Phone Tracking App .. Android phone

Lumstorm

Log into the Google account associated with your phone on your computer and do a Google search "find my phone" it will tell you where your phone is and give you the option to lock it with a pin or ring so you can find it if lost lost under the bed, back of sofa.

bod1467

For some reason Android Device Manager (and the link Lumstorm mentions above uses the same mechanism) can no longer find my device (Nexus 4 with stock Android 5.1, rooted) ... I always get Location Unavailable. (I have searched and tried all the "fixes" I have seen but to no avail).

The tracking link mentioned above by bob does work for me.

Strider590

You know Google does this already? It's not perfect, but it does work as long as your phone has GPS location and mobile data (or WiFi) turned on.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

Log in, select your device and............

It works by GPS location, if that fails it uses Googles WiFi SSID database, if that fails it triangulates from the cell towers.

What I do on my phone though, is I also run a GPS logging app to produce location log files and then these are automatically uploaded to Dropbox every couple of hours. Usually the tracking apps want all sorts of invasive permissions, something i'm not happy about.

enkoda

I use a free app called Android Lost.

I can pretty much do anything on my phone remotely, so if it gets stolen I can activate WiFi and GPS, use the cameras, even record from the microphone.

Plus it uses a different process name so it's not easy to spot.

bod1467

Strider590 wrote: »

You know Google does this already? It's not perfect, but it does work as long as your phone has GPS location and mobile data (or WiFi) turned on.

https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager

Log in, select your device and............

Erm ... that IS Android Device Manager, which doesn't work (anymore) for me. It used to, but since 5.1 it doesn't anymore.

AndyPix

cookie365 wrote: »

Not installing Kaspersky mobile security will do all of it for free too.

Internet security suites on Android are nothing more than useless ways to show you ads.

+1 to this

S0litaire

+1 for Prey!

I use it on ALL my compers and android devices.

Their is also an app called "Cerberus" which (if you are a bit more daring with your android device) can be installed on a routed phone as a System app. Meanig it will survive a phone wipe and reset. So even if somone tries to wipe the phone the app will still function and you can locate it.

mayfair730264

As your locked screen saver.. use an email address as a picture/ image/text in order for someone who's found your phone to contact you.. make sure that the email address has no relevance to your phone.. eg.. no apps or banking Data or passwords are connected to your new email/ and only use this email address at home computer/tablet/or even better a secure friend/family member who doesn't reside in same address.. (in case of home burglary) if your phone is recovered it'll be a lot easier to find you.. most people have family photos as screensavers.. it's much wiser to use that locked screen as a way to contact you if phone lost.. use same logic with laptops/tablets/ e_readers etc.. ask your brother/sister/mum/dad/secure friend to set up email account exclusively for this purpose..(u can return the favour for said secure friend etc..) if you have GPS tracking on your devices.. use same email as point of contact.. I know I have a book at my friends house with all my app account password codes (as I have sooooooo many different accounts) impossible for my memory to cope with..if I forget I give her a quick call and she'll help me out.. I'd never leave my laptop/tablet/phone in same house as my electronic mail/banking information and passwords.. hope this is helpful.. it's logic and common sense which should prevail..

ChiefGrasscutter

cookie365 wrote: »

Not installing Kaspersky mobile security will do all of it for free too.
Internet security suites on Android are nothing more than useless ways to show you ads.

Well my Kaspersky mobile security via Barclays never shows me adds....but hell what do I know - this is an internet forum after all.......

Yolina

mayfair730264 wrote: »

As your locked screen saver.. use an email address as a picture/ image/text in order for someone who's found your phone to contact you.

Not sure if it's all Android phones or just a Samsung thing, but there's been for quite a while an "owner information" field in the settings where you put in whatever message you want and this gets displayed on the lock screen exactly for that purpose