The first 10 minutes
Do these before anything else. Each one takes a minute or two.
- Ring it. If it was lost rather than taken, a loud ring often ends the search. Use Google Find My Device from any browser, or Alert24 Remote Access if you had turned it on.
- Look at the last location. Both tools show the last place the phone reported. Note the time. Do not go there yourself; see the section on what not to do below.
- Lock it or mark it lost. Find My Device can lock the screen with your PIN and show a message. Alert24's Lost mode takes a photo every time someone unlocks the phone.
- Change your Google password from another device. This signs the phone out of your account and protects your email, photos and saved passwords.
- Call your carrier and ask them to block the SIM so nobody can receive your verification codes or run up charges.
- Warn people close to you. Thieves sometimes message contacts asking for money or codes. A short message to family and close friends stops that.
Step by step, in order
Once the urgent items are done, work through the rest. Keep notes of who you spoke to and when.
- 1
Ring and locate with Google Find My Device
Go to google.com/android/find and sign in with the Google account used on the stolen phone. If the phone is on and connected, you can play a sound at full volume, see its location, lock it with a message, or erase it. Erasing removes your data but also stops you tracking the phone, so use it last.
- 2
Use Alert24 Remote Access if you set it up
Sign in at alert24.in with the same Google account, or open Alert24 on another phone. You can ring the phone even if it is on silent, see its last location and address, take a photo with the front camera, and mark it as lost. This only works if Remote Access was switched on in the app before the theft and the phone is online. Read how to find a lost Android phone for details.
- 3
Protect your accounts
Change your Google password first, then any account that sends codes to that phone number. Sign out of all devices where the account settings allow it. Open your banking, wallet and payment apps from another device and check for activity you do not recognise. If you cannot sign in, call the bank and ask them to freeze mobile payments and cards stored on the phone.
- 4
Block the SIM and note your IMEI
Call your carrier. Ask them to block the SIM and issue a replacement. Then ask about blocking the IMEI, the phone's serial number. In many countries the carrier or a national registry can block a reported IMEI so the phone cannot join local networks. The IMEI is printed on the original box and often shows in your Google account's device list. On a working phone, dialling *#06# shows it.
- 5
Report it to the police
Report the theft, with the IMEI, the time, the place and any last location you saw online. Ask for a reference number. Insurers, carriers and some IMEI registries need it. In many countries you can file the report online.
- 6
Tell your insurer and your bank
If the phone is insured, through a policy, a bank account or a card, tell them within the time limit in the policy. Say that you have already blocked the SIM and reported the theft, and give the reference number.
- 7
Remove the phone from your accounts
In your Google account, remove the stolen phone from the device list and from two-step verification. Do the same for any password manager, messaging app and payment app that lists trusted devices. Move two-step verification to a new number or an authenticator app on your new phone.
What each tool can and cannot do
Use both if you can. They do different jobs. There is a longer comparison of Alert24 and Google Find My Device.
| Action | Google Find My Device | Alert24 Remote Access |
|---|---|---|
| Ring at full volume | Yes | Yes, also on silent |
| Show last location | Yes | Yes, with address |
| Lock the screen remotely | Yes | No |
| Erase the phone | Yes | No |
| Photo of whoever has it | No | Yes, front camera |
| Photo on every unlock | No | Yes, Lost mode |
| Needs the phone online | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Free, built in | Alert24 Premium |
If the phone is off or has no signal
Neither Alert24 nor Find My Device can reach a phone that is switched off or has no connection. What you still have is the last reported location and time, which you can give to the police. Newer Android phones may still report their location through Google's Find My Device network if that option was on. Check google.com/android/find again later; phones sometimes come back online for a moment when a thief tests them.
Everything else on this list, from blocking the SIM to changing passwords, works whether the phone is on or off. Do those first.
What NOT to do
Do not chase the phone. Do not reply to messages from the thief. Do not pay a "finder's fee" before the phone is in your hand. Do not post your IMEI or the phone's location publicly. Do not erase the phone before you have taken screenshots of the last location, if you want to give it to the police.
Afterwards: set up the replacement so this hurts less next time
On your new phone, turn on Google Find My Device and check it can see the phone. Write down the new IMEI. Then install Alert24, set your PIN and switch on Remote Access so you can ring, locate and photograph the phone from any browser. Arm the anti-pickpocket alarm on your commute and the motion alarm when you leave the phone on a table. The getting started guide walks through the first five minutes.
Travelling? Read what to do if your phone is stolen abroad. Need help with the report itself? See how to report a stolen phone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find my phone if it is switched off?
Not in real time. You can see the last location it reported before it went offline. Some newer Android phones can share their location through Google's Find My Device network for a while after they are switched off, if the feature was enabled. Alert24 needs the phone to be on and online.
Should I erase the phone straight away?
Erase it if it holds sensitive data you cannot protect any other way. Once erased, you can no longer locate it. Most people change their Google password and lock the phone first, then erase it once they accept it is gone.
What is an IMEI and why does everyone ask for it?
The IMEI is a unique number that identifies the phone hardware, not the SIM. Carriers and police use it to block and identify stolen phones. Find it on the box, in your Google account's device list, or by dialling *#06# on the phone while you still have it.
Does Alert24 work if I did not set it up before the theft?
No. Remote Access has to be switched on in the app, on that phone, with your Google account, before the phone goes missing. If it was not, use Google Find My Device and the rest of this checklist.
The thief keeps sending me messages. What do I do?
Do not answer. Keep the messages as evidence for the police and your carrier, then block the number. Messages that ask you to sign in somewhere are attempts to get your password.
Be ready for the next phone
Alert24's alarms and intruder photos are free. Remote Access, which lets you ring, locate and photograph your phone from any browser, is part of Premium. Set it up on your new phone today.