How to turn on or off Find My Device on Android

If you've lost your Android™ phone—and it happens to all of us—you know how stressful it can be to retrace your steps in a flurry, sifting through pockets or flipping over couch cushions to try and find it. There is, however, a simpler way. It's called Google Find My Device™, and we'll walk you through how to set it up.

At Asurion, we help you get the most from your tech—whether you want to speed up your phone or fix a TV with no sound. Here's our guide to using the Find My Device feature to track, ring, lock, or erase your Android devices remotely in case it's lost, stolen, or damaged.

How Find My Device works

Find My Device is included with most Android phones, and it's automatically turned on if you've added a Google™ account to your device. You can use this feature to locate your phone with Google Maps and then make it ring or pinpoint its location. You can also use Find My Device to lock or erase your phone remotely to protect your personal data.

Want to confirm that Find My Device is turned on and working? Whether you're setting up your new phone or just preparing for the worst, we'll show you how.

How to turn on Find My Device on your Samsung phone

1. Open your Settings app.
2. Tap Biometrics & Security.
3. Tap Find My Device, then tap the switch to turn it on.

Want to improve your location accuracy? Simply update your Location Settings. Go to Settings > Location. Then select Location services and tap Google Location Accuracy. Make sure the option is turned on.

How to turn on Find My Device on your Google Pixel

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Security > Find My Device.
3. Switch the option on.

You'll also want to make sure to turn on location services on your Google Pixel™. Open Settings, then tap Location. Make sure to switch the option on.

How to find your phone using Find My Device

To find, lock, or erase your phone, your Android device will need to be:

• turned on
• signed in to a Google account
• connected to a stable Wi-Fi network
• visible on Google Play™
• have Location and Find My Device turned on.

From there, it's simple:

1. Open the Find My Device app on another device, or go to google.com/android/find.
2. Sign in to your Google account.
3. Find My Device will show an approximate current location.
4. To track down a lost device that's close by, select Play Sound. The device will ring loudly for 5 minutes.
5. Press the Power button to stop the ringing once you find your phone.

How to lock your Android phone remotely

If Find My Device shows that your phone is far away, or you suspect it was stolen, you'll want to lock it immediately to prevent anyone from accessing your personal information or using your phone's data. Here's how:

1. Open the Find My Device app on another device, or go to google.com/android/find.
2. Sign in to your Google account.
3. Select Secure Device.
4. Your phone will be locked. You can also add a custom message on your lock screen so others can contact you if they find the device.

How to remotely erase data from your Android phone

If you're concerned that you won't be able to retrieve your phone, you can erase your data remotely. This should be a last resort, as you will lose any data that you haven't recently backed up. If you're ready to take that step, here's what to do:

1. Open the Find My Device app on another device or go to google.com/android/find.
2. Sign in to your Google account.
3. Select Erase Device.

How to turn off Find My Device on your Android

Find My Device is a great tool if you lose your phone. But if you want to stop sharing your location, it's easy to turn off the feature in your device settings with these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Once you're in your Settings menu, tap Security.
3. Go to Find My Device, and tap the switch to turn it off.

To stop your device from sharing your location, you'll also need to turn off location tracking:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Location.
3. Switch it off.