Samsung Find My Phone: How to Locate Your Lost Samsung Device

Official service name: SmartThings Find (formerly Find My Mobile) · Supported device types: Galaxy phones, tablets, watches, earbuds · Offline finding method: BLE crowd-sourced network from nearby Galaxy devices · Remote actions available: Ring, lock, erase, backup data

Five key facts, one pattern: Samsung’s own service is the only way to get full control over a lost Galaxy device, while Google’s Find My Device offers a backup option on Android.

How do I locate my lost Samsung phone?

What is Samsung Find My Mobile?

• Samsung Find My Mobile has been integrated into SmartThings Find — the successor documented by Samsung.
• You can locate, ring, lock, and erase data remotely.
• Accessible at smartthingsfind.samsung.com, Samsung’s official portal.
• Requires a Samsung account logged into the lost device.

SmartThings Find is the evolution of the old Find My Mobile service. It’s the same Samsung account–based system, but now lives inside the SmartThings app and the dedicated website. The core function remains: you can locate your Galaxy phone on a map, make it ring at full volume, lock the screen, or erase all data.

“Lost something? Find your Galaxy phone, tablet, watch, and other devices with SmartThings Find.”

— Samsung Support

How to use the SmartThings Find website

• Go to smartthingsfind.samsung.com and sign in with your Samsung account.
• After signing in, you’ll see a list of your registered devices on the left side of the screen, per Samsung US Support.
• Select the lost device to see its last known location on a map.

1. Open the SmartThings Find website in any browser.
2. Sign in and pick the lost device from the left-side list.
3. Use the map tools to ring, lock, or erase.

This method works on any computer or phone with a browser. No app download needed — just your Samsung account credentials.

How to use the Samsung Find app on another device

• Open the SmartThings app on any Galaxy phone or tablet.
• Go to the Life tab, tap the Find card, and select your lost device.
• If you don’t have the app, Samsung Malaysia says you can also use the Samsung Find app directly.

The SmartThings app is pre-installed on most Galaxy devices. If you’re using a non-Samsung phone, the website is the easiest route.

What to do if you cannot see your phone location

• Make sure the lost device has an active internet connection and location services are on.
• Check that “Allow this phone to be found” is enabled in Find My Mobile settings, as noted by Samsung Malaysia.
• If the phone is offline, you may still see its last known location if “Send last location” was turned on beforehand.

Can I track my Samsung phone if it’s turned off?

Does offline mode still allow location?

• Yes, if Offline finding is enabled before the phone goes offline.
• After 30 minutes of being offline, the device begins broadcasting a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal that nearby Galaxy devices can pick up, per Samsung Newsroom Global.
• Those nearby devices anonymously relay the location to Samsung’s servers, which you can then see, as explained by SmartThings Support.

This is the crowd-sourced offline network that sets Samsung apart from simple GPS tracking. Your phone doesn’t need to be on a cellular network — it just needs to be physically near other Galaxy users.

How does SmartThings Find work when the phone is off?

• The phone must be turned off but still have some battery remaining — the BLE beacon runs on a separate low-power chip.
• Samsung US Support says you must enable Offline finding and Encrypt offline location in the SmartThings Find settings.
• If the battery is completely dead, no signal can be sent until the phone is charged.

The catch: this feature only works on devices that support the offline BLE beacon. Older Galaxy models may not have the necessary hardware.

Can you track a switched-off phone with Samsung Find?

• Yes, as long as Offline finding was turned on before the phone was switched off.
• If the phone is switched off but still has battery, the BLE beacon continues to emit for a limited time.
• Samsung Philippines Support notes that both “Send last location” and “Offline finding” must be enabled to see the last known location updated by other Galaxy devices after disconnection.

Can a stolen phone be tracked after a factory reset?

Does factory reset remove Samsung Find?

• Yes, a standard factory reset removes all data and disables Samsung Find unless the device is protected by Samsung’s theft protection feature.
• Theft protection is part of the Samsung account and can prevent the phone from being set up without the original credentials.

If the thief does a factory reset before you’ve locked the phone remotely, Samsung Find is gone. But you can still use Google’s Find My Device if the phone is logged into a Google account and has Factory Reset Protection (FRP) active.

Can Samsung Find lock the phone before a reset?

• Yes, you can remotely lock the screen and display a message with your contact number.
• Use the SmartThings Find website or app to lock the device immediately.
• Samsung US Support confirms that locking, erasing, and backing up data are all available remotely.

Once locked, the phone cannot be reset without your Samsung account password, which can deter casual thieves.

Does Google Find My Device still work after a Samsung factory reset?

• Yes, if the stolen phone was logged into a Google account and FRP is active, Google (Find My Device help page) says you can still locate, ring, or lock it.
• FRP requires the original Google account credentials even after a factory reset, making it a strong second layer of protection.

The pattern: Samsung’s own protection is the first line, but Google’s system acts as a fallback. Both should be enabled before the phone is lost.

“Lost your phone? Try some simple steps, like showing the location or locking the screen, to help you secure it.”

— Google

How can I find my friend’s Samsung device?

Can I track my husband’s Samsung phone?

• Only with his knowledge and consent — you need his Samsung account credentials or he must add you to a SmartThings Find family group.
• Samsung Jordan notes that family group sharing is the intended way to locate others’ devices.

Consent is not just ethical; it’s legal. Tracking someone without permission is illegal in many jurisdictions.

Is it legal to track someone else’s phone?

• No, tracking another person’s device without their explicit consent is illegal in most countries, including the US, UK, and EU.
• Even with a family member, you should have their permission before using Samsung Find to locate them.

Parental control apps are a legal alternative for monitoring children, but they also require the child’s knowledge and consent if they are of age.

What permissions are needed to locate another person’s Galaxy device?

• If using Samsung Family, the other person must accept the invitation and share their location.
• Alternatively, they can log into their Samsung account on your device, but that gives you full access to their account.

The cleanest method: ask them to share their location via SmartThings Find family group. This keeps their account private while allowing you to see their device.

Can I find a lost Samsung phone using IMEI?

What is an IMEI number?

• IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit number assigned to every mobile device.
• It is used to identify the device on cellular networks, not for GPS tracking.

Samsung Find does not use IMEI for location tracking — it relies on network and Bluetooth signals. The IMEI is more useful for blocking the device from carrier networks.

How to find IMEI on a Samsung phone

• Dial *#06# on the phone’s keypad — the IMEI will appear on the screen.
• You can also find it in Settings > About phone > Status, or on the original phone box.

If you don’t have the phone, check the box or the receipt. The IMEI is also stored in your Samsung account if you registered the device.

Can police track a Samsung phone using IMEI?

• Yes, law enforcement can request carriers to track the IMEI on their networks, but this is not a feature available to consumers.
• Samsung US Support does not offer IMEI-based location in the SmartThings Find service.

For most people, the IMEI is a last resort to report a stolen phone to the carrier so they can blacklist it. It won’t help you find the phone on a map.

For anyone who loses a Samsung phone today, the choice is clear: enable SmartThings Find and offline finding now, or rely on police reports and carrier blacklists — which rarely lead to recovery. The single most effective action for Samsung owners is to turn on both “Send last location” and “Offline finding” in your settings before the phone disappears.

Frequently asked questions