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If you have lost a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet, open Samsung Find or SmartThings Find in a web browser, or on another Galaxy phone, and sign in with the Samsung account that is added to the missing device. Select the device from the list to see its location and the actions available for it. This guide covers finding the Samsung device itself. If you meant using your phone’s own navigation or location settings, that is a different task.
Before you start: what has to be in place
Device finding works only if it was set up before the phone or tablet went missing. Samsung’s US lost-device guidance lists these conditions:
- The phone or tablet is turned on and connected to a stable network.
- The Samsung account is added to the device.
- Remote controls are enabled.
To check these settings on the device, go to Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection. Samsung’s US guidance points to three switches there: Allow this phone (or tablet) to be found, Send last location, and Offline finding. Menu names can differ by software version and region, so if the path does not match your screen, look for the same three options in the security or lost-device area of Settings.
Find a lost Samsung device using SmartThings Find
Use this sequence from a browser or another Galaxy phone:
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- Open Samsung Find or SmartThings Find and sign in with the same Samsung account that is on the missing device.
- Select the missing phone or tablet from the device list.
- Read the map location. Check whether the view shows a current location or only a last known location.
- Choose an action from the available controls. The options are described in the table below.
Samsung uses several names for this service. Samsung Find, SmartThings Find, and the older name Find My Mobile all refer to the same finding service. In the UK, Samsung says Find My Mobile is now part of SmartThings Find.
The actions and what each one does
| Action | What Samsung’s guidance says it does | Limits to know before you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Ring | Rings the device for one minute, even if it is set to mute or vibrate. | Most useful when the phone is likely nearby, such as in a car, a bag, or a room in the house. |
| Track location | Provides location updates every 15 minutes. | Updates depend on the device staying powered on and connected. Samsung’s guidance does not describe update behavior when the device is offline. |
| Lock | Remotely locks the device. | Specific behavior is not stated in the cited Samsung guidance. |
| Erase | Remotely erases the device’s data. | Erasing protects your data, but it can end further location tracking. Use it only when recovery seems unlikely. |
When the phone is off or offline
Two situations look similar on the map but work differently.
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- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro). Battery: 5000 mAh, non-removable | A power adapter is NOT included.
- Powered off: Samsung’s US support article says a powered-off phone can show only its last known location. Do not expect live GPS tracking.
- Offline but powered on: Offline finding can help here. Samsung describes it as a way for nearby participating Galaxy devices to detect a missing device that is not connected to the internet. The feature must be enabled on the lost device, and nearby participating devices must be available. It is a best-effort aid, not a guarantee of a live location.
If the map shows an old location, treat it as the last place the device reported, not where it is now.
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Using Google Find Hub on an Android phone
If the lost device is a non-Samsung Android phone, or you are checking an alternative, Google’s Find Hub is the equivalent service. Google says that when a Google Account has been added to a device, Find Hub is turned on automatically. Locating, securing, or erasing the device still depends on conditions such as power, connectivity, account sign-in, Find Hub being on, and the device’s visibility on Google Play.
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The Google account and the Samsung account are separate. Use the service for which the lost device was registered and prepared. Signing into the wrong one will not show the device.
| Feature | Samsung Find / SmartThings Find | Google Find Hub |
|---|---|---|
| Account needed on the device | Samsung account added to the device | Google Account added to the device; Find Hub turns on automatically |
| Sound alert | Ring for one minute, even on mute or vibrate (Samsung US Support) | Play sound at full volume for five minutes, even on silent or vibrate (Google Android Help) |
| Lock and contact | Remote lock; contact display not stated in the cited guidance | Mark as lost locks the phone and can display contact details |
| Location when current location is unavailable | Last known location is available when the device is powered off | Last known location may be shown if the current location cannot be found |
| Offline help from nearby devices | Offline finding, if enabled, with nearby participating Galaxy devices | Not stated in the cited Google guidance |
| Erase outcome | Erasing protects data but can end further location tracking | A factory reset erases data and the device will no longer be available in Find Hub |
If you think the phone was stolen
Samsung’s official safety instruction is direct: if you are using SmartThings Find or Samsung Find to locate a stolen phone or tablet, do not go directly to the location on the map. Contact the police or other local authorities and let them retrieve the device. Remote lock and erase are useful once you have reported it, but make the erase decision with the trade-off above in mind.
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- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Prevent the next loss
Before you lose a device, turn on the three Lost device protection settings listed above, confirm the correct account is signed in, and test Ring once while the phone is at home. Samsung’s guidance says SmartThings Find can also locate belongings that have a SmartTag attached. A Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 can be attached to keys or a bag as an optional accessory. It is not required to locate a Galaxy phone, and it does not replace the device-finding setup described here.
Samsung’s US guidance, Samsung Canada’s device-finding guidance (last updated March 26, 2026, Canada-specific), and Google Android Help were the basis for the steps above. Menus, availability, and feature behavior can differ by device model, software version, account state, and country, so check the screens on your own phone when you set this up.
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The Bottom Line
If you have a Samsung device, sign in to Samsung Find or SmartThings Find with its Samsung account, and act on the map and the available controls. Turn on the lost-device settings before you need them, and do not approach a mapped location if theft is possible.
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