The Android Device Manager has got its first major update in almost two years, and the application has got a swanky new look with the interface getting the much needed polish. With the new visual layout has come a new name for the app (old, because Apple devices also carry this app) – Find My Phone – a much more direct reference to its main function. The core functions remain the same – to track, lock and wipe lost Android devices. The app is now a part of what Google is calling the Google Play Protect, a host of security services designed to keep your phone free of harmful content. Google uses its machine learning algorithm to scan and verify apps on your phone in a more visible way.
Additional services included in the Find My Phone app are displaying the battery percentage remaining and the Wi-Fi network the phone. You will be able to install the Find My Device app only if you have Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or later, which is 99% or rather 2 billion devices worldwide that can find and install the app.
How To Install Find My Device App
- Open Google Play Store on your phone.
- Now type in search box at the top Find My Device.
- Click on the first result namely Find My Device and click install. After the installation is done, you will be able to open the app from the Find My Device itself.
How to Sign In To Find My Device
- Open Find My Device from your app drawer.
- Choose the google account you want to use.
- Tap on the Continue button to continue.
- Enter the password to the Google account.
- Tap on Sign In.
- Give the Find My Device app access to your location services.
How to see if your phone is discoverable with Find My Device
Once you have logged into Find My Device, you will be able to see a map with the current location, as well as make and model of your phone. There will be two options – Play Sound, and Enable Lock and Erase. Clicking on the latter option and you will be able to use functions like erase and lock. If you are using more than one device, you can choose the specific device from a list at the top of the screen.
- Open Find My Device from your home screen.
- Choose your phone from the list of devices.
- Make sure your phone is discoverable.
If you can not find your phone in the list, what it means is that location services on your phone are off. The Find My Device app works on the GPS to track your phone, and you should keep the GPS on your phone at all times in case your phone gets lost.
Follow these steps to do it.
- Open Settings from your home screen.
- Click on Location.
- Enable location services option.
How To Locate Your Phone On The Internet
The Find My Device app also has a website, which is wise as the app itself it useless after you have lost your phone. You will need to sign in with the Google account login details that you used to set up the app. Then you will be able to track your phone without any problem.
