Losing your phone is one of the most stressful predicaments of modern-day life. We’ve all been there: You pat your pocket, swiftly scan every surface in sight — then suddenly feel your heart drop at the realization that your Android device and all of its contents (including, potentially, all sorts of sensitive company-connected materials) are no longer in your control.
There’s certainly no scenario in which losing your phone is a good thing. (Understatement of the century, I realize.) But with the advanced and just recently upgraded phone-finding system now built into Android at the operating system level, seeking out and then managing a missing device is more manageable than ever. And despite what some security suite services may try to convince you, you don’t need any third-party software to do it.
Android’s native Find My Device system can precisely pinpoint any Android device — phone, tablet, watch, you name it. It also works with a new series of special AirTag-like trackers that can be attached to keys, briefcases, and other important items. And it’ll show you your device’s exact location on an interactive map and — when relevant — give you tools to remotely ring it, lock it, or wipe it entirely and send all of its data to the digital beyond.