Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
If your laptop is lost or stolen, first check nearby locations; if theft seems likely, report it rather than confronting anyone. From a trusted device, try the recovery tools you had enabled in advance—Windows Find My Device or Apple Find My—then secure accounts the laptop could access. Report the theft to local police and your insurer where applicable. Consider remote erasure only after weighing data protection against the possibility of losing further location tracking.
What to do first
- Check likely places. Look at the last place you used the laptop, ask nearby staff, and check lost-and-found. If it may have been taken, do not approach anyone based on a location shown on a map.
- Use a separate trusted device. Sign in to the relevant Microsoft or Apple account and see whether the laptop’s recovery feature was set up before it went missing. These tools cannot be enabled retroactively to locate a device.
- Protect accessible accounts. If you cannot locate or lock the laptop—or if saved sessions or credentials may be exposed—change passwords for the accounts it could access, starting with email, financial accounts, and any password manager.
- Report a suspected theft. Contact local law enforcement and, if you have coverage, your insurer. Keep the laptop’s serial number available. If it belongs to work or school, promptly follow the organization’s security or IT reporting procedure.
- Decide whether to erase it remotely. Erasure can protect data, but on a Mac it also stops Find My from locating the device.
Can you track or lock a Windows laptop?
Microsoft’s Find My Device can help locate and lock a Windows 10 or Windows 11 laptop only if the feature was enabled before the loss. Microsoft says it requires a Microsoft personal account and an administrator account type. On another trusted device, go to account.microsoft.com/devices, choose the laptop, open Find My Device, and select Find. If the option is available, choose Lock. Follow Microsoft’s current prompts. Microsoft’s instructions for finding and locking a lost Windows device also describe where to find its serial number in the account’s device information and support area.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
If Find My Device was not already enabled, the laptop is not listed, or the controls are unavailable, do not assume you can turn on tracking from the account page after the fact. Secure accounts the laptop could access. Microsoft also recommends resetting the Microsoft account password after remotely locking a device.
Can you track, lock, or erase a Mac?
Use Find My from another Apple device or visit icloud.com/find. If Find My was configured on the Mac before it went missing, select it and mark it as lost. Apple says remote locking or erasing requires the Mac to be powered on and connected to the internet. Its guidance notes that “Find My Mac is the only Apple service that can help track or locate a lost Mac.” See Apple’s guidance for a lost or stolen Mac for the current steps and conditions.
#1 Best Overall
- Computer lock for HP, Lenovo, Acer, Asus and other brands; not compatible with Dell or Alienware (see part # K68008WW)
- Resettable 4-wheel Number code with 10, 000 possible combinations. Push-button design for one-handed engagement to easily attach lock
- 6’ long carbon steel cable is cut-resistant and anchors to desks, tables, or any fixed structure
- Attaches to laptops, desktops, TVs, monitors, hard drives, docking stations, projectors or any other device featuring a Kensington standard size security slot
- Independently verified and tested for industry-leading standards in torque/pull, foreign implements, lock lifecycle, corrosion, key strength and other environmental condition
What remote erasure changes
Erasing a Mac remotely deletes its data and helps prevent someone else from accessing that information. The trade-off is significant: once erased, it can no longer be found using Find My. If continued location recovery matters and the data risk is manageable, consider marking the Mac as lost first and weighing that choice before issuing an erase command. If the data exposure risk takes priority, erasure may be the better choice.
Secure accounts the laptop could access
Use a trusted device—not the missing laptop—to change passwords and review access. Apple advises changing the Apple Account password and passwords for other accounts used on the Mac if Find My is unavailable or the Mac cannot be located. Tailor the response to what was saved or signed in on the computer:
Rank #2
- 🎁FIT FOR ALL THE TABLETS: 🎁With an anchor plate, The Hardware cable lock fits for Mac Book and all the Tablets, Smart Phones, such as for iPad, Microsoft Surface, Kindle, Samsung, Android Tablets and phones, etc
- 🎁FIT FOR MOST THE LAPTOPS: 🎁With standard lock, the security cable lock also fits for most laptops that have Standard slots.
- 🎁HOW TO USE: 🎁For Tablets/Laptops without standard lock slot: Bound the anchor plate, which is lined with strong adhesive, to the hard surface of the devices, then insert the locking head into the plate with keys and loop the cable around a fixed object. FOR LAPTOPS WITH LOCK SLOT, just simply insert the lock head into the slot, and loop the cable around a fixed object
- 🎁ANTI THEFT: 🎁The lock head is made of super-strong stainless steel, can be rotated in 360 degrees. The cable is made of cut-resistant twisted steel with a PVC coat, the extra length of 6.5ft fully meets your daily demands
- 🎁MODEL TIPS-- 🎁There are some Models need to be used with I3C Adhesive Security Plate, if you mind using I3C anchor plate, please buy it berofe thinking twice
- Change the password for the primary Microsoft or Apple account associated with the laptop.
- Secure your email account, since it can often be used to reset other passwords.
- Change passwords for banking, shopping, social media, and any password manager or account with saved credentials or active sessions.
- Where the service allows it, review signed-in devices and revoke sessions or trusted-device access you no longer recognize.
The right order depends on which accounts and sessions were accessible; there is no single sequence that applies to every laptop setup.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Report the theft and keep useful details
Report a suspected theft to local law enforcement. Apple recommends reporting a lost or stolen Mac; Microsoft recommends reporting a stolen Windows device to local law enforcement and the insurance company. Procedures and insurance requirements vary by location and policy, so ask the relevant agency and insurer what they need. Keep the serial number handy: Microsoft says it can be found in the device information and support area of your Microsoft account, and Apple notes police may request a Mac’s serial number. A map location is not a guarantee of recovery and is not a reason to confront someone yourself.
Rank #3
- Laptop Lock for Dell laptops fits seamlessly into Dell and Alienware laptops with the wedge type lock slot
- Resettable 4-wheel Number code with 10, 000 possible combinations. Push-button design for one-handed engagement to easily attach lock
- Unique lock engagement creates the strongest connection between the lock head and slot; 6' long carbon steel cable is cut-resistant and anchors to desk, table or any fixed structure
- Independently verified and tested for industry-leading standards in torque/pull, foreign implements, lock lifecycle, corrosion, key strength and other environmental condition
For a work or school laptop, notify the organization’s IT or security team promptly and follow its incident-reporting instructions. The organization may need to revoke access or take other steps beyond what you can do in a personal account.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If personal information is misused
If the loss leads to identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission directs people to IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get recovery guidance.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 5-Foot (1.5m) Carbon Steel Cable - Resists cutting attempts and provides ample length for easily anchoring your laptop to desks, tables, and other attachment points. Incorporates anti-shearing plastic sleeve to protect surfaces
- Slim Lock Head - Designed to support thin laptops using standard lock slots, lock secures while allowing your device to lie flat and stable
- Resettable 4-Wheel Number Code - Set or reset your personal number code from 10,000 possible combinations
- Pivoting Head and Rotating Anchor - The lock tip rotates 360º and the cable rotates up to 90º—allowing access to the ports near the lock slot on most devices and providing a convenient locking and unlocking experience
- One-Handed Attachment - Convenient slider allows for quick and easy attachment to the laptop with one hand
Rank #4
- Protect laptops from theft. Designed for laptops with no dedicated lock slot. Alternative to Kensington Locks.
- Works with Macbooks, Surface, Dell, Lenevo and all other major laptops, tablets and notebooks that have a 3.5mm audio port (headphone / AUX port)
- Extremely durable cut resistant steel cable to tether to to desks, tables, or any fixed structure
- 1.7 metre cable length providing both flexibility and convenience in cable management
- Resettable 4-digit combination lock with 10,000 possible combinations. Easy flick switch to lock and unlock for fast setup.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
