Use this guide as soon as you realise your phone is missing. You need another phone, tablet or computer, your Apple or Google account password and your mobile network's contact details.
Step by step
Locate the phone
Sign in to Find My for an iPhone or Find My Device for Android from another device or a web browser. Check the last known location and play a sound if it seems nearby. If the location is somewhere unfamiliar, do not go there yourself; tell the police instead.
Lock it and show a message
Put the phone into lost mode, which locks it and lets you show a contact number on the screen. This also usually suspends payment cards stored on the phone. If you have not already set a screen lock, this step adds one.
Call your mobile network
Ask your network to block the SIM straight away so no one can run up calls or receive your security codes. Ask them to block the handset by its IMEI number if it is stolen, and arrange a replacement SIM on your number. Note down any reference number they give you.
Protect your money and accounts
Contact your bank if banking apps or cards were on the phone and check for unusual payments. Change your main email and Apple or Google account passwords, then sign the missing phone out of your accounts. Watch for messages claiming to be from Apple, Google or your network asking for codes, as thieves use these tricks.
Report to the police
If the phone was stolen, report it to the police on 101 or online, and call 999 only if a crime is happening now or someone is in danger. Get a crime reference number for your insurer and network. For lost phones, check with the place you lost it and their lost property service.
Erase if it will not come back
If you have given up on getting the phone back, use Find My or Find My Device to erase it remotely. Once erased you can no longer track it, so do this last. Then claim on your insurance if you have cover and restore your backup to a replacement.
Ready-to-use checklist
- Phone located on Find My or Find My Device
- Lost mode on with a contact number
- SIM blocked by your network
- Handset blocked by IMEI if stolen
- Bank told and payments checked
- Main account passwords changed
- Police report and reference number if stolen
- Phone erased remotely if not recoverable
Practical tips
- Note your phone's IMEI number now by dialling *#06# and store it with your insurance details.
- Set a SIM PIN in your phone settings so a thief cannot use your SIM in another handset.
- Turn on your phone's stolen device protection feature if it has one, which adds extra checks before key settings can change.
Common problems
Find My shows the phone is offline.
Put it into lost mode anyway, as the command will take effect as soon as it connects. Turn on notify when found so you get an alert. Carry on blocking the SIM and securing your accounts in the meantime.
I cannot log in to my Google or Apple account without my phone.
Use your backup codes, a trusted second device or a backup phone number you set up. If none are available, start the official account recovery process, which may take some time. Your network can issue a replacement SIM so text codes reach you again.
Someone has found the phone and wants a reward before returning it.
Do not meet a stranger alone or send money in advance. Suggest they hand it in to a police station or the venue's lost property. If you think it is an attempt to extort you, report it to the police.