Lost mobile phone tracking

Q: How can we trace lost mobile phones? 

Q: Can I find my lost mobile phone if it is switched off?

Q: How do police track lost or stolen cell phones?

Krishna: Some two years back one of my cousins in the US lost her cell phone. Another cousin who 's in Australia tracked it and told my US cousin where it was. My cousin in the US went to the exact spot my Australian cousin  marked and found it in the grass there!

This is modern technology for you.

Yes, mobile tracking is possible. There are various ways to do that. 

Police can track a stolen phone using its IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number or through GPS tracking.

There are two types of IMEI Trackers. Online Tracking Platforms and Mobile Tracking Apps. It is now possible to track any IMEI online without going through any intermediate service provider.

Google "IMEI tracker online free" and choose the website of your choice. This online service allows you to locate your phone number displayed conveniently on a map. All you need to do is enter the IMEI of the device you want to locate and the correct country in the appropriate platform, and the system will run a process to deliver your cellphone's location.

Going through Apps or Operators will probably take more time, and apps need a previous setup process. An Online IMEI Phone Tracking Service is quick. The IMEI Phone Tracking Service will access the GSM network to track the stolen phone and block it from accessing any other network in a particular country.

You can track online using IMEI this way: Using an online IMEI Tracker is simple. But how do you use the IMEI tracker online for lost mobile? You have to enter a valid IMEI number in the appropriate online form. Then you enter the country where the Mobile Phone was Registered. The IMEI Tracker then provides a precise update on the phone's status. i.e. You can instantly find out whether it is lost or stolen.

Online platforms can be more suitable than mobile apps in certain circumstances. To operate a mobile tracking app, you would have had to have the app installed on your device. It means that you had to have prepared your phones earlier on. Quite simply, going through an online platform is more accessible. It would help if you remembered that the GP systems inside your phone aren't 100% accurate. You can get a phone's precise location on a map or just the general neighbourhood that the phone is in. You can track phones using IMEI android online or Mac iPhone as well.

But tracking a switched off phone is a little difficult because when a phone is turned off it will stop communicating with nearby mobile towers. It can only be traced through its last location when it was switched on by calling the service provider or through Google services.

 There are various solutions such as the Find My Device app, IMEI tracking app, and more to track your phone that is switched off. However, all these solutions work usually and efficiently when your phone is switched on.

Both iOS and Android phones can be tracked without a data connection. There are various mapping apps that have the ability to track the location of your phone even without the Internet connection. The GPS system in your smartphone works in two different ways. When your phone has a data connection or is connected to WiFi, it uses Assisted GPS or A-GPS. This uses the location of nearby cell phone towers and known Wi-Fi networks to roughly figure out where your device is.

You can find your iPhone even if its battery is dead or if it is not connected to the Internet. The ‘Bluetooth location’ feature by Apple enables you to locate an offline iPhone, as long as it is switched on. Moreover, you can find a switched off iPhone by tracking its last known location using the ‘Find my’ app and iCloud.

You can trace your lost phone using the ‘Find My Device’ app and Google Maps. However, you must have installed the app before it is lost. While the phone is lost, you need to log in to your Google account that is linked to your lost phone using a computer or some other device. Pull up the Google Maps and click on the menu and further tap on the ‘Your Timeline’ option. Now, put in the date to check the location history of your lost device of that particular day.

However, putting your phone to Airplane mode will restrict anyone from tracking your location.

PS: The Phone's IMEI number is located on a sticker behind the battery. You should write this IMEI number down as soon as you can, as you may need it in the future if your phone gets misplaced or stolen. It is crucial to write this IMEI number down early on, or else you will have no number to enter in the IMEI Online Website Tracker. The acronym IMEI means International Mobile Equipment Identity.