If your Android phone is lost or stolen, lock the screen first, then try to locate it, then secure your accounts and call your carrier. Locking takes seconds and stops anyone from browsing your messages, photos and banking apps while you deal with everything else.
Panic makes people do things in the wrong order. This checklist puts the most time-sensitive steps first.
Minute 0–5: Lock the screen
If you installed Lock My Devices in advance, this is the moment it pays off:
- On any computer or borrowed phone, open the lock page.
- Enter your user code.
- Hold the lock button until it confirms.
Every device saved with your code drops to its normal Android lock screen. If the phone is offline (in flight mode, or with the SIM pulled), it locks as soon as it reconnects. You can also tap Lock All Devices in the app on another device you own, such as a tablet.
Haven’t set it up yet? You can’t install it on a phone you no longer hold, so skip to the next step, and set it up on your other devices afterwards using our remote lock guide.
Minute 5–15: Try to locate it
Lock My Devices doesn’t track location, so use Google’s tool for this:
- Go to android.com/find and sign in with the Google account used on the phone. Google’s Find My Device is now called Find Hub.
- Check the last known location.
- If it’s nearby (sofa, car, office), use Play sound to ring it.
- If the location is somewhere unfamiliar, don’t go there alone. Pass the information to the police.
Hold off on Erase device for now. Once erased, you can no longer locate the phone. Erase only when you’re confident it won’t come back.
Minute 15–30: Secure your accounts
A locked screen protects the device, but your accounts live in the cloud. From another device:
- Change your Google account password and review signed-in devices under Security. Sign the lost phone out.
- Call your bank or use its app on another device to freeze cards and block mobile banking on the lost phone.
- Change passwords for your email, social media and any shopping apps with saved cards.
- Messaging apps: re-register WhatsApp or Signal on a new device when you can; this logs the old one out.
- Two-factor codes: if your 2FA codes come by SMS, blocking the SIM (next step) is especially important.
Minute 30–45: Call your carrier
Your mobile carrier can:
- Suspend the SIM so nobody can make calls or receive your SMS codes.
- Block the IMEI in many countries, making the phone useless on mobile networks.
- Issue a replacement SIM with your old number.
Have your IMEI ready. If you don’t know it, look on the original box, your receipt or contract, or in your Google account’s device list.
Minute 45–60: Report it to the police
For a theft, file a police report. Many carriers and insurers need a report reference number before they’ll block an IMEI or pay a claim. Include the make, model, colour, IMEI and the last location from Find Hub.
The first hour at a glance
| Time | Action | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 min | Lock the screen | Lock My Devices (lock page) |
| 5–15 min | Locate, ring | Google Find My Device / Find Hub |
| 15–30 min | Change passwords, freeze cards | Google account, bank |
| 30–45 min | Block SIM and IMEI | Your carrier |
| 45–60 min | File a report | Police |
If you get it back
Unlock it with your usual PIN, pattern or fingerprint. There’s no remote unlock in Lock My Devices, by design. Then check for unfamiliar apps, review your Google security activity, and consider changing your user code if you entered it on a shared computer. Our guide to choosing a strong user code explains how.
Prepare now, before it happens
- Install Lock My Devices on every phone and tablet and use the same user code. Get it on Google Play.
- Make sure every device has a screen lock. Remote locking just triggers it.
- Note your IMEI numbers somewhere safe.
- Confirm Find Hub is switched on.
- Bookmark the lock page.
For what Lock My Devices can and can’t do, see the features and FAQ pages.
Questions about this topic
What is the first thing to do when my phone is stolen?
Lock it remotely so nobody can browse your apps, then try to locate it. With Lock My Devices you can lock it from any browser by entering your user code.
Should I erase my phone right away?
Usually not straight away. Erasing with Google Find My Device also removes the ability to locate the phone, so lock and locate first and erase only if you're sure it won't come back.
How do I block my SIM card and IMEI?
Call your mobile carrier. They can suspend the SIM immediately and, in many countries, block the IMEI so the phone can't be used on mobile networks. You'll usually need the IMEI number and a police report.
Where can I find my phone's IMEI if I don't have the phone?
Check the original box, your purchase receipt or carrier contract, or the device list in your Google account.