What to Do If Your Phone Is Lost or Stolen

Lost or stolen phone: the first actions

1. Try the official find service from another trusted device.
2. Mark the phone as lost or secure it remotely.
3. Use location information safely; do not confront a suspected thief.
4. Choose between keeping it locked and remotely erasing it.
5. Tell your mobile carrier and protect the phone number.
6. Secure the accounts and payments most exposed by the loss.
7. Report theft and save identifying details.
8. Watch for follow-on phishing and unauthorized activity.

1. Use the official service to find the phone

For an iPhone, open iCloud.com/find or use Find My on another Apple device. Apple says you can sign in to Find Devices on iCloud.com without entering a verification code when the missing device is your trusted device. For Android, use Google Find Hub or the Find Hub app on another Android device.

Apple and Google both let you view a device location when the necessary settings and connections are available. Google notes that remote actions depend on conditions such as power, a mobile-data or Wi-Fi connection, a signed-in Google Account, and Find Hub being turned on. A delayed or unavailable location does not prove the device is permanently offline.

If the phone may simply be nearby, use the official play-sound feature or call it from another phone. Do not sign in through a link sent by a stranger who claims to have found it; open the official service yourself.

2. Mark an iPhone as lost or secure an Android phone

Apple recommends marking a missing iPhone as lost as quickly as possible. Lost Mode locks the device with its passcode and lets you display contact information. On Android, Google Find Hub provides a secure-device option that locks the screen and can display a message or phone number.

Use a reachable alternate number in the lock-screen message, not sensitive information or an address. Keep the message simple: say the phone is lost and provide a safe way to contact you.

If the official service cannot reach the phone immediately, leave the remote action pending while you continue the other steps. The action may take effect when the device reconnects.

3. Treat location data as a lead, not permission to confront someone

A map location can be delayed or imprecise. If it points to a public lost-and-found location, contact that organization through a number you verify independently. If it points to a home, moving vehicle, or unfamiliar place—or you believe the phone was stolen—share the information with law enforcement instead of attempting recovery yourself.

Take screenshots of useful location details and note the time shown. Do not post a live device location publicly.

4. Decide whether to keep the phone locked or erase it

Keep it locked first when recovery still seems plausible and the device has a strong passcode. Locking preserves the chance to locate it and display a return message.

Consider remote erasure when recovery is unlikely and the risk of exposed personal or work data outweighs the remaining chance of retrieval. Erasure is consequential: Google says an erased Android device can no longer be located in Find Hub, and the data is permanently deleted from the device, although an installed SD card might not be erased. Backed-up cloud data is a separate system and should be reviewed through the relevant account.

For an iPhone, Apple says Activation Lock remains after remote erasure. Do not remove a stolen iPhone from Find My: Apple warns that removal also removes Activation Lock, making the device easier to unlock and resell. If an insurer or legitimate repair provider later asks you to remove the device, verify the request and timing through the provider’s official channel.

5. Contact your mobile carrier

Use the carrier’s official app, website, or a verified phone number to report the loss. Ask what it can do to suspend service, protect the number from an unauthorized transfer, and flag the device as lost or stolen. Record the case number and the representative’s instructions.

Your carrier may ask for the device’s IMEI or serial number. Look for it in the original box, purchase record, carrier account, or the device list in your Apple or Google account. Do not publish the identifier.

Suspending cellular service does not remotely erase the phone, and erasing the phone does not automatically settle your carrier account. Treat these as separate steps.

6. Protect critical accounts and payments from a trusted device

Prioritize accounts that can unlock other services: your primary email, password manager, Apple or Google account, mobile-carrier account, financial accounts, and workplace access. Review recent sign-ins, recovery details, trusted devices, and multifactor-authentication methods. End sessions you do not recognize.

Change a password promptly when the phone was unlocked, the passcode may be known, an account alert shows access, or the official lost-device controls were not enabled. Start with email and the platform account, then move to financial and other high-impact services. Use a trusted device and type known addresses yourself rather than following links in messages about the missing phone.

Review payment cards and payment apps connected to the device. Contact the card issuer or financial institution through an official channel if you see an unauthorized transaction or believe an unlocked wallet was exposed. Platform lost modes may restrict wallet use, but verify your actual card and account status rather than assuming every payment method is covered.

For broader sign-in checks, use the email account security guide and the account security hub.

7. Report theft and document the loss

• If the phone was stolen, make a police report and provide the device identifier, last known location, and evidence without trying to retrieve it yourself.
• If it is a work, school, or managed device, notify the responsible administrator immediately so organization data and access can be addressed.
• If you have device insurance, contact the insurer through its official site and preserve the claim number, purchase receipt, carrier report, and police-report details it requires.
• Keep a timeline of remote-lock or erase requests, carrier actions, account changes, and suspicious activity.

The Federal Communications Commission advises consumers to contact their wireless provider and local law enforcement after a device is stolen. Requirements and reporting systems vary by location and provider.

8. Expect follow-on phishing and monitor for unauthorized activity

A thief or opportunistic scammer may send a message claiming your phone was found, that Find My or Find Hub needs verification, or that you must remove the device from your account. Do not enter credentials through the message. Open the official app or type the known account address yourself.

Watch your carrier, email, platform, payment, and financial-account alerts. If an unexpected cellular outage, number-transfer notice, or authentication change appears after the loss, contact the carrier and affected account provider immediately.

If fraudulent accounts or identity misuse appears, switch to the identity theft response checklist. If you need to evaluate a suspicious recovery message, use the phishing message checklist.

What remote controls cannot guarantee

Find, lock, and erase tools depend on prior settings, account access, device state, and connectivity. They reduce risk but cannot guarantee recovery, immediate command delivery, deletion from removable media, or protection for every signed-in service. Continue with carrier, account, payment, and reporting steps even if a map or remote command is unavailable.

Common lost-phone questions

Should I erase a lost phone immediately?

Usually, lock it first while recovery remains realistic. Consider erasure when the device is unlikely to return and sensitive-data exposure matters more than continued location. Review the platform warning before confirming: erasure is permanent, and Google says an erased Android device can no longer be located through Find Hub.

Should I remove a stolen iPhone from Find My?

No, not while it remains lost or stolen. Apple says removing the device from Find My removes Activation Lock, which makes it easier to unlock and resell. Keep it associated with your account unless a verified insurer, repair process, or completed recovery gives you a legitimate reason to remove it.

What if I cannot access Apple Find My or Google Find Hub?

Contact the carrier, secure the platform account and primary email from a trusted device, review payment exposure, and report theft where appropriate. Use official account-recovery pages that you navigate to yourself. Do not give a verification code or password to someone who contacts you about the phone.