Set up Google Find Hub so you can locate a lost Android phone
Turn on Google Find Hub (Find My Device) now, so you can locate, ring, lock or erase your Android phone if it is ever lost.
Google Find Hub, earlier called Find My Device, lets you see your phone on a map, ring it, lock it or erase it from another device. It only works if it was switched on before the phone was lost. Setting it up takes a few minutes and is free. Do it today, while your phone is still in your hand.
Steps
- Sign in to a Google account. Your phone needs a Google account, because Find Hub is tied to it. Open Settings, then Google or Accounts, and check that you are signed in. Menu names differ slightly on Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones.
- Open the Find Hub setting. Open Settings and search for Find Hub or Find My Device. On some phones it sits under Google, Security or Privacy. Open it and make sure the switch is on.
- Keep location on. Find Hub needs location to show the phone on a map. Open Settings, search for Location and keep it on. You can still limit which apps use it. Also keep mobile data or Wi-Fi available for the phone.
- Check that the phone is listed. On a computer, go to the Find Hub page of Google and sign in. Your phone should appear in the list. If it does not, wait a few minutes and check the earlier steps again.
- Practise ringing it. Use Play sound on the page, and your phone will ring loudly even if it is on silent. Knowing where the button is will save time on a bad day.
- Set a screen lock. A lock lets you secure the phone remotely and protects data if someone finds it. Open Settings, search for Screen lock and choose a PIN or password, not a simple pattern or a swipe.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
A found-and-locked phone is far safer than a lost and open one. If Find Hub is already on, you can lock the phone and show a message with an alternative number within minutes. If it was never turned on, you have no way to see where the phone is, and you lose valuable time.
Watch out for
- Find Hub only works while the phone is on and online.
- A thief who knows how may switch the phone off or remove the SIM.
- Never share your Google password with a stranger who says they will find the phone.
- Do not open links in a message that says your phone was found.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio adds its own anti-theft tools on top: locate, ring, lock and a lost-mode message from the owner's portal at safeavio.com, plus a SIM-change alert. These need the app set up beforehand. Like Find Hub, it cannot help if a thief switches the phone off.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
Is Find Hub the same as Find My Device?
Google changed the name, so the setting may appear as either on your phone. The idea is the same: it locates your phone and lets you ring, lock or erase it. If you cannot find it, use the Settings search box.
Does it work when the phone has no internet?
It needs the phone to be online, at least from time to time. A phone that is off, out of coverage or reset may not respond. That is why setting it up earlier and locking the phone quickly both matter.