A lost phone may be under a seat. A stolen one may already be switched off or in the hands of someone who watched you enter the unlock code. You do not need to know which at the start. Treat the device as lost and access to its accounts as potentially exposed.
Use another trusted device. Do not respond to “we found your phone” messages or sign in through a link they provide — such messages may be attempts to steal your Apple Account or Google Account credentials.
The first 15 minutes
- Call your number. If the phone may be in a safe place, ask someone there to check.
- Open the official Find Devices on iCloud or Google Find Hub by typing the address yourself.
- Mark the device as lost or secure it. Add a contact number that is not the missing phone’s number.
- Record the last location and time, model, IMEI, and serial number if they are available on the box, receipt, or your account.
- If the phone appears at an unfamiliar location, do not retrieve it yourself. Give the information to the police.
Lost or stolen
If it was probably misplaced, you can briefly monitor the location and leave a message for the finder. If it was stolen, if someone may know the unlock code, or if the phone was unlocked, move immediately to protecting the number and accounts.
Call your carrier using an official number and ask them to suspend the SIM or eSIM. Ask how a replacement is issued and whether the account has a support PIN. Suspending the number limits calls and SMS, but it does not sign out apps that work over Wi-Fi.
Protect accounts in order
Start with primary email, the Apple/Google account, and your password manager. Review active devices and sessions and sign the missing phone out where this will not disable location; do not remove it from the provider account while location, remote lock, or erase may still help. Change the password if it was unlocked or someone knew the code, and make sure recovery does not depend solely on the missing number.
Then call the bank. Ask them to review the mobile session, cards in the phone wallet, payment codes, and recent activity. The bank can decide what needs blocking. Next review social media, messaging, cloud storage, and work accounts. Notify your employer immediately if the phone held work email, VPN access, or company data.
When to erase remotely
Remote erase makes sense when recovery is unlikely, the phone holds sensitive data, or there is a real chance it can be unlocked. First save details needed for a report and check how erasing affects further location. Behaviour after an erase differs between services and operating-system versions.
The command may run only when the phone next reaches the internet. Do not hastily remove the device from the provider account: in some situations that disables activation lock or makes further management harder. Follow the current Apple lost-iPhone guidance or Google lost-device guidance.
Device encryption and a strong unlock code limit reading data from a locked phone, but they do not withdraw access already available to open apps. The lost or stolen phone checklist gives the next actions in order.
If you see unfamiliar sign-ins, messages, or transactions, move to the account takeover emergency card and record the time of every action.