Step by step: what to do if your phone is stolen, be it Apple or Android

ANDROID

Before

1. The phone must always be secure with a pbadword. For some, it is tedious to write the pin or unlock pattern whenever they want to use it, but this step is fundamental to everything that follows. Otherwise, anyone who steals or finds the cell phone can have full control of the equipment before they can do anything.

2. The Android device must be badociated with a Google Account, which may be the same as the Gmail account. To do this, go to Settings> Accounts> Google Account.

3. The device must be "visible" on Google Play. To do this, go to play.google.com/settings, enter with your Google Account and in the "Visibility" section, select the device to make it visible.

4. Install the official "Find My Device" app from Google, downloadable for free from the Google Play App Store. I followed the instructions.

After

1. The last step is to request blocking or canceling the line through the operator. Because? Because Google can find your device as long as it is connected to the Internet. Therefore, it is not a good idea to immediately call the phone company to cancel it, because then you will have to wait for the device to connect to a Wi-Fi network for locate it.

2. I've opened android.com/find. Access your Google Account. If you have more than one device badociated with the account, click on it at the top of the screen. The lost device will receive a notification. On the map, check your location, which may be approximate. If your device is not found, you will see your last known location, if available.

3. I chose what you want to do. If necessary, first click on "Enable options to block and delete". The options are:

– "Play Sound". Ring your device with maximum volume for 5 minutes, even if it's silent.

– Block. Lock your device with your PIN, template or pbadword. If you do not have a block, you can configure it. To help you recover your device, you can add a message or phone number to the lock screen, for whoever finds it can locate you.

– Delete. Permanently delete all data from the device (the content of SD cards may not be erased). After deleting them, "Find my device" will not work. Important: If you find your device after you delete it, you will probably need the pbadword from your Google Account to use it again.

APPLE

Before

1. In the case of the iPhone and other Apple devices, it is essential to activate them to have an Apple ID, ie an account with a user name and a pbadword to access the device remotely. You can not skip this step and, if you do not have an account, you will need to create it.

2. Always use the lock PIN code on the screen.

3. Make sure you have enabled the "Search my iPhone" option. Configuration> click on the first option, which has the name of the device> iCloud> Find My iPhone> enable.

4. I've always installed the "Find my iPhone" app on your devices. It allows you to locate your Apple device or anyone else by entering data from your Apple ID account. In any case, you can locate, block or delete your phone on the Internet by going to www.icloud.com

After

1. To locate, erase data, emit sounds or messages on the device must be connected to the Internet. For this reason, requesting the withdrawal of the company line should be the last resort

2. Go to www.icloud.com and enter your account details. Then click on "Search". It will appear on a map with the location of the device. A green dot means that it is connected and the gray dot is disconnected. All options are available both on the iCloud website and in the "Find my iPhone" application

3. Choose from these options:

– Play the sound. Play a sound on your device so you can locate it quickly. The AirPods emit a particular sound that can be heard from anywhere in the room, and even further.

– Lost Mode. Block immediately and start tracking the location. The search for my iPhone will show you where you have been for the last 24 hours. You can also bring up a message with a contact number on the locked screen of your device, so anyone who finds it can call you without accessing the rest of the information.

– Delete content. You can delete the content remotely to delete personal data and restore it to their original configuration, so that no one can access your photos, contacts, and so on. You can restore everything from your iCloud backup.

-The activation lock feature is designed to prevent anyone from using or trying to sell your device. Once you activate Find My iPhone, it will be necessary to enter your Apple ID and pbadword, so that no one can turn off Find My iPhone or clear your device or reactivate it.

Eye with "the story of the uncle"

The first reaction with these services to locate lost phones is to send a message with a contact phone for the recover. Some criminal gangs might call you and make you "Uncle's Story": they ask you for your pbadwords or send you a link to enter them, with which they will have full access to your phone and there, yes, to lose forever. Neither Apple nor Google are calling you to ask for pbadwords.