How to GPS track a phone - ZDNet

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A pistillate utilizing a GPS tracking work connected her cellphone.

It's happened to the champion of us, that little infinitesimal of panic erstwhile our telephone is not successful show -- nor successful our pockets. I cognize I can't beryllium the lone 1 who's near their telephone connected a Target support oregon Starbucks counter, right?

Also: The champion GPS trackers for kids with real-time determination tracking

Luckily, some Apple and Google person GPS bundle for iPhones and Androids that makes uncovering a instrumentality easy. Here's however you tin acceptable up and usage the platforms' respective location-tracking services to retrace your steps and, hopefully, find that mislaid phone. Also, work connected for immoderate alternate third-party apps that are conscionable arsenic effectual and disposable for some operating systems.

How to GPS way your iPhone

If you person an iPhone, here's however to find and way your instrumentality utilizing Apple's built-in "Find My" GPS tool.

Apple's Find My GPS tracker makes it casual to find each your Apple devices, including the iPhone, iPad, and adjacent Apple Watch. Just beryllium definite you've enabled the diagnostic earlier you spell searching for it.

To bash so, spell to your iPhone's settings > pat your sanction and past Find My > crook connected determination sharing > and crook connected Find My iPhone.

Screenshot of a telephone showing Find My iPhone settings

When the unfortunate clip comes and your iPhone goes missing, you tin dial into the Find My app done different Apple instrumentality -- similar an iPad oregon MacBook -- to way the phone's location. Simply unfastened up the Find My app and pat into the "Devices" tab.

From there, the app volition show your iPhone's nonstop determination connected a representation (along with immoderate different Apple instrumentality you've registered onto the Find My network) arsenic good arsenic the code and directions to get to it.

Also: How to find and region spyware from your phone

If you privation to find idiosyncratic else's telephone -- hopefully retired of care, that idiosyncratic volition person to stock their determination with you successful their settings. If they've fixed you support to way their iPhone, you'll besides spot it successful your Find My web app nether the "People" tab.

Screenshot of Find My iPhone connected an iPad Apple device

If you don't person different Apple instrumentality to entree the Find My app, you tin besides way your telephone by signing into your iCloud account connected immoderate different internet-supported device.

After you've signed in, prime "All Devices," and if your telephone tin beryllium located, you'll spot its determination connected the map.

Note that with this method, you tin lone spot devices associated with your Apple ID and not that of friends and family.

How to GPS way your Android phone

Similar to Apple's Find My, Google's Find My Device is the cardinal to uncovering an Android smartphone. I've listed beneath 2 methods: 1 that tin beryllium utilized for each Android devices and a bonus work that's circumstantial to Samsung.

Google's Find my Device bundle archetypal requires you to crook connected determination tracking successful the settings. You tin bash truthful by swiping down the speedy sheet and toggling the determination icon oregon going into Settings > Location > and past turning it connected from there.

Next, marque definite that you're logged into your Google relationship connected some your telephone and the instrumentality you'll beryllium utilizing to hunt for it.

Visit the Google Find My Device website and licence entree to your device's location. As agelong arsenic you're signed successful connected some devices and person work (Wi-Fi oregon data,) you'll beryllium capable to spot wherever your telephone is connected the representation and play a ringing sound for 5 minutes to assistance with locating it.

Also: How to stock your determination connected Android

If you're disquieted that your telephone has been stolen, Google Find My Device adjacent lets you hitch the information truthful that cipher steals immoderate information.

Screenshot of Google Find My results successful New York City.

If you person a Samsung device, you tin besides opt for Samsung's Find My Mobile GPS tracking service. On your Samsung phone, marque definite that the "Find My Mobile" enactment nether the "Biometrics and Security" settings paper is turned on.

When you request to find your Samsung phone, log into the Find My Mobile service utilizing your Samsung relationship credentials, and if your instrumentality tin beryllium located, it'll amusement up connected the map.

Alternative tracking apps for iOS and Android

Aside from Apple and Google's ain GPS-tracking services, present are a fewer apps that fto you way your's and your loved ones' phones.

Google Family Link is simply a escaped parental controls app that works for Android and Apple devices, with tools to acceptable and modulate physics habits among household members' devices. Most importantly, erstwhile you download the app from the Google Play or Apple App Store, you tin easy stock locations utilizing the "tap to share" feature.

iSharing, contempt the Apple-esque branding, is different escaped GPS app that works for tracking some Apple and Android phones. I'd urge utilizing this app if you privation to way your household members' phones successful real-time oregon person alerts erstwhile their devices get and permission from a destination.

Life360 is possibly the astir fashionable third-party tracking app. With the escaped version, you tin negociate some iOS and Android users successful your "circle" with some unrecorded tracking and 2 days' worthy of determination past data. The app tin besides amusement however accelerated idiosyncratic successful your ellipse is driving and employs clang detection erstwhile necessary. If you're a acrophobic genitor and privation much than conscionable determination data, Life360 is simply a large option.

FAQ

Can I way a telephone for free?

Yes, some Apple and Android phones person built-in "Find My" services that fto you way phones that person been linked to your unreality account. There are besides escaped apps that let you to way different people's devices, fixed they've permitted you to first.

How bash I way an Android phone?

To find our ain Android phone, Google's Find My Devices is the champion option. Just beryllium definite your location-sharing settings are toggled connected and you're logged into your Google relationship connected some devices. If you're looking for idiosyncratic else's Android phone, they person to beryllium sharing their determination with you via Google Maps oregon a third-party app.

What's the champion GPS tracker for phones?

Apple and Android's built-in "Find My" services are great, basal options. For functionality beyond determination tracking, I'd urge Life360 oregon Google Family Link.

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