What To Do if Your Samsung Galaxy Device is Lost or Stolen

London, UK – 14^th September 2023 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd: In the unfortunate event your device is lost or stolen, there are several steps that can be taken to mitigate impact.

From remote locking and the removal of personal data in the instance of theft, to using the Samsung ecosystem and SmartThings Find, or Find my Mobile if a device has been misplaced.

Here’s some simple steps to follow on how to protect your device:

How you can remotely lock your Samsung Galaxy device:

• Sign into the Find My Mobile website using either your Samsung or Google account
• Select Lock on the right-hand side of the page and then select Next
• Create a PIN – that will unlock the phone should you get it back – and enter it twice to confirm
• You will then be asked if you’d like to add an emergency contact and accompanying message, which will display on the locked device screen (it is recommended to decline this step so not to provide contact details to a thief)
• When you are ready, select Lock and your device will be locked remotely
• In the event that you are reunited with your device, you will be able to Unlock it using the Find My Mobile website and the PIN you selected above

How to remotely delete the data on your Samsung Galaxy device:

• Go to the Find My Mobile website
• Select Erase Data
• Read the important information provided, and then press Erase
• You may be asked to verify your Samsung account before the reset starts
• All data stored on your device will then be erased to ensure no-one can access your personal information. This includes your financial data from Samsung Pay
  • Note: It is important to frequently back-up your device data, so it is protected if you do need to conduct a remote erasure. You will then be able to retrieve your latest back-up on a new device.

How to remotely change the passwords for your Samsung and/or Google accounts:

• It is recommended that you change the password on both your Samsung and Google accounts – or whichever one is linked to your device (you can do this by accessing your accounts online)
• Once you have changed the passwords, you will be automatically signed out of any devices that the accounts are linked to, except the one you’re using
• This prevents anyone from accessing any device features that require a Samsung or Google account to use and protects private information related to your accounts

How you can track your Galaxy phone or device:

If your device is turned on and is connected to either Wi-Fi or mobile data, its last known location will appear on a map.

• Go to the Find My Mobile website
• Enter the same Samsung account credentials associated with the phone or tablet, or sign in via an account that is assigned as a guardian
• If you have more than one device connected to your Samsung account, all the devices will appear
• Select the name of your desired device to see its location

Once here, you can explore other remote options available:

• Ring: If you don’t know where you put your phone or tablet, make it ring even if it was set to mute
• Back up: Before deleting your data for good, you can easily back up your data
• Extend battery life: The last thing you want is for your device to turn off. Use this feature to get the most out of your phone or tablet’s battery life and increase the chances of finding it
• Retrieve calls or messages: You can view up to 50 recent calls and message
• Set Guardians: You can designate guardians that can remotely locate or ring your phone or tablet

Other ways and services to locate lost phones or tablets:

How to find your phone using your smartwatch:

• Press the Home button on your smart watch
• Swipe and tap Find My Phone
• Tap Start to begin locating your phone – your phone’s ringtone will sound, making it easy to locate
• Once found, swipe down on the Dismiss icon

How to find your phone or tablet using Google’s Find My Device:

• Google’s Find My Device is built into Android devices through Google Play Services. This means you will need a Google account to use this service. You can set a new password, make your device ring, display a message, lock and wipe your device, and more.

Find your smart watch:

If you’ve lost or misplaced your smart watch, you can find it using the Galaxy Wearable app.

• Go to the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone
• Tap Find My Watch. On fitness bands, tap Find My Band or Find My Gear
• If your watch is connected to your phone using Bluetooth, tap Start
• Your watch will begin vibrating so it’s easier to find
• When found, tap the X icon and swipe to the right
• Tap Stop on your phone

Find your Galaxy Buds:

You won’t need to buy new Galaxy Buds if you’ve misplaced them because the Galaxy Wearable app makes finding them super easy.

• Go to the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone or tablet
• Tap Find My Earbuds
• Tap Start
• The earbuds will start beeping, gradually getting louder for a period of 3 minutes. Tap Stop to end the search

Contact the authorities and your network provider:

• Once you have taken the steps above, your device will be completely inaccessible for any unauthorised people that may have it in their possession
• Once the above steps have been completed, report your lost or stolen device to the local authorities and contact your network provider to freeze your contract

For additional device protection, it is recommended that additional insurance is taken out to cover events such as accidental damage, lost or stolen devices.

We recommend exploring the types of cover Samsung offers, to choose the best option for you and your device.

For further information, please visit Samsung Support.