Nowadays, almost every user experiences the theft or loss of their favorite gadget, but there is no need to say goodbye to the device in advance, since in most cases it can be found. Modern technologies They don’t stand still and programmers are coming up with new applications that can protect your device via the Internet, we tried to look at the main ways so that you understand how to easily find a stolen tablet, and don’t think about buying a new one.
Features of anti-theft protection for Android tablets
Taking into account the ever-increasing mobility and cost of gadgets, as well as the wide distribution of the Android platform among mobile devices, Google released in 2013 special application-a manager, thanks to whom you can find a lost tablet if it is stolen. New software received the name and became a mandatory utility on all devices where the operating system is installed Android platform 2.2 and higher. However, when purchasing Android gadget Device Manager is in a dormant state and needs to be activated. To do this, you need to perform the following operations sequentially:
- in the “Settings” menu you need to find the “Security” section and open it;
- in the section there is a subsection “Device Administrators” - open and find the item “Remote Management”
- check this box and agree to activation;
- consistently exit the menu.
If there is a home Personal Computer or laptop, and the user has an account in Google system, then you can check the functionality of the utility through a computer. In order to find a stolen tablet through the Google service, you need to find the “Deleted” page in your account. Android management» and see if your model is in the list of synchronized devices. If not, then you need to repeat the activation procedure or simply reboot the gadget. After the device is found and its identifier (usually the model name) appears in the drop-down list of connected and synchronized devices, you must click on the “Locate” button. Through certain time A flashing location dot and time indication will appear on the map last connection to the network. This feature is intended for users who forget their device somewhere.
Despite the ease of use of Android Device Manager, it has certain disadvantages, the main of which are:
- low level of protection - an attacker only needs to reset the factory settings or remove the battery and the device cannot be identified;
- localization accuracy largely depends on the type of connection - 2G/3G or LTE;
- when connecting the tablet to the Internet via Wi-Fi – wireless interface and the 2G/3G module is disabled, the utility will indicate the location of the router;
- The accuracy of determination increases significantly with the presence of a GPS (satellite) navigation module.
Often users use a tablet to access the Internet without a SIM card only through Wi-Fi network. In this case, the ability to detect the coordinates of the location of a stolen tablet depends on its functionality - the presence of an integrated GPS navigation module and other hardware features of the main chipset. Also from functionality depends on the possibility of finding the tablet if it is turned off. It should be said right away that gadgets with an installed SIM card and activated Internet access via mobile networks provide more opportunities to find lost items.
Other security utilities
Today in the pages of the Internet resource Google Play There are other applications that will not only allow you to find a stolen tablet, but also make it possible to block it via the Internet. However, it is necessary to distinguish between accidental loss and simple theft. In the latter case, the probability of returning the gadget is close to zero, but remote blocking will not allow scammers to get to the private data of user accounts. The following software tools are the most popular among device owners.
Avast Anti-Treft It is considered today one of the most multifunctional means of protection. In this case, the user himself decides which functions he wants to activate. Most people use the following options software module Avast Anti-Threat:
- If you have a GPS module, you can search for it and localize its location on Google maps;
- remote control tablet (blocking, disabling) using an SMS command from another gadget;
- blocking the device or sending a signal when an unauthorized SIM card is replaced;
- “invisibility” mode, which will not allow an unauthorized user to find out about the presence of the installed and activated Avast Anti-Treft module.
Users with root rights can activate other additional settings:
- erasing the device memory when attempting to unauthorizedly replace the SIM card;
- turning on individual sound signals;
- using a hidden call to intercept and send sounds from the microphone.
in addition to protecting gadgets from viruses and malware allows you to provide:
- online access to information stored in the gadget’s integrated memory;
- search for a stolen tablet and localize its location on the map;
- inclusion sound signal to detect the device.
The application allows you to find the tablet even if it is in “flight mode” and its vibration signal is turned off. When installing the application, a code word is requested, the sending of which via SMS message, via the Internet or via GPS allows you to initiate various actions, the main of which is the provision of a sound or vibration signal, which allows you to localize the location of the lost tablet. Of course, in order to find a device by code, it must be either online or connected to the Internet.
No less useful function is the definition of coordinates tablet computer or telephone, which again requires sending a code word. Moreover, the codes - words for implementing the first and second functions must be different. Of course, Wheres My Droid is unlikely to help you find a stolen tablet, but it is quite suitable for forgetful and absent-minded users.
Is it possible to find a stolen tablet?
Let's look at the main question that worries many users: is it possible to find a stolen tablet quickly? Any official search for a lost item is only possible if documents are available. If a police report is filed, it must indicate serial number products and (preferably) special features - scratched glass, stuck power button, logo sticker and similar nuances. Often police officers refuse to accept a complaint about the theft of a tablet if there are no documents for it. How legitimate this is is a separate conversation. But to be confident in the effectiveness of official searches, you need to know the serial number and have a tablet passport.
The serial number will be required to search for a gadget by IMEI - through the International Mobile Equipment Identity system, which is quite widespread in the West and replaces all additional applications there.
Conclusion
Of course, if a stolen tablet costs 15-25 thousand rubles ( Sony Xperia Z3 or Samsung Galaxy Tab Active), then searching for it is advisable and any additional security system can increase not only the likelihood of successful searches, but also significantly reduce the risk of theft itself. At the same time, owners of cheap, usually Chinese brands, the price of which does not exceed 5-7 thousand rubles, believe that it is better to purchase a new device than to worry about finding a lost one. Moreover, all stored information is usually duplicated on removable media, and all everyday routine, such as photographs, music or videos, is stored in the integrated memory.
When it comes to protecting your tablet from loss or theft, there are plenty of apps on Google Play Store, but just as Apple offers Find My iPhone, Google offers its own manager for monitoring Android devices, be they tablets or smartphones. However, this weekend Google introduced new option, which allows you to find stolen or lost tablet easier than ever before.
Last year we wrote a simple guide to help owners find a stolen or lost tablet, but with a new method Google published this week, it's worth revisiting the technique. Today Google services are getting smarter every day, especially Google Search, and the developer's latest creation makes finding your tablet easier than you might think.
Tracking a lost or stolen Android tablet can be a daunting task, let alone protecting all the important and often sensitive information that is stored on our tablets. Additionally, April is expected to be the busiest month for mobile theft, so you'll want to install Android Device Manager, although Google's new device search method doesn't require it to be installed.
Statistically, April is the busiest month when it comes to mobile device theft as people enjoy the good weather and become inattentive, and for a variety of other reasons. This is probably the reason for Google's new solution, which is so good that everyone should know about it.
Just enter "Find My Phone" in the line Google search from a computer, laptop or tablet, you must have an account to function Gmail entry, assigned to the device you are looking for. If all conditions are met, Google will find your tablet. Just. This is magic that works very quickly. You may be asked to confirm your Google login details for security reasons, but when you do, Google will find your lost tablet or smartphone in seconds.
Finding a lost tablet is not that difficult. Thank you,Google.
Probably using data from Google Places and connected Wi-Fi connections, you can find the tablet with an accuracy of up to a meter. I was able to get data from the tablet that was turned off, quite accurate data. As you can see in the screenshot above, less than one second passed. Very comfortably. The lost tablet will receive a notification that Google has used the service to find it, you can open it or delete it, since the tablet is now in your possession.
This solution does not have the full functionality of Android Device Manager, which can, for example, erase user data, the entire smartphone, lock the screen with a password (which will not allow an attacker to view or delete data on the tablet), the application is also capable of triggering a call at full volume so that you could find it if you lost your tablet in the house.
However, in the screenshot above, you can see that on the page search query“Find My Phone”, in the lower left corner, there is a “Ring” button, which means “Ring”. Pressing this button will make your tablet ring for five minutes, or until you find it and press the power button. This is very useful if you lose your phone at home, although it may help to locate your lost tablet in a nearby store, bar or anywhere within earshot.
Among other things, Google allows you to find more than one device if you have them. Below you can see a screenshot where Google found several smartphones connected to the account, even if they were turned off. Search system finds the last known location, quite accurately, it's worth noting. This is enough for most users. Click the down arrow in the top right corner and select the device you want to search for.
Owners of Android tablets could find their devices remotely before, but this solution makes the task much easier. Sometimes every second counts, especially if the tablet has been stolen. If this is the case, it's much better to go into Android Device Manager and enable password or PIN unlocking and perhaps wipe the tablet as well. It is better to take care of safety in advance than to regret it later. You can also click on the map which will redirect you to Android page Device Manager, where you will find all the necessary functions that will allow you to erase or lock your tablet.
It's also worth noting that if you use the search function, the attacker will be notified that you are trying to find a tablet in their possession. You can search through "Find My Phone" at home, open the notification on your tablet, and turn off that notification in the future, which will help you locate your stolen tablet in the future.
If you use this feature...
Users who are searching additional protection and comfortable security solution, you will be glad to know that it is free service, and is also very easy to use, so there's no reason to skip this feature and install ADM and prepare your tablet for the worst. In case of any incident or tablet theft, you will be glad that you did it. However, the new method does not require installation Android user Device Manager, it does this in the background.
Additionally, you'll find tons of apps on the Google Play Store that offer something similar, although Google's Android Device Manager works great, it's simpler, and most importantly, it's completely free. If you have information about where to look for a stolen tablet, it's time to contact law enforcement agencies and enlist their support, do not act on your own. Try it new feature today and we wish you success in finding your lost tablet.
Unfortunately, humanity is imperfect, and one of its manifestations is theft. Often, attackers steal expensive devices, and this used to be a real problem - in most cases, you could say goodbye to your favorite tablet. However, the developers took this problem into account and created tools that allow owners to find a stolen tablet on their own, or with the assistance of law enforcement agencies.
For tablet owners Android company In 2013, Google developed a special tool that will allow you to find a missing or stolen device even without pre-installed programs.
It allows you to find, lock or erase all data on your tablet. You can even force it to make a call even if the base SIM card has been replaced. We are talking about the function of remote control of an Android tablet.
It allows you to find a lost device, for which you need to go to official portal Google and enter . It is important that to do this you need to first register and make sure that all the data about your device is there, and also accept the specified conditions, which will allow the dispatcher to use data about the location of the device.
If all this is done, on the Google website in your account there will be a list of your devices with which you can perform a number of actions to find a stolen tablet. You can detect the location of the tablet using GPS or Wi-Fi, as well as through mobile operators.
However, changing the SIM card will not hide the device from search. Once the tablet is found, it will be shown on the map. However, the stolen tablet may be turned off or simply not connected to the Internet.
In this case, it will be impossible to find out its current location, but the system will show the place where the tablet last “got in touch”. You can also make your tablet make a sound.
Enabling this feature will tell the tablet to play a specific audio file at full volume, even if the device's volume was previously muted or minimized. Enabling this feature is another attempt to find a lost tablet if it is within a small area.
This will allow you to find the tablet if it just ended up under a stack of paper or got lost in some other way. Well, in more exotic cases (at work or an event), this will create a silent pause when the attacker suddenly hears the sound of your tablet in his bag.
If there was important data on the tablet, a function that can be used to erase all data from the device will be useful. This is, of course, an extreme case, but sometimes such an action can be useful.
We are absolutely confident that our mobile friend will always be there. What could happen? As harsh reality shows, anything can happen. The easiest way to lose a device is a simple loss at a picnic. A more negative option is theft. How to find a lost/forgotten phone? How to minimize your losses if your phone is stolen? This is exactly what this article is dedicated to.
First steps in case of loss
The first thing you need to do when you discover that your phone is missing is to try to calm down and restore the chain of events. When was the last time you used your phone? Who did you last call? Where was it? Most often, smartphones are forgotten in cafes, clubs, taxis and... in handbags! Those. The phone may not have even left your home, but is simply littered with other things or fell behind the sofa, and the sound on it may be turned off. That's why traditional way“call” will not work in this case. What to do in this case?
iPhone or other Apple mobile device
Apple has a Find My iPhone service that helps you find your device and force it to turn on the ringtone at full volume, even if the device is on silent. To do this, go to the icloud.com page from your tablet or computer, log in and select “Find iPhone.” The window that appears will show the location of your phone on the map and the commands available to it:
- Playing sound will be performed at full volume regardless of whether silent mode is activated or not. This will allow you to find your phone in your bag, behind the sofa or in the grass.
- Switching the phone to “sales mode”. Allows you to remotely set a PIN code on your phone and display a message about the loss for the finder and a request to call the specified number. After this, you can only access the device using a PIN code.
- Deleting data from the device. This is a last resort if there is confidential data on the phone.
But what settings must be made on the phone itself for this feature to be available.
Android smartphone
Literally at the end of August 2013 Google launched a similar service Android Device Manager. The service allows you to “call back” to the device. In addition, you can get remote control over your phone/tablet. For now, only deleting data from a smartphone is available among such functions. For everything else, you will need a special application, which is not ready at the time of writing.
Yours mobile device it should be configured as follows.
And when a notification from the service arrives, you need to make two more settings.
Actions in case of theft
Measures to find a phone
If, nevertheless, the device could not be found and there are clear signs of theft, then you will need to contact law enforcement agencies. Don't forget to prepare everything you need for your visit to the local police officer! You will need a list of recent calls from and to your phone, which can be ordered on the website mobile operator. You will also need to provide documents on your phone.
Preventing even greater losses
A modern smartphone can store a lot of important and confidential information, which can also be of a very personal nature. But even more of this data is in the services you registered with. If you are almost 100% sure of theft, then block the SIM card. And at any hint of theft, change the password in Google account, in all social networks, mail and other sites and services. This way, attackers will not be able to obtain confidential information.
Remember if you stored card numbers or PIN codes for them in the password manager application on your phone. If yes, then change the PIN code on the card. This can be done at any terminal of your bank. This service is not expensive at all, but will save you a lot of nerves and money. As a last resort, you can block the card itself and get a new one from the bank.
Try to negotiate with the person who found the phone
I always return phones that I find. Many of my friends do this. However, with modern smartphones There may be a catch here. Owners block them graphic keys and PIN codes. Now you can’t easily call the owner anymore.
Usually the problem is solved if you call your phone yourself. You can receive a call without any problems; no blocking will interfere with this. But you won’t call for three or four days... But a week can pass between the loss of the phone and its discovery. And if the finder is unable to contact you, then you risk receiving such an announcement about the find.
To prevent this from happening, take the trouble to provide your phone (if it's not an iPhone) with a sticker with your email or second phone. It can be tucked under the battery or placed in a visible place. There is also an online service where you can make an ad with the promise of a reward. LoSToleN is one such service.
Is it possible to find a lost android? is an important question, so here we discuss in detail the methods and provide instructions on how to find a lost Android phone or tablet.
In this article we will look at how to find an Android phone or tablet if you have already lost it and how to pre-configure your Android device to increase your chances and simplify your search. in case of possible loss.
The instructions will be reviewed based on the Avast antivirus; if you chose another one, it’s okay, all steps are done almost exactly the same. After installing the antivirus, you must go to the settings (click on functions, select Settings) and check the box for Pin code protection (enter your pin, which you must remember) and another checkbox for Protection against deletion - if an attacker sees the antivirus - without a pin code will not be able to delete it, so we will have more time to search.
After installing the antivirus, go to avast! Anti-Theft and you will be prompted to install the application we need from the Play Market.
In addition to installing the application itself, you need to spend a little time and configure the operation of this program according to the instructions below.
We will configure the Android so that an attacker or a person who finds the phone will not be able to carry out any actions with the phone or tablet (delete, reboot, etc.)
Now you need to start account avast. To do this, go to the site through a browser id.avast.com and press Create an account now, enter your email and create a password.
Now let's launch installed application avast! Anti-Theft:
- Enter a name
- PIN code for accessing functions (without knowing the PIN, an attacker will not be able to change the application settings).
- Enter the phone number to which a message about changing the SIM card with a new number will be sent.
- Click on account settings, log in to your account, enter your phone number and password
We have linked the account to our Android device
All actions that you can perform with your phone after it is stolen take place on the avast.com website in your account. More details about these actions will be written after setting up the application..
Setting up the avast! Anti-Theft in an android device
We go to the point Advanced settings and set up theft protection point by point:
1. Protective actions– what the phone will do if you put it into mode "Lost". You need to check the boxes next to the following items:
- block phone- if lost, the phone is blocked, further actions only after entering the PIN code;
- alarm – you may not want to enable this function, as this will greatly attract the attention of a thief, and he will want to remove the battery;
- without access to the phone settings - access to the phone settings and, accordingly, to deleting applications is blocked (but for now you can restart the phone and gain access to deletion, so read on);
- low battery notification.
2. Lock text, GPS, erase
Enter text, which will be displayed on the unlock screen if the device is entered into “Lost” mode, for example, “Return for a reward and phone number.”
Device Administrator
In the parameters, check the box next to avast! Anti-Theft – after that in Lost mode an attacker will not even be able to turn off the Android device without removing the battery.
Now your Android device is maximally protected!
How to find a lost Android phone or tablet
Internet on your lost android is turned on
You will find out after sending any request from the site. If they write to you that they cannot send a request to the device, it means the Internet is turned off, then read the next paragraph.
We log in from any device, including a PC, to the avast.com website and log into your account. Go to the My devices tab, click View data, and in the Select a command column, do the following:
1. We need to find out where the phone is
To do this, select the “Find” item - a request is sent to search for the device. Click on the icon in the Actions column (screenshot) and in the window that opens, select Position on the map.
2. “Call”- we can secretly make a call from a lost device and hear what is happening around. The call only appears in the notification screen.
3. "Lost"- all the actions that we have configured on Android occur, namely:
telephone blocked without the possibility of rebooting and further use
if the alarm is turned on, the phone starts "scream" and this cannot be turned off without removing the battery (if possible) or until it runs out
Here are the most effective actions, you can run the rest according to your desire or situation by selecting the appropriate command in the tab (for example, look at recent calls or SMS, erase all data, etc.)
Internet on lost android is turned off
In this case, we use SMS requests.
After changing the SIM card to the numbers that you added to item Friends You will receive an SMS with the phone number of the new SIM card. You send special messages to this number SMS requests, after which the android will perform the appropriate actions.
SMS must be sent from the numbers that you added in the Friends section
All commands are in the form: PIN code space “command”. For example, let's take PIN code 12345:
12345 LOST - marks the phone as lost
12345 FOUND – marks the phone as found
12345 LOCK – locks the phone
12345 UNLOCK – unlocks the device
12345 SIREN ON – turns on the siren
12345 SIREN OFF – turns off the siren
12345 LOCATE – locates the device
12345 LOCATE 5 - detects a device every 5 minutes
12345 LOCATE STOP – stop tracking
The actions that will occur after requests are identical to those described in the previous paragraph.
These are the main requests we need. If you need additional information (latest SMS, calls, make a call, etc.), write in the comments.
- Always leave Internet included to access these features if your phone is stolen
- Put
- Do
So, we have sorted it out for you how to find a lost android phone or tablet with presetting software and without her. By the way, you can also take out theft insurance along with the purchase of a new device.
It took 3 days to check all the actions and write the article, and as a rule, even people who pay $200 for setting it up in a store (as well as those who do it :)) do not have such information, so we will be very grateful if you tell us about this article to your friends. This can be done using the buttons social networks under the article. Rest assured, they will only thank you for this information.
