Key takeaways
- Go to google.com/android/find or open the Find Hub app and sign in with the lost phone’s Google account.
- Use Play sound if it is nearby, Mark as lost to lock it, and Factory reset only as a last step.
- Find My Device was renamed Find Hub in May 2025; the steps work the same way.
- If stolen in India, file a police complaint and block the IMEI on sancharsaathi.gov.in.
To find a lost Android phone, open google.com/android/find on any browser, or the Find Hub app on another phone, and sign in with the same Google account. You will see the phone on a map and can ring it, lock it with a message or erase it. It works only if Find Hub was on beforehand.
Google’s tool was earlier called Find My Device. Google renamed it Find Hub in May 2025, and the app, the website and the phone settings now use the new name. The steps below are based on Google’s support pages as checked in October 2026.
Table of Contents
What your phone needs for Find Hub to work
Find Hub cannot be switched on after the phone is lost, so these settings matter in advance. According to Google, the lost phone must:
- Be switched on, or recently switched off on supported models (more on this below).
- Be signed in to a Google account. Find Hub turns on automatically once an account is added.
- Be connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi to show its current location.
- Have location turned on.
- Be visible on Google Play.
- Have a screen lock PIN, pattern or password. Google says this is needed for the Find Hub network to help locate the phone.
To check, open Settings > Security > Find Hub and make sure Allow device to be located is on. On some phones the same option sits under Settings > Google > All services > Find Hub. For location, go to Settings > Location and turn on Use location.
How to find a lost Android phone from a computer
- Open a browser and go to google.com/android/find.
- Sign in with the Google account used on the lost phone.
- If you have more than one device, select the lost phone from the list. The phone will get a notification that it is being located.
- If asked, enter the phone’s screen lock PIN, or your Google account password.
- Check the map. It shows the current location, or the last known location if the phone is offline.
The map pin is not always exact. Google says a GPS fix is usually accurate to about 20 metres, while a location based only on mobile towers can be off by a few thousand metres. A large blue circle around the pin means the reading is rough.
How to find it from another phone
- On another Android phone, open the Find Hub app. If it is not installed, download it from Google Play.
- If the phone belongs to you, tap Continue as [your name]. If you are using a friend’s phone, tap Sign in as guest and sign in with your own account.
- Select the lost device.
- Tap Get directions to go to the spot. When you are close, Google says Find nearby can help once you are within about 10 metres.
Signing in as a guest keeps your account off your friend’s phone. Sign out once you are done.
Play sound, secure or erase: which option to use
Find Hub gives three main actions. Pick the one that matches your situation.
| Option | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Play sound | Rings the phone at full volume for 5 minutes, even on silent or vibrate | Phone is somewhere at home, in the car or in the office |
| Mark as lost | Locks the phone, hides notifications and shows your message on the lock screen | Left behind in a cab, train or restaurant |
| Factory reset | Permanently deletes data on the phone | You believe the phone is stolen and will not come back |
Play sound
Select the phone and tap Play sound. The ringing stops when someone unlocks the phone or after 5 minutes. It works even if the phone is set to silent.
Secure the device (Mark as lost)
- Select the phone and tap Mark as lost, then Next.
- Add a message and an alternate contact number for the lock screen so an honest finder can reach you.
- Tap Mark as lost again to confirm.
The phone locks with its existing PIN, pattern or password. Notifications, widgets and quick access are turned off. Do not put your lost phone’s own number on the lock screen message, since that will not reach you.
Erase the device
- Select the phone in Find Hub.
- Tap Settings, then Factory reset, and confirm.
Erasing is permanent. Google notes that it may not erase an SD card, and once the reset is done the phone disappears from Find Hub, so you can no longer track it. If the phone is offline, the reset happens when it next connects. Anyone who resets it later will still need your Google account password to use it, which makes it less useful to a thief.
Can you find an Android phone that is switched off or offline?
Sometimes, yes. Find Hub uses a crowdsourced network of Android devices that can pick up a nearby lost phone and report its location in end-to-end encrypted form. The owner sees the location; the people whose phones helped do not.
To set it up, open Settings > Google > All services > Find Hub > Find your offline devices. The options are:
- Off: no recent locations are stored and the phone does not join the network.
- Without network: you can only see locations saved while the phone was online.
- With network in busy places only: other devices help find it in crowded places such as airports.
- With network everywhere: other devices help in busy and remote areas.
On supported phones, such as the Pixel 8 series, Google says the network can find the phone for several hours after it is switched off. Bluetooth and location need to be on when the phone powers down.
What to do if your phone is stolen in India
If the phone is not where the map says, or the map shows it moving away, treat it as stolen. Do not try to recover it yourself. Follow these steps in order.
- Mark it as lost in Find Hub so the screen locks.
- Block your SIM by calling your operator’s customer care from another number, and ask for a duplicate SIM on the same number. You will need this number for OTPs.
- File a police complaint. Report the loss at the nearest police station, or through your state police’s online portal where available. Keep a copy of the FIR or complaint with its number.
- Block the IMEI on Sanchar Saathi. Go to sancharsaathi.gov.in and open the CEIR service to block a lost or stolen mobile. You will need the IMEI number, the police complaint number and copy, an identity proof, and a mobile number to receive the OTP. The purchase invoice is optional.
- Change your passwords for Google, banking and UPI apps, and ask your bank to watch for unusual activity.
Once blocked, the phone cannot be used on any mobile network in India. The portal says the block is applied within 24 hours. You receive a Request ID, which you can use to check the status. If you get the phone back, report it to the police and submit an unblocking request on the same portal.
To find the IMEI, dial *#06# on the phone while you still have it, or check the box and the bill. It is a good idea to note it down today. Phones with two SIM slots have two IMEI numbers, so save both.
Set it up now, before you need it
A few minutes of setup makes recovery more likely:
- Check that Find Hub is on and that location is enabled.
- Set a screen lock PIN, pattern or password.
- Turn on Find your offline devices with one of the network options.
- Save your IMEI number and the bill somewhere safe.
- Try the Find Hub website once so you know how it works.
For more step-by-step guides, see our How To section. You can also browse useful Android apps and our coverage of the latest phones.
Frequently asked questions
Is Find My Device the same as Find Hub?
Yes. Google renamed Find My Device to Find Hub in May 2025. The website google.com/android/find and the app now carry the Find Hub name, and the features are the same or expanded.
Can I find my lost Android phone without a Google account?
No. Find Hub works only with the Google account that was signed in on the phone. If you have forgotten the password, recover your account first through Google’s account recovery page.
Can I track my phone if the SIM card is removed?
Removing the SIM does not turn off Find Hub. The phone can still report its location over Wi-Fi, or through the Find Hub network on supported phones, as long as it is not factory reset.
How long does it take to block a stolen phone on CEIR?
The Sanchar Saathi CEIR portal says the IMEI is blocked within 24 hours of a valid request. You can check the progress using your Request ID.
Should I erase my phone right away?
Not unless you are sure it will not come back. After a factory reset the phone leaves Find Hub and you lose the ability to track it. Lock it with Mark as lost first.
Sources: Google: Find, secure or erase a lost Android device, Google: Be ready to find a lost Android device, Sanchar Saathi CEIR portal, PhoneArena on the Find Hub rename.
