By Charles Miller
The convenience of a smart phone is undeniable as is the inconvenience of losing one. Both of the major smart phone operating systems (Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS) have a feature to help you find a lost phone. Via the internet you can put a message on the phone’s screen that says something like “$$$ reward, call 415 101 8528.” You may also remotely lock or erase the phone to prevent your personal data from falling into the wrong hands.
To make the find-my-phone feature work, be ready to implement it as soon as possible, preferably in the first hour after losing your phone. You will not be prepared for a real emergency unless you practice. To do this, give your phone to a trusted friend telling them to keep it until you have put a message on its screen stating you have successfully used the FMP feature.
Next, use your computer or a borrowed one to log into icloud.com (iPhone users) or myaccount.google.com (Android phone users) and find your way to the FMP page. To start, you will need to know your username and password. If the only place you have your login credentials recorded is in the phone you no longer have, you are already in trouble. It is frustrating that the same security protocols that keep you safe are the ones that will keep you from being able to access your account if you get locked out.
Even with the correct login credentials you are likely to be confronted with the need for additional verification before you can report your lost phone. If you have set up two-factor authentication using your cell phone, you will have to use another way to get into your account to report your phone as lost.
We hope the lost phone is not the only one that can unlock your account. You should have a “recovery” email address listed on your account. This should be a trusted friend’s email, not an email account you stopped using years ago.
When you log into iCloud or Google, you may be asked to answer the “secret questions” you entered when you set up your account. Most people cannot be sure of the answers they gave many years ago, so review and update that account recovery information today while you have access to your account.
If you want to have the best chance of being able to recover a lost smart phone you need to practice now what to do in the event of actually losing your phone. This means that without touching your phone, you need to verify you are able to use a computer or other device to log into your Apple or Google account. You need to practice accessing your account without your phone to be ready if the need ever arises.
Charles Miller is a freelance computer consultant, a frequent visitor to San Miguel since 1981 and now practically a full-time resident. He may be contacted at 415-101-8528 or email FAQ8@SMAguru.com.
