Lost your phone? Here's how to track it down and recover your data

A person uses a smartphone. (Pexels/Adrianna Calvo)

Discovering your phone was lost or stolen can be a stressful experience. Photos, files, passwords and possibly even your banking information can get swiped up in moments.

Luckily, whether you own an iPhone or Android, there are steps you can take to help recover your device and protect your data.

Here's what you should know:

Tracking features

For iPhone: Apple's 'Find My' feature allows users to track their iPhone, iPad and other Apple-related electronics. The app will play a sound on the lost or stolen device to locate it. It can remotely locate the device and even display a message to contact the owner.

Apple also rolled out an update to its iOS operating system with a feature called Stolen Device Protection. The new setting is included with the latest iOS release, version 17.3.

Stolen Device Protection keeps track of a user's "familiar locations," such as their home or workplace, and adds extra security hoops to jump through if someone tries to use the device to do certain things when it's away from those places.

With Stolen Device Protection turned on, the phone will require a Face ID or Touch ID scan to verify that the person is the rightful owner.

To activate it, scroll down to "Face ID & Passcode" or "Touch ID & Passcode" and enter your passcode. Scroll down and you'll see Stolen Device Protection, where you can follow the prompts to activate the feature.

For Android: Google's 'Find My Device' app or website allows users to locate their phone via GPS, remotely lock it, or erase data, if necessary.

Data recovery

For iPhone: Apple's iCloud stores personal information from your devices and keeps it up to date. You can access photos, files and more from any web browser and changes are synced to your iPhone and other devices.

For Android: Most devices can be backed up to a Google Drive account, where all information, including contacts, passwords, apps and more, can be stored.

Law enforcement advice

Law enforcement recommends that those with a stolen device report any incidents immediately.

The more information you can provide, the better. An IMEI number—a unique 15-digit serial identification number—can be found in settings and be helpful in recovery efforts. It's vital to have this number recorded beforehand, and it can also be found on a device's original packaging.

Warranties

For iPhone: AppleCare+, Apple's extended warranty support, includes theft and loss coverage, which provides up to two incidents of theft or loss coverage every 12 months.

For Android: Whether theft or loss coverage is offered depends on the company's warranty policy. Among Android companies, SamsungCare+ does not cover lost or stolen devices.

It is important that device users back up their data regularly to a cloud service or computer, set up strong passwords and notify their carrier if their device is stolen to prevent unauthorized phone use.

With files from The Associated Press