Apps to help you find your phone if it’s missing

If you’ve ever had your phone stolen or lost, you know the problems of not only paying for a new phone, but also reentering all your contact numbers.

Or maybe you want to track where your kids are. 

There are several apps that can help you deal with that, depending on what kind of phone you have.

For Android users, you can try the ‘Find My Phone’ app from the Google Play store. The app has a 4.5 star rating from more than 24,000 reviewers. 

You have to install the app on your phone. After you do that, you will need to create an account. You will then have to have a friend or family member provide a cell number from which you would like to be able to track your phone from.

The other person will have to confirm it via text message. Once they do, you’ll be able to track where you phone is.

The app uses Google Maps. As an example, it might say it was located at 12 Middleton Lane and was within 33 feet of that address two minutes ago. You would then be able to go there and hit the track button to see if your phone was still there and quickly locate it.

If it was stolen, you’ll be able to provide the police with the address where they can recover it if you don’t want to get it yourself.

Several news shows in the US have used the app to catch would-be thieves.

The app is also handy for parents who want to know where their children are 24/7. You install the app on their phone and have your phone as the tracker. Miss curfew? You can instantly see where they are. Of course, kids can get around this by leaving their phone at home, but with so many will not want to be without it.

Of course, Apple users have been using ‘Find my iPhone’ for several years now. The app can track multiple Apple products — iPhones, iPads, computers.

In addition, it can play a sound at full volume for two minutes (even if the device is set to silent) so if you go to recover it and a person denies they have it, you hit the button and it goes off, much to their embarrassment. 

You will also be allowed to remotely lock your device and remotely wipe your data, if you can’t recover it.