the police so they can return it to the original owner – it’ll really make that person’s day to know there are still good people out there.
My new 4g Android got stolen, i’m not able to get a new smart phone at the moment so how would i look for my old one? I’m worried someone else is already using my phione but can the tracker still work with someone elses sim card or does the phone have to have my sim card in it?
Is there a way to do this with my wifi xoom? everyone talks about sending a text message to start it but I can’t really send a text message to my xoom
fucking superb! <3 Droid
Checkout the newest , simplest and coolest app that solves the phone loss problem all together..
Neverlose my Droid.. the free version now available.
http://goo.gl/wbe76
This works. The first email took a minute or two to show up and after 10 minutes of nonmovement you have to restart the process by texting “locate” to the missing phone. The cops were able to find and arrest the guy and we got our phone back!
Thank you so much for this positing. I installed plan b after i was robbed at gun point. With out it the detectives would have never found out who the people were, nor where they lived.
What if you already got a new phone and your old Droid is still floating around somewhere? I don’t even need the phone back really, I just don’t want people to be able to get onto it. Is there anything for that?
I already reported it stolen and got a new and much better Droid phone, but I’d love to somehow retrieve my photos/music off the old one and hinder anyone from invading that which I thought was my personal space.
Unless you already installed security software on it like WaveSecure, there’s not much you can do to keep your personal information out of the hands of someone else. Sorry.
Well I never did find my Droid. That was most likely obvious, I guess… I get the feeling it ran out of charge before I got a chance to try out my plan. I hope most people will check this site out before they end up in this kind of situation. Also, back-pockets are evil- they will most likely let you down imho. Dedicating a front pocket to your phone has to be one of the best preventative measures you can take along with down loading the said applications on this thread BEFORE you lose your phone- just in case you have a low charge on the go. This is Mandroid McDroid saying stay classy gpsmaestro.com
so if my phone is dead the “where’s my droid” app wont work?
Correct, the phone needs to be on for the app to work.
Ok I have a thunderbolt and a 1st gen Droid on Android 2.0… The thunderbolt is connected to the Verizon network and the Droid I used as a music player and has the bulk of my pics. Would it still be possible to find the Droid using these apps by changing the service back to the Droid? (assuming the dang thing hasn’t died or found its way to Mexico) its looking pretty dismal, I know, but maybe possibly there’s a glimmer of hope…
To be honest I’m not sure but it can’t hurt to try but if you are going to try it, be sure to do it as soon as possible. If you do try it, please post back here with your results so we can share them with others who lose their Android phones. Good luck and thanks for commenting.
i lost my cell phone 2days,using 2.0 android…can find back??
If your phone battery isn’t dead yet, try this:
Follow these easy steps to use Plan B:
1. Install Plan B to the phone that you are trying to find from the Android Market website: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb.
2. Plan B will start automatically and send your phone’s location to your Gmail address.
3. If it doesn’t start, borrow a friend’s phone and text the word “locate” to your lost phone.
Using Plan B is simple, but requires access to the Android Market website and your Google account. (If you have an Android phone, you already have a Google account.)
After you install it, Plan B will start locating your phone using cell towers and GPS, even if you didn’t have GPS switched on. Your location will keep updating for 10 minutes, and you will get an email each time it is located, whether the phone is moving or standing still. You can start the process again by texting “locate” to your number from any other phone. In order to locate your phone, we send you a text via SMS, so standard message rates apply.
Since this webpage turned up while I was trying to figure out how to find my phone, this info might prove useful;
With Android 2.0 and on most major carriers, you can install “Plan B” to find your phone–AFTER you’ve already lost it (so long as you remember to do so before the battery dies!).
Market link:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb&feature=search_result
Description of how it works here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20038043-245.html
Hi,
I’ve Verizon, Drioid, Phone, and there is no charge to the phone so the phone is switched off, and i can’t find it anywhere in my purse in my car… no where .. do u know how can i look for my phone… ??
Pl let mek now , i ‘m worried.
thanks,
Nilam
If your phone is turned off then you’ll have to look for the phone the old fashioned way – by continuing to look for it and backtracking your steps from the last point you know you had your phone.
If those apps have been removed, you won’t be able to track the phone any longer. If you suspect your phone has been stolen, your best chance of getting it back is to activate remote tracking apps like “where’s my droid” as soon as possible because if your phone is wiped, you’re SOL.
Let’s say my “wheres my droid” apps and my account on that phone was deleted and my phone was returned to its factory settings can I still track it?
If not is there a app or something I can get so I can prevent it from happening again on my new droid?
my droid was stolen along with a couple thousand $ in golf clubs my wallet @ least $250.00 cash and very dangerous medication I was at a golf course when 2 guys drove off in our cart unloaded everything into a truck and took off they got it on video the only link to my stuff is my phone verizon knows where it is but wont tell without a subeona from law enforcement and law enforcement (myrtle beach) doesnt think its that serious is there anything i can do without these apps already installed
If you do happen to be the victim of a stolen Droid, I would report the Droid theft on http://www.stolen-property.com/
It’s a online database of stolen property and is free for both victims and searchers of stolen property to use around the world.
I personally use Prey for Android. I been watching the project closely (preyproject.com) and really like what they’re doing. WaveSecure looks good but a bit of overkill to me — the buddies thingy is not a good solution IMHO.