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If your Samsung Galaxy phone is missing, start with SmartThings Find or Samsung Find on a browser or another Galaxy device. Sign in with the Samsung account that is registered on the lost phone, select the device, and read the location it last reported. That location decides the next step: ring the phone if it is probably nearby, lock it to protect it, and if the location suggests theft, contact the authorities rather than going there yourself. Erasing the phone is a last resort, because it deletes your data.
What must already be set up on the phone
Remote location tools only work if they were turned on before the phone went missing. Samsung’s US support documentation says the phone needs to be turned on, connected to a stable network, associated with a Samsung account, and have remote controls enabled. If any of those are missing, you cannot start the recovery steps below from a phone that is already lost.
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Check these settings now, on the phone you still have:
- Samsung account: the phone must be signed in to a Samsung account. Remember which account it is, and which password and email address go with it.
- Allow this phone to be found: this is the master remote-control switch for SmartThings Find and Samsung Find.
- Send last location: lets the phone report its last known position when its battery is nearly exhausted.
- Offline finding: lets nearby Galaxy devices help detect the phone when it is not connected to the internet (see the offline section below).
Samsung’s setting labels are the ones listed above, but the exact menu path varies by model and software version. Search for these names in the phone’s Settings app and enable each one you find.
#1 Best Overall
- REDESIGNED TO DO MORE: The redesigned Galaxy SmartTag2 is made so you can keep calm and keep track¹; Its design makes it easy for you to tag and carry your belongings
- EASY TO USE: It's IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant², activates your compatible IoT devices³ and stays powered for up to 500 days⁴ or even up to 40% more on Power Saving Mode⁵
- RELAX, YOU'VE GOT IT TAGGED: Simply register a new Galaxy SmartTag2 and get started right away with SmartThings Find; With its intuitive tracking experience, you now have a way to keep track of things you love right in the palm of your hand¹
- SEARCH NEAR WHEN IT'S NOT FAR: Lose something? Switch on Search Nearby⁶ and get instructions to your item's location via Compass View⁷; If you still don't see it, just ring your Galaxy SmartTag2 to have it send out an audible signal
- TAGGED & TRENDY: Cover your Galaxy SmartTag2 with a colorful Silicone Case for protection and a smooth touch – or a Rugged Case with a non-slip pattern on the side and additional bumper on the bottom⁸; Both have a carabiner ring attachment
Find the phone from a browser or another Galaxy device
You do not need the lost phone to start the search. Use any browser or another Galaxy device signed in to the same Samsung account.
- Open SmartThings Find or Samsung Find in a browser, or open the SmartThings app on another Galaxy device.
- Sign in with the Samsung account that is registered on the missing phone.
- Select the missing phone from the device list.
- Read the location and its timestamp. Treat the pin as the phone’s last reported position, not as a live confirmation that it is still there.
- Choose the next action from the table in the section below.
How to read the location result
The timestamp matters as much as the pin. Samsung states that a powered-off device shows only its last known location. A phone that has been switched off for a day may show a pin that is correct for that moment and wrong for now. A pin that updates or changes is a sign the phone is powered on and reporting.
Rank #2
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only
Offline finding can help when the phone has lost its internet connection but still emits a signal. According to Samsung’s US support page, a nearby Galaxy device picks up the signal from the offline phone and sends it to Samsung’s server, and the encrypted location is accessible only to the owner. Two limits apply. The feature must have been enabled before the loss. And Samsung’s Philippines support page states that a device that has fully lost power, or cannot send Bluetooth signals, cannot be found this way. Offline finding is not a fallback for every switched-off phone.
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Choose the right action
Samsung’s remote tools fall into four actions. Use them in order of severity, and stop before the more destructive ones unless recovery is clearly unlikely.
Rank #3
- REDESIGNED TO DO MORE: The redesigned Galaxy SmartTag2 is made so you can keep calm and keep track; Its design makes it easy for you to tag and carry your belongings
- EASY TO USE: It's IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant, activates your compatible IoT devices and stays powered for up to 500 days or even up to 40% more on Non-Power Saving Mode
- RELAX, YOU'VE GOT IT TAGGED: Simply register a new Galaxy SmartTag2 and get started right away with SmartThings Find; With its intuitive tracking experience, you now have a way to keep track of things you love right in the palm of your hand
- SEARCH NEAR WHEN IT'S NOT FAR: Lose something. Switch on Search Nearby and get guided instructions to your item's location via Compass View; If you still don't see it, just ring your Galaxy SmartTag2 to have it send out an audible signal
- Type of battery needed: replaceable CR2032 1 ea Lithium battery (not included)
| Action | Use it when | What it does | Consequence or limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring | The phone is probably nearby, for example under a sofa or in a car park | Sounds an alert for one minute, even when the phone is muted or vibrating (Samsung’s stated behavior) | The alert stops after one minute; ring again if needed |
| Track location | The phone may be moving, for example in a vehicle | Provides location updates every 15 minutes (a Samsung-stated feature detail) | Stop tracking when you no longer need it |
| Lock | You want to protect access to the phone | Locks the device and can display a return message or an emergency contact | Samsung’s guidance does not state whether a locked phone can still be tracked; check your location after locking |
| Erase data | Recovery is unlikely and you accept losing future location access | Resets the phone remotely and deletes its data | Irreversible. Back up first if you can. Location is no longer available through Google Find Hub after erasure |
If the location suggests theft
Samsung’s US support guide is direct on this point: “If you are using SmartThings Find or Samsung Find to locate a stolen phone or tablet, do not go directly to the location on the map. Inform the authorities and let them retrieve it for you.” A map pin can be wrong, and a confrontation over a phone can turn dangerous quickly.
- Do not travel to the pinned address.
- Report the phone to the police, with the location, timestamp and the Samsung account details you used to find it.
- Contact your mobile carrier. Ask what options it has to suspend service on the line or help locate the device. Options differ by carrier and country.
- Lock the phone in SmartThings Find or Samsung Find so that a finder cannot use it freely, and add a return message or emergency contact if you want a finder to reach you.
Erase the phone only as a last resort
Erasing is the only action in this guide that cannot be undone. Use it when you have concluded that recovery is unlikely and the risk to your data outweighs the benefit of keeping location access.
Rank #4
- REDESIGNED TO DO MORE: The redesigned Galaxy SmartTag2 is made so you can keep calm and keep track¹; Its design makes it easy for you to tag and carry your belongings
- EASY TO USE: It's IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant², activates your compatible IoT devices³ and stays powered for up to 500 days⁴ or even up to 40% more on Power Saving Mode⁵
- RELAX, YOU'VE GOT IT TAGGED: Simply register a new Galaxy SmartTag2 and get started right away with SmartThings Find; With its intuitive tracking experience, you now have a way to keep track of things you love right in the palm of your hand¹
- SEARCH NEAR WHEN IT'S NOT FAR: Lose something? Switch on Search Nearby⁶ and get instructions to your item's location via Compass View⁷; If you still don't see it, just ring your Galaxy SmartTag2 to have it send out an audible signal
- TAGGED & TRENDY: Cover your Galaxy SmartTag2 with a colorful Silicone Case for protection and a smooth touch – or a Rugged Case with a non-slip pattern on the side and additional bumper on the bottom⁸; Both have a carabiner ring attachment
- Back up first, if you can. Samsung advises backing up data before any reset. If the phone is still connected, do this before erasing.
- Plan for the Google sign-in. Samsung says a Google account registered on the device will require Google sign-in after a reset, as a device protection measure. Know that account’s password before you start.
- If remote erase fails, change passwords. Samsung recommends changing the passwords for any accounts that were signed in on the phone, including email, banking and social media.
Google Find Hub as the second route
Google Find Hub is the Android fallback. It can locate, secure or erase an Android device under the Google Account on that device, but it has its own conditions. Google lists the following for remotely securing or erasing a device: power, mobile data or Wi-Fi, a Google Account, Find Hub enabled, and visibility on Google Play. If the phone is switched off, these conditions are not met, and Google Find Hub may not work until the phone reconnects.
With offline finding enabled, Find Hub may show an encrypted recent location, or use Google’s broader crowdsourced network, depending on the device and its settings. Google also says some supported devices can remain findable for several hours after they are powered off. That behavior is device-specific, so do not assume it applies to every Samsung Galaxy model.
Best Value
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only.
| Factor | Samsung Find / SmartThings Find | Google Find Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Account required | Samsung account registered on the phone | Google Account on the phone |
| Offline support | Offline finding, which relies on nearby Galaxy devices detecting the phone’s signal; must be enabled beforehand | Encrypted recent location when offline finding is enabled; may use a crowdsourced network depending on device and settings |
| Powered off | Shows only the last known location | Some supported devices remain findable for several hours after power-off; device-specific |
| Erase consequence | Back up first; Google sign-in is required after reset if a Google account was on the device | Location is no longer available through Find Hub after erasure |
Troubleshooting when the search stalls
- The phone does not appear in the device list: confirm that you are signed in to the same Samsung account that was on the phone. A different account will not show it.
- The pin is old: the phone is probably powered off or disconnected. Treat the pin as a last known location and act on it accordingly.
- Offline finding finds nothing: the feature may not have been enabled, or the phone may have lost power or cannot send Bluetooth signals. Samsung’s Philippines support page states that this combination cannot be located by offline finding.
- Ring does nothing: the phone may be offline or powered off. Ring needs the phone to receive commands.
- Remote erase fails: follow Samsung’s guidance to change passwords on accounts that were signed in on the phone, then report the loss to your carrier and the police.
Prevention that helps before a phone goes missing
Enable the four settings listed at the top of this guide now, and confirm that your Samsung account password is stored somewhere you can reach. Samsung’s US SmartThings Find support page also mentions the Samsung SmartTag as an additional tracking option. A tag helps only if it is attached or configured before the phone is lost. It cannot locate a phone that is already missing.
Last, note the Samsung account email, the IMEI and the phone’s model before you need them. Police and carriers will ask for these details when you report a loss.
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