Use Samsung Find Mobile to locate your phone on a map
Samsung phones come with a built-in location service called Samsung Find Mobile (sometimes labeled Find My Mobile on older models). This service shows your phone's location on a map from any web browser or another device, even if your phone is turned off or the battery is low.
To use this feature, you need to have set it up before your phone goes missing. If you did not set it up yet, you can still set it up now if you can access your phone briefly — it takes about two minutes. If your phone is already lost and you never turned on Find Mobile, you will need to use your phone carrier's location service instead.
The location shown on the map is usually accurate to within a few hundred feet in cities and a few miles in rural areas, depending on whether your phone can connect to GPS, cell towers, or Wi-Fi networks.
Key Takeaways
- Samsung Find Mobile shows your phone's location on a map and works even if your phone is off, but you must set it up before the phone goes missing.
- You can access Find Mobile from any web browser by signing in with your Samsung account at findmymobile.samsung.com.
- If you never set up Find Mobile, contact your phone carrier — they can locate your phone using cell tower data if you report it lost or stolen.
- You can remotely lock your phone, wipe its data, or make it ring loudly from the Find Mobile website to help you recover it.
- Location accuracy depends on whether your phone can reach GPS, cell towers, or Wi-Fi — it may be off by several hundred feet or more.
Set up Samsung Find Mobile before you need it
Open the Settings app on your phone and search for "Find Mobile" or "Find My Mobile." Tap the result and sign in with your Samsung account. If you do not have a Samsung account, create one — it is free and takes about one minute. Turn on the toggle to enable the service.
Once Find Mobile is on, your phone will send its location to Samsung's servers regularly. This happens in the background and does not drain your battery noticeably. You can now locate your phone from any computer or another device.
If you cannot find the Find Mobile setting on your phone, check whether your phone model supports it. Most Samsung Galaxy phones from 2015 onward have this feature, but some budget models or very old phones may not. Your phone's manual or Samsung's support website will tell you whether your specific model includes it.
Locate your phone from a web browser
Go to findmymobile.samsung.com from any computer or another phone. Sign in with the same Samsung account you used to set up Find Mobile on your lost phone. The website will show your phone's location on a map.
The map shows a circle around your phone's location — the size of the circle represents the accuracy of the location. A small circle means the location is precise; a large circle means your phone could be anywhere within that area. If your phone is indoors or far from cell towers, the circle will be larger.
The website also shows the last time your phone's location was updated. If the timestamp is old — more than an hour ago — your phone may be turned off, out of battery, or in an area with no signal. Refresh the page to see if the location updates.
Use remote lock and wipe features to protect your data
From the Find Mobile website, you can lock your phone remotely or erase all its data without touching the phone itself. This protects your personal information if you believe the phone has been stolen rather than just misplaced.
To lock your phone, click the lock icon on the Find Mobile website. You can set a new PIN that only you know. Anyone who picks up your phone will see the lock screen and cannot access your data without entering this PIN. You can unlock it later from the same website if you recover the phone.
To erase your phone's data, click the wipe or erase option. This removes all photos, messages, contacts, and apps from your phone permanently. Use this only if you are certain you cannot recover the phone, because the data cannot be restored afterward. Some carriers and insurance plans cover phone replacement if you report it stolen, so check your policy before wiping.
Contact your carrier if you never set up Find Mobile
If your phone is missing and you never turned on Samsung Find Mobile, call your phone carrier's customer service line. Tell them your phone is lost or stolen and ask whether they can locate it using cell tower data. Most carriers — including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others — can pinpoint a phone's general location if it is powered on and connected to their network.
The carrier's location is usually less precise than Samsung Find Mobile. They can typically narrow it down to a few city blocks or a neighborhood, but not to a specific building or address. They will ask for your account number and may ask you to file a police report if you believe the phone was stolen.
Some carriers also offer their own phone location apps — for example, Verizon has Family Locator and AT&T has Mobile Security. If you set up one of these before your phone went missing, you can use it the same way you would use Samsung Find Mobile.
Check your phone's location history if you find it
Once you recover your phone, you can see where it has been by checking your location history. Open Google Maps on your phone, tap your profile picture, and select "Your Timeline." This shows a map of everywhere your phone has traveled, day by day, for the past several months.
This information is stored on Google's servers, not on your phone, so it persists even if your phone is wiped or factory reset. You can delete specific days or locations from your timeline if you want to remove this history.
Knowing your phone's location history can help you figure out where you lost it — for example, if you see that your phone was at a restaurant at 2 p.m., you know to call that restaurant and ask whether anyone turned in a phone.
Prevent future loss by using phone tracking regularly
Once you have set up Samsung Find Mobile, check it occasionally — even when you know where your phone is. This helps you get comfortable using the feature and makes sure it is working correctly. If you notice that the location shown on the map is very far from where you actually are, the service may not be working properly on your phone.
You can also turn on Google's Find My Device service as a backup. Go to Settings, search for "Find My Device," and turn it on. This gives you a second way to locate your phone if Samsung Find Mobile is not working for any reason.
Keep your Samsung account password secure and do not share it with anyone. If someone else knows your password, they can see your phone's location and lock or wipe it without your permission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I locate my Samsung phone if it is turned off?
Samsung Find Mobile can show your phone's last known location even if it is off, but it cannot update the location in real time. If your phone has been off for hours, the location shown may be old and not helpful. Some phones with certain battery technologies can send a location signal even when powered down, but this is not may provide.
What if my phone is in airplane mode?
If your phone is in airplane mode, it cannot connect to cell towers or Wi-Fi, so Find Mobile cannot update its location. The map will show your phone's last known location before airplane mode was turned on. If you can call or text your phone and someone answers, ask them to turn off airplane mode so you can track it.
Does Samsung Find Mobile work outside the United States?
Yes, Samsung Find Mobile works in most countries where Samsung phones are sold. However, location accuracy may vary depending on the local cell tower network and GPS coverage. In remote areas or countries with limited infrastructure, the location circle may be very large.
Can I track someone else's Samsung phone without their permission?
No. You need the person's Samsung account login to access Find Mobile. Tracking someone's phone without their knowledge is illegal in most places and violates Samsung's terms of service. Find Mobile is designed to help you locate your own phone, not to monitor other people.
What should I do if I find someone else's Samsung phone?
If you find a Samsung phone, try to contact the owner by calling recent contacts or looking for an emergency contact in the phone's settings. You can also take the phone to the carrier's store — they can contact the owner using the phone's SIM card information. Do not try to access the phone's data or use Find Mobile to track the owner's location.