Losing your smartphone or having it stolen is one of the most frightening experiences in the modern age. You have your contact information, your personal information, your personal pictures, and possibly even financial data on there that thieves and malcontents drool about. It’s definitely scary but there is something you can do about it. One of the most common Google searches is “find my phone” and with these Android apps, you’ll be able to find your phone very quickly. Please note that the only really good way to find your smartphone is if you have something installed already. Make sure you have a plan in place in case something goes wrong!
Android Device Manager
[Price: Free]
Android Device Manager is functionality that’s built into every Google Android device and can be turned on by simply flipping a setting. You can learn more on how to do that by clicking here. Once enabled, you can use Android Device Manager on your Android device or computer to quickly find your device. From there, you can go get it back, wipe the device, sound an alarm so you can find it, and even reset your lock screen PIN. It’s an essential tool that’s built right into Android and you should definitely take advantage of it.
Family Locator by Life360 does exactly what the app name says it does. It allows you to create a collective with your family and friends and then you can keep track of where they are via their smartphone. This is also very useful in case one of your friends or family loses their smartphone. You’ll be able to use the app to find it and help them get it back. Since this is more of an app that finds people rather than smartphones, it doesn’t have as many stolen phone features but it’s still better than nothing and it’s great for parents!
Cerberus has long been the name people think of when it comes to anti-theft applications. It has a diverse set of features that includes locking and resetting your phone, sounding alarms, displaying messages on screen for thieves to read, and it even has access to the front facing camera so you can take a picture of the thief. You can also hide Cerberus from the app drawer so people don’t suspect that it’s there, remote shell into your device, and record audio from the mic. It’s powerful and it’s an app everyone should think about getting.
[Price: Free]
Prey is an app that’s been around for a while that many people trust. It’s entire purpose is to help you find your phone if it goes missing but is more lightweight than something like Cerberus. It has the basic features like finding your phone, locking your device, and setting off an alarm. You’ll also be able to take pictures to see where your device may be and gather network information to see where your device has been. It seems to work for most people and that’s what really matters.
Where’s My Droid has been around for a long time and although it looks simple, this little app has a lot of power. It has the basic features like finding your phone, locking it up, and more. The unique features include the ability to send “GPS Flare” when the battery is low so you’ll get the last location no matter what. You can also control who can find your phone by using text messages. There is a free version that covers the very basics with a pro version that unlocks features like remote wiping, keeping the app from being uninstalled, hiding the app icon, and the ability to use a landline when activating the app.
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