How to find a missing phone if the battery is dead?

Posted by Mike on November 8th, 2021

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve patted down your pockets and realized you don’t feel your phone? You slowly empty the contents of your pockets and bag, showing no signs of the device. In this digital world, losing your phone is on par with losing your wallet or keys.

Luckily enough, a variety of services and apps available online, which can help you find a missing phone. However, what if your phone battery has died? Is it still possible to retrieve it back? Don’t worry, the following options can help find a missing phone if the battery is dead.

How to find a missing Android phone with a dead battery?

It seems impossible to find a missing phone with a dead battery. Thankfully, advanced technology makes it possible to record your phone’s last known location just before the battery runs dead. Outside of retracing your steps, these options give you the best chance of finding your lost device once the battery has died.

Google’s Android device manager

This option is ideal for users who have connected their phones to Google account. Google’s android device manager enables users to sign into their Google account and track a missing phone from another smartphone. The only requirement for locating the phone is that it must be turned on and have internet access. If it didn’t work initially, keep trying as your missing Android phone may just be temporarily out of coverage. If necessary, users can ring the phone and wipe the data.

Android Lost

Alternatively, you can make use of Android Lost if Google’s android device manage can not locate your phone. For it to work, you must first install the app remotely using Google Play in your browser. As you can’t activate the app by opening it on your phone, you must send an SMS containing the text ‘Androidlost register’ to your missing phone. It will register your details remotely using your Google account.

Then you can visit the android lost website and sign in using those details. Once signed in, you are presented with a host of options including tracking the location of your phone, wiping the memory, erasing the SD card, taking a picture using the front or rear camera, and many other features to help retrieve the device.

Location history

The location history feature on Google Maps also can be employed to track your missing Android phone. All you have to do is log into your Google account and go to Google Maps location history. Here you can select a date and click “display timestamps” to see the device’s last known location. This option can be instrumental if your device was stolen. It can paint a picture of where the thief regularly visits.

How to find a missing iPhone with a dead battery?

If you’re using an iPhone, you can utilize iOS “Find My iPhone” to locate a missing iPhone. Visit the iCloud website and sign in with your Apple ID. Click on “Find My iPhone” and choose your iPhone from the “All Devices” drop-down menu. When the process is completed, you can click on “Notify me when found” that sends you an email alert after someone powers on your phone, giving you the current location of the device.

This service also records your iPhone’s last known location for up to 24 hours. A grey dot appears on the map after you sign into Find My iPhone, showing the last reported location. These coordinates can help you narrow down your iPhone’s current location.

What if I haven’t enabled native features?

Unfortunately, if you don’t have Android device manager or Find My iPhone enabled, you’ll need to resort to retracing your steps or IMEI number, unless you’ve enabled location history for Google Maps. Otherwise, you can take advantage of online tracking service like Find My Phone. It helps find a lost Android phone or iPhone by simply entering a phone number. You’ll get the last known location of the phone if the battery is dead. Once someone charges your phone, GPS will be activated and you’ll be informed of the current location.

Final thoughts

Here’s how you can find a missing phone with a dead battery. You don’t have to be a rocket-scientist to be able to use the above methods. They help locate a missing phone and find the last known location if the battery is dead. If your device is either lost or stolen, act quickly.