You can find your phone by calling it, using your carrier's tools, or checking your cloud account — but the method depends on whether your phone is on, has signal, and which company made it.
If your phone is lost nearby, the fastest way is to call your own number from another phone. If someone answers or you hear it ringing, follow the sound. If nobody picks up and you go to voicemail, your phone is either off, out of range, or silenced.
If calling doesn't work, your next step depends on what kind of phone you have. Apple, Google, Samsung, and your wireless carrier all have built-in location tools that work even when your phone is locked — but they only work if you set them up before you lost the phone. If you haven't set up these tools yet, you cannot use them now.
Key Takeaways
- Calling your phone number from another phone is the first thing to try, because it works on any phone that is on and has signal.
- Apple's Find My, Google's Find My Mobile, and Samsung's Find My Mobile all show your phone's location on a map, but only if you turned them on before losing the phone.
- Your wireless carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or others) may have a location service, though many carriers limit this to account holders and require you to log in online.
- If your phone is off or has no battery, location services cannot find it — they need the phone to be powered on and connected to the internet or cell network.
- If you cannot find your phone and it contains sensitive information, contact your carrier to have them disable the phone number and prevent unauthorized use.
Call Your Phone Number From Another Device
Start by borrowing a phone from someone nearby and calling your own number. This works on any phone that is powered on and has cell signal or Wi-Fi calling enabled. Listen for the ringtone — it may be in another room, under cushions, or in a bag you haven't checked yet.
If the call goes straight to voicemail without ringing, your phone is either off, in airplane mode, or outside the range of any cell tower or Wi-Fi network. If you hear the ringtone but cannot locate it, try calling again and walk toward the sound. Some phones have a flashlight feature that activates when called, which can help if your phone is in a dark space.
This method is free and requires nothing you haven't already set up. It is also the only method that works if you have not configured any location services on your phone beforehand.
Use Apple's Find My If You Have an iPhone
If you own another Apple device — an iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch — you can use Find My to see your iPhone's location on a map. Open Find My on the device you still have, tap the Devices tab at the bottom, select your iPhone from the list, and the map will show where it is.
Find My only works if you turned it on before losing your phone. To check whether it is already on, you would need access to your iPhone, so if you are reading this because your phone is lost right now, you cannot turn it on. However, if you set it up in the past, it is almost certainly still on — Apple turns Find My on by default for most users.
If you do not own another Apple device, you can also use iCloud.com from any computer or another person's phone. Go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID, click Find My, and select your iPhone. The map will show its last known location. If your phone is off or has no battery, the map will show where it was when it last had power.
Use Google's Find My Mobile If You Have an Android Phone
If you have a Google account linked to your Android phone, you can find it at google.com/android/find from any computer or another phone's browser. Sign in with the Google account you use on your lost phone, and Google will show its location on a map.
This works only if your phone is powered on and connected to the internet or a cell network. If your phone is off, the map will show its last known location. Google's Find My Mobile also lets you lock your phone remotely, erase it, or make it ring at full volume even if it is silenced.
Samsung phones have their own Find My Mobile service at findmymobile.samsung.com. Sign in with your Samsung account, select your phone, and you will see its location. Samsung's tool also offers remote lock and erase options. If you do not remember your Samsung account details, you may be able to recover them using your phone number or email address.
Check Your Wireless Carrier's Location Service
Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other carriers offer location services, though the details vary by carrier and plan. Most require you to log into your account on the carrier's website or app. Some carriers charge a monthly fee for this service, while others include it free with certain plans.
To find your carrier's location tool, go to their website and search for "find my phone" or "locate my device." You will need to log in with your account username and password. The tool will show your phone's location on a map if it is powered on and has signal.
Carrier location services are less precise than Apple's Find My or Google's Find My Mobile, and they may not work if your phone is outside their network coverage area. However, they can be useful if you do not have another Apple device and your Android phone is not linked to a Google account.
What to Do If Your Phone Is Off or Has No Battery
If your phone is powered off or the battery is dead, no location service can find it. Location services require the phone to be on and connected to either a cell network or the internet. Once the battery dies, the phone stops sending location data.
However, most location services show the phone's last known location — the place where it was when it last had power. This can help you narrow down where to search. If you lost your phone several hours ago, the last known location may be where you were at that time, not where the phone is now.
If you cannot find your phone after searching the last known location, contact your wireless carrier. They can disable your phone number to prevent someone else from using it, and they can help you understand your options for replacing the phone or recovering your data.
Protect Your Phone and Data If You Cannot Find It
If you have searched everywhere and cannot find your phone, treat it as lost or stolen. Contact your wireless carrier first and ask them to suspend your phone number. This prevents someone else from using your phone to make calls or send messages in your name.
Next, change the passwords for any important accounts — email, banking, social media, and others — from a computer or another device. If your phone had access to these accounts, changing the passwords will lock out anyone who finds the phone.
If your phone contained sensitive information like banking details or medical records, consider placing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus. You can do this for free by contacting Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. A fraud alert tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find my phone if it is turned off?
No, location services need the phone to be powered on and connected to a network. However, most services show the phone's last known location — where it was when it last had power. This can help you search the area where you were when the battery died.
Do I need to pay to use Find My or Find My Mobile?
No. Apple's Find My, Google's Find My Mobile, and Samsung's Find My Mobile are all free. Some wireless carriers charge a monthly fee for their location service, but most include it free with your plan. Check your carrier's website to see whether you are already paying for it.
What if I never set up Find My or Find My Mobile before losing my phone?
You cannot use those services now. Location services must be turned on before the phone is lost. Your only options are to call the phone from another number, check your carrier's location service, or contact your carrier to suspend the number and prevent unauthorized use.
Can the police help me find my phone?
Police generally do not search for lost phones unless the phone was stolen as part of another crime. If you believe your phone was stolen rather than lost, file a police report and provide them with your phone's serial number and IMEI (a unique identifier). Your carrier can give you the IMEI if you call them.
What should I do if someone else finds my phone and turns it on?
Contact your wireless carrier immediately and ask them to suspend your number. Change your passwords from another device. If the person who found it tries to use your accounts, the new passwords will prevent them from accessing anything. You can also remotely lock or erase your phone using Find My, Find My Mobile, or your carrier's tools if those services are set up.