One of the most useful applications created by Google in recent years is the Android Device Manager. So, what is the Android Device Manager? Android Device Manager or ADM, in short, is a way you can track your lost Android devices that includes your phone or tablet.
How does the Android Device Manager work?
Google is able to track the location of your Android devices such as your phone and tablet via the Global Positioning System or GPS in short. The GPS transmitter in your smartphones or tablets will transmit its location to a constellation of 24 satellites that are circumventing our earth.
The location will then be shown on the Android Device Manager website in which it is only accessible to you via your Google account.
However, there is a pre-requisite condition for the Android Device Manager to work.
1. The phone or device is turned on 2. It is connected to the Internet via Data or Wi-Fi 3. The phone or device has already been signed on to your Google account 4. The Location Reporting is enabled So, how you can use the Android Device Manager? Here are the steps:-
Step 2 You then need to log into your Google account. You can use your Gmail account to log in
Step 3 If you have already logged into your Google account on your Android devices, it will automatically detect which phone or devices that are connected. You can then choose either “Ring”, “Lock” or “Erase” your Android device.
You can ring your device if you feel that your device location is nearby
You can lock it if your device is lost
You can erase the data on your device if you think that someone has stolen your device
So, there you have it. A simple explanation of what is Android Device Manager and how you can use it if you have lost your Android-based smartphone or tablet. Please leave us a comment on what do you think of the Android Device Manager. Please check also our previous article on the top 3 ways how you can track your phone using Google.
With the advancement of mobile technology, almost all smart phone nowadays comes equipped with GPS. The smart phones ability to automatically connect to the internet wherever it is based also provides many ways and methods in tracking your devices. There are also many applications that have been developed to utilize this technology. Read our previous articles to know more on GPS in your phone and also how you can turn off your smart phone’s GPS.
Google has also developed several services that utilizes the GPS installed in our smart phones so that you are able to track your location as well as your friend’s location in real time. Google can also track your devices location based on Wi-Fi and nearest cell towers connected. This services will also come in handy if you lost your phone and want to track it.
Here in this article, we will list down the top 3 ways to track your lost phone using Google.
Step 1 Open your administrative settings of your phone. Enable the Android Device Manager. This will enable you to track, lock and also erase your phone from anywhere in case you lost your phone.
Step 2 You will also need to enable your Location Reporting in your setting. This will allow your phone GPS to send and receive signals from Google.
So, in the case that you misplaced or lost your phone, you can use Android Device Manager to track your phone but with the condition that 1. The phone is turn on 2. The phone must be connected to the internet via a mobile data or Wi-Fi connection
Now, here are the steps that needs to be followed if you want to use the Android Device Manager:-
Step 1 You need to sign in to your Google Account. You can visit this site Android Device Manager
Step 2 Once you logged in, the Android Device Manager will show your devices exact location in a Google Map. If you have more than one devices connected, click on the arrow next to the device name.
Step 3 You will then have the option to ring it so that you can know where it is if it is nearby, lock it if you are afraid someone have stolen it and also erase all the data inside your phone so that the person who stole your phone will not get the sensitive and confidential information inside your phone.
2. TRACK YOUR PHONE USING YOUR TIMELINE IN GOOGLE MAPS
This feature has been long in the Google services but not many are aware of it. It was once known as Google Location History but have been revamped to now known as ‘Your Timeline’. ‘Your Timeline’ was designed by Google to help you track back the places and routes you have travelled. It is set at private and therefore only you can see your timeline.
The interesting thing with this service is that it does not rely on GPS but to the internet connection in which your devices is connected. Therefore, this device that it can help to track can be your laptop, tablet and also your smart phone.
However, the pre-requisite for you to start using this services is that you must:- 1. Have your device log in to your Google account. 2. Location Reporting must be activated in your device 3. Your device is connected to the internet.
Here are the simple steps required if you lost your phone and want to use this feature to track your phone.
Step 1 Visit ‘Your timeline’ page here Google ‘Your Timeline’ Log into your Google account.
Step 2 Once you log in to your Google account, it will show whether you have a connected devices or not.Choose the time and date in the left bar. The timeline will then show your devices previous location and the time it was connected to the internet.
3. TRACK YOUR PHONE USING YOUR GOOGLE ACCOUNT
Another way you can track your phone or devices using Google is by accessing your Google account. It works similar as tracking in ‘Your Timeline’. However, instead of giving you the devices footprint over time, the google account will only show you when was the last time your devices was connected to the internet.
As long as your devices are log in into your Google account, it will record the last time you log in whenever there is an internet connection. It will show you the location, date and also time information. Similar as using ‘Your Timeline’, it uses Wi-Fi and cell tower information in tracking your devices. Read our previous article on how cell towers can track your phone.
These information would prove useful at least to know an estimate location of your lost devices. Follow the steps here to track your phone using your Google Account.
Step 1 Open a browser and log into your Google Account
Step 2 Once you are in your account, choose ‘Device Activity & Notifications’
Step 3 In the ‘Device Activity & Notifications’, you will see a list of devices connected to your Google account in ‘Recently used devices’. Tap on ‘Review devices’
Step 4 In the ‘Review devices’, choose the device that you want to locate. It will then show you the device’s last location, time and date recorded.
So, there you have it. The top 3 ways to track your phone using Google. Please leave a comment or visit our Youtube channel to subscribe to our community.
If you have that bad experience of losing your mobile phone, you would be regretting that you have not taken certain precaution and pre-emptive action to make sure you can track your lost phone once it is stolen or gone. However, with the advance mobile tracking technology that we have right now, the possibility to track and recover back your lost phone is now possible.
Here in this article we list out the top 3 ways that you can use to track your lost phone.
1. TRACK YOUR PHONE USING IMEI NUMBER IMEI is an acronym that stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is used as a unique identifier to identify mobile phones in particular. IMEI is only unique to the phone device and not to the subscriber of the phone. Similar to a car that have a unique chassis number, each mobile phone in the world will have a unique IMEI number put by the manufacturer of the mobile phone.
GSM network provider used this IMEI number to identify the devices that is connecting to their network. Because of this, the network operator can be contacted and they can assist to either stop your stolen phone from accessing the network as well as tracking your phone. You can read more on how to track phone by using IMEI here.
You can immediately check you phone’s IMEI number by typing *#06# at your keypad and it will show a string of unique 15 numbers. These number represents your IMEI mobile phone number. You can report your lost stolen phone and submit the IMEI number to the network operator for them to either block the phone or track it.
2. TRACK YOUR PHONE USING GOOGLE SERVICES If you are using a Samsung or any other Android based operating system mobile devices, you can apparently use some of Google services to track your lost phone. One of the simplest way is to track your mobile phone using Android Device Manager. If you have a Gmail account you will already have an access to the Android Device Manager. Make sure to pair your account with your Android based mobile devices.
You can visit the Android Device Manager site here to pair your devices. Another option is the Google Location History. You need to enable your location history and it will track any mobile devices that you have and only you can see it. It can even show you the timeline of your mobile devices and you can track the footprint of the mobile devices wherever it goes.
3. TRACK YOUR PHONE USING SMARTPHONE APPS One of the fastest way to track your lost phone is by using an app. This app need to be pre-installed in your mobile devices and can be immediately be activated from another mobile or laptop to track your lost phone. It can also remotely lock your phone or erase the phone immediately once you realised your phone is gone or stolen.
Read more on this here on how to track your phone using apps. The iPhone or iPad normally will already have a pre-installed ‘Find iPhone’ app that can track your phone or lock it remotely. You can also read more here on how to track a phone without an app.
So, there you have it. The top 3 ways on how to locate your lost phone. We also provided a short animation video above that briefly explain on these 3 methods for your viewing pleasure.
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