What do I do if I lose my phone?

Concerns & risks

You were trying to leave a restaurant, and you realized your phone isn't in your pocket.

Lost phones can expose personal data.

Causes & evidence

Use Find My (Apple) or Find My Device (Google) from another device. See multi-factor authentication.

What to do

1. Locate it from another device or browser.
2. Mark it lost or lock it.
3. Erase remotely if needed.
4. Change key passwords.

Common mistakes: Common mistakes: not turning on Find My or Find My Device ahead of time. Do it now. When a phone is lost, don't try to recover a stolen phone from a stranger yourself; contact police. Report a stolen phone to your carrier. Use the 'lost mode' message to show a contact number. Change passwords for banking and email. Before you need it, write down your account recovery info and your carrier's number somewhere outside the phone. If the phone is truly gone, use the erase option so your data is protected, and check with your carrier about blocking the device.

Speed Man tip: Turn on find features before you lose it.

Wrap-up: Locate. Lock. Erase if needed.