Turn on Find My Phone before you need it
Find My Phone is a tracking service built into your device that lets you locate it on a map if it gets lost or stolen. On iPhones, it's called Find My iPhone. On Android phones, it's Find My Mobile (Samsung) or Find My Device (Google). On Windows computers, it's Find My. You set it up through your device's location and account settings, and it works only if you turn it on ahead of time — you cannot set up it after the phone is already missing.
The service stores your device's location on a company server (Apple, Samsung, or Google) so you can see it from another device or a web browser. It also lets you lock the screen remotely, erase the data, or play a sound to help you find it nearby. Because it relies on location services, you need location turned on for Find My to work properly.
Key Takeaways
- Find My Phone must be enabled before your device is lost — you cannot turn it on remotely once the phone is missing.
- On iPhones, enable Find My iPhone in Settings under your Apple ID; on Android, use Find My Mobile (Samsung) or Find My Device (Google); on Windows, use Settings under your Microsoft account.
- Location services must be turned on for Find My to track your device accurately.
- You access your lost device through a web browser or another device using your account login, not through a separate app.
Enable Find My on an iPhone
Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Tap Find My, then tap Find My iPhone. Toggle the switch to on (it turns green). If you see a message asking to allow Find My to use your location, tap Allow. You may also see an option to allow Find My to send your location when the battery is low — turning this on helps you find the phone even if the battery dies soon after it goes missing.
If you have two-factor authentication enabled on your Apple ID (which Apple recommends), Find My iPhone is automatically protected — only you can disable it or see the device's location. If you do not have two-factor authentication on, set it up now through Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security. Find My iPhone will not work without either two-factor authentication or a strong passcode on the phone itself.
Enable Find My on an Android phone
The steps differ depending on whether you have a Samsung phone or a different Android brand. On Samsung phones, open Settings, tap Samsung account (or just Account if you see it), tap Find My Mobile, and toggle it on. You may need to sign in with your Samsung account first. On other Android phones made by Google, OnePlus, Motorola, or others, open Settings, tap Google (or your account name), tap Manage your Google Account, tap the Security tab, scroll down to Find My Device, and toggle it on.
Android's Find My Device works best when location services are on and your phone is connected to the internet. Unlike iPhone's Find My, Android's version can locate your phone even if the screen is locked, but the accuracy depends on whether location is enabled. If you have a Google account, you can also go to google.com/android/find in a web browser to locate your phone without needing another device.
Enable Find My on a Windows computer
Open Settings and go to Privacy & Security on the left side. Scroll down and click Find My. Toggle on the switch next to Find My. Windows will ask you to confirm — click Yes. You may also see an option to allow apps to use your location; turn that on as well so Find My can pinpoint the computer's location.
Once Find My is on, you can locate your Windows computer by going to account.microsoft.com/devices on any web browser and signing in with your Microsoft account. The site shows all your devices and their last known location. You can also lock the screen or erase the drive remotely from that page.
Make sure location services stay on
Find My works best when location services are enabled on your device. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and make sure the toggle is on. On Android, go to Settings > Location and toggle it on. On Windows, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location and toggle it on. You can also turn location on or off from your device's quick settings menu (the panel you pull down from the top on phones, or the network icon on Windows).
Turning location services off saves battery but makes Find My less accurate. If you turn location off to save power, Find My can still locate your device using cell tower data or Wi-Fi networks, but the location will be less precise. For the best results, leave location on, especially if you are worried about losing your phone.
What to do if you lose your device
If your phone or computer goes missing, open a web browser on another device and go to iCloud.com (iPhone), google.com/android/find (Android), or account.microsoft.com/devices (Windows). Sign in with your account. You should see your device on a map with its last known location. From there, you can play a sound, lock the screen, or erase the device remotely.
If the device is offline, Find My will show you the last location it reported before going offline. Some services, like Apple's Find My, can also notify you when the device comes back online. If you believe the device was stolen, contact local police and give them the location information. Do not try to recover it yourself if you feel unsafe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I turn off location services?
Find My can still locate your device using cell towers and Wi-Fi networks, but the location will be less accurate — sometimes off by several blocks or more. For the most reliable tracking, keep location services on. You can always turn it back on if you lose the device.
Can someone else turn off Find My on my phone?
On iPhone, they would need your Apple ID password and two-factor authentication code, so it is very difficult. On Android, they would need access to your Google or Samsung account. On Windows, they would need your Microsoft password. This is why a strong password and two-factor authentication matter.
Does Find My work if my phone is turned off?
No. Find My can only locate a device that is powered on and connected to the internet or a cell network. Once the phone is off, it stops reporting its location. Some newer iPhones can report their location even when powered off if they have enough battery, but this is not standard across all devices.
Do I need a separate app to find my phone?
No. You access Find My through a web browser on any computer or through the built-in app on another device you own. On iPhone, use the Find My app. On Android, use the Find My Device app or go to google.com/android/find. On Windows, use the Settings app or go to account.microsoft.com/devices.
Will Find My drain my battery?
Find My uses location services, which does use battery, but the drain is usually small — similar to having maps or weather apps running in the background. If battery life is a concern, you can turn off location services when you are home and turn it back on when you leave, though this means Find My will be less accurate during the time location is off.