Find, lock, or erase lost Android phone via Google Account, Find My Device app, smartwatch

tech.hindustantimes.com:

We store all our crucial information including bank account details on our smartphones. If we lose the phone it can not only cause us financial losses, but our details including personal information, contacts, images etc can also be used by fraudsters for wrong deeds. But do you know that you can find, lock or erase your Android device, if you have added a Google Account to your device? Yes, your Google Account can find your phone!

"If you lose an Android phone or tablet, or Wear OS watch, you can find, lock, or erase it. If you've added a Google Account to your device, Find My Device is automatically turned on," Google Support page said. However, it needs to be noted that in order to find, lock, or erase an Android phone, that phone must be turned on, be signed in to a Google Account, be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, be visible on Google Play, have location turned on, have Find My Device turned on.

Also, if you used your lost phone for 2-step verification, you must have a backup phone or backup code. Here is all you need to do:

1. Go to android.com/find and sign in to your Google Account.

2. If you have more than one phone, click the lost phone at the top of the screen.

3. If your lost phone has more than one user profile, sign in with a Google Account that's on the main profile.

4. The lost phone gets a notification.

5. On the map, you will get info about where the phone is. It can be noted that the location is approximate and might not be accurate. If your phone can't be found, you will see its last known location, if available.

6. Pick what you want to do. If needed, first click Enable lock and erase.

Play sound: Rings your phone at full volume for 5 minutes, even if it's set to silent or vibrate.

Secure device: Locks