Learn how to find your device if it is lost. See the guide and find out how to do it.
Being able to track a cell phone can be useful for those who want to increase the security of their mobile device. This is a feature that increases the chances of finding your device if it is lost or stolen and improves your sense of protection by allowing you to locate your family as well.
Tracking a device can be done in several ways, using a chip number (SIM or eSIM), software configured on the device or a code registered by the operator. It is important to remember that, when taking advantage of opportunities to find devices, you must use the resources responsibly. Using tracking without the owner's permission is an invasion of privacy and can be considered a crime under Brazilian law. Continue reading and get access to a step-by-step guide on how to track your cell phone.
Find by number
A mobile phone number can provide a person's approximate location thanks to an identifier called a cell ID. Each device has this ID associated with a cell tower or radio base station (RBS) in the telephone network. Here's how it works. When a mobile device connects to the telephone network, it sends a signal to the base station's antenna. Since these antennas are detected when they are near a target tower, they can identify a device's ID.
This happens all the time with mobile data transmissions, such as the IMEI, a unique code assigned to each device.
This technology is widely used by telephone operators to provide location services, such as in emergencies where a cell phone must be found to assist in a rescue or assistance situation.
However, it is important to note that using this feature to track a cell phone must be done in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and may not be available to the public.
For Android
- Go to Find My Device (google.com/android/find).
- Sign in with your Google account. Choose your device.
- Check your phone's location on a map.
Find My Device allows access to IMEI and device properties and offers the following options:
- “Play sound”: Your phone will beep for 5 minutes, even if the device is in silent mode.
- “Protect device”: The device is locked and the Google account is removed from the device. You can still display a message or phone number on the screen.
- “Erase device”: Erase all data from the device and disable location tracking.
For iPhone
- Go to icloud.com/find/ .
- Sign in with your Apple account.
- Choose your device.
- Check your phone's location on a map.
Additionally, there are additional features of the platform such as:
- “Play a sound”: Your iPhone will make a beep.
- Lost Mode: Locks your device and shows your phone's location history. You can prepare a message or display your phone number on the screen.
- “Erase iPhone”: Lock your device and erase data.
Services to track
There are several third-party apps for Android and iPhone that provide solutions for locating and securing your phone if other options fail. You can also access other features of your phone, such as files and GPS, through them. However, you may be charged a monthly fee for using the service. Some apps that track cell phones include:
- Cerberus (Android): Cerberus is an Android app with useful tracking, call monitoring, remote photo capture, and data locking and wiping features.
- mSpy (Android, iOS): mSpy is a monitoring app that allows you to monitor cell phone activities such as location, messages, calls, and online browsing.
- Locate (Web): This allows you to track someone by their cell phone number. The service is compatible with phones from all networks in Brazil and requires a monthly or annual subscription plan.
