Lost your Android phone? Google has expanded its Android Device Manager feature by offering the Find My Device app, which lets you find, lock, and erase phones registered to a Gmail account.
Remember Android Device Manager? This Google feature was something like Apple's "Find my iPhone" and allowed the owner of an Android device to communicate remotely with the phone, and even lock it and erase its data if it was stolen.
The web address is still up and running. Google has simply expanded the feature to a mobile app with the more appropriate name "Find My Device."
The first thing you need to know is that this app does not come pre-installed on your phone. You will need to go to the Play Store to find and download the app. Once installed, sign in with your Google account to start using it. This is not mandatory as you can also sign in as a guest, see details below.
You are now able to manage all the Android devices associated with your Google account, switching between them using the icons at the top of the screen. Remember that to track your device's location you must have location enabled (Settings -> Location -> On).
The app will show you the battery level and the WiFi network it is connected to (if any). If it is connected to a network you do not recognize, then the app will help you make a decision about what further actions you want to take. The “Lock” option locks your device with a passcode of your choice and allows you to leave a message for anyone who has it in their hands, as well as a mobile number where they can contact you. The “Erase” option erases your phone data completely and will then require Google credentials to log in to it again.
The “Play Sound” option does exactly what it says, it rings the phone for five minutes so you can hear where it is (if you’re looking for it inside the house) or to alert the thief that you’ve noticed your phone has been stolen.
If your device is stolen, you can simply log in to the app from someone else's device and use the app instead. Select the "Log in as a guest" option, then log in with your details.
