How to Track A Cell Phone?
Are you constantly worried about the whereabouts of your loved ones? Or are you concerned that your own or a loved one’s phone will get lost or stolen? If these concerns apply to you, then you must educate yourself, family members, and loved ones on how to track a cell phone.
There are several easy and convenient ways to start tracking the location of a phone. But which is the best method for you?
4 Ways To Track A Phone
Find My Device
Find My Device is a phone location tracker developed by Google for Android devices. To track a targeted device, you must have access to the Google ID, username, and password. This tracking method is usually used to track lost or stolen phones.
You may go to android.com/find or to the Find My Device app which is free to download from Google Play. Enter the Google credentials of the Android device you wish to track. The phone’s location will appear on a Google map. Note that it is just an approximate location; also if the phone is not found, it will only show the phone’s last location.
Other features of Find My Device include playing phone sound at full volume for five minutes, securing the device by remotely locking it, or permanently deleting all the phone’s data.
Find My iPhone
To track an iPhone, you must sign in to iCloud.com/find or use the Find My App. Like Find My Device, this is usually used to track lost or stolen iPhones or iPads.
The features of Find My iPhone include:
- Have your device play a sound.
- Mark it as lost. When this is done, you can have a message on your device screen appear with contact information.
- Lock your device, making it necessary to enter a passcode to open it.
- Erasing your device data.
- Locate your device even if it’s offline.
Phone Tracker Apps
Perhaps the best way to go, especially if your family’s safety and security are the reason for tracking, is by installing a phone tracking app. There are a lot of tracking or monitoring apps on the market, so make sure to choose one that best fits your needs and budget.
Opt for an app that offers over-the-air (OTA) installation and remote, real-time monitoring. Get an app that allows GPS location tracking with the most accuracy and maps. If you want full phone monitoring, some apps monitor all types of messages, call history, social media activities, and more. Once you’ve installed the app, it usually tracks the targeted phone in stealth mode.
IMEI Phone Tracking
Every phone has an International Mobile Equipment Identity or IMEI which distinguishes it from other devices. Since the IMEI number is unique to every device, it can be used for tracking a lost or stolen phone, or that of family members. You can find a phone’s IMEI number by looking in the device’s settings or on the physical device.
IMEI phone tracking could be done through your network provider or by using a third-party app in the App Store or Google Play. With a device’s IMEI number, you can pinpoint its exact geolocation, as long as it’s still on. Often, you are also able to have the phone locked.
Knowing your phone’s and loved ones’ whereabouts is easier than ever using the above GPS tracking methods. However, we advise that if you are going to actively use one of these methods, inform the phone owner you are doing so and gain their permission.
