Finding your Verizon phone, whether it's misplaced in your home or genuinely lost/stolen, can be a stressful experience. Thankfully, Verizon offers several tools and methods to help you track your device. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each step, ensuring you have the best chance of locating your phone.
Ready to find your missing Verizon phone? Let's dive in!
Step 1: Determine the Scope of Your Search – Is it Misplaced or Gone?
Before you panic, take a deep breath and assess the situation. Is your phone likely somewhere in your house, perhaps under a cushion or in another room? Or do you suspect it's been lost or stolen while you were out? The answer will dictate which tracking methods are most effective.
Sub-heading: Quick Check for Misplaced Phones
Look under everything! Couch cushions, beds, piles of laundry – you'd be surprised where phones can end up.
Retrace your steps. Think about where you last had it and mentally walk through your recent movements.
If these quick checks don't yield results, it's time to leverage Verizon's powerful tracking capabilities and other smart device features.
Step 2: Leveraging Verizon's Own Tools
Verizon provides a couple of dedicated services that can be incredibly useful for tracking your phone, especially if it's part of a family plan or your vehicle.
Sub-heading: Verizon Smart Family (for Family Plans)
If you have Verizon Smart Family, this is your first and best bet for tracking devices on your plan. It's designed for parental control and family safety, with robust location features.
What it offers: Real-time location tracking, location history, setting boundary alerts (geofencing), and even the ability to "pick me up" requests.
How to use it:
Ensure you have the app: Download and install the Verizon Smart Family (or Verizon Family) app on your smartphone.
Log In: Sign in with your My Verizon account credentials.
Access the Map: From the app's Home tab, tap on the map icon.
View Device Location: The location of your family members' devices (including the one you're tracking) should appear on the map. You can select a specific family member to see their precise location.
Refresh for Updates: If needed, tap the Refresh icon in the lower-right corner to get the most up-to-date location.
Check Location History: Below the map, you can often view a history of the device's locations.
Note: For optimal tracking accuracy, the Verizon Smart Family companion app should be installed and paired on the device you wish to track, with location sharing and GPS enabled. The person being tracked will also receive a notification that their location is being shared.
Sub-heading: Hum by Verizon (for Vehicle-Connected Phones)
While primarily for vehicle health and safety, Hum by Verizon also offers location tracking features for the vehicle itself, which can be useful if your phone was left inside.
What it offers: Real-time vehicle location, speed and boundary alerts, and stolen vehicle assistance.
How to use it:
Access the Hum App: Open the Hum by Verizon app on your smartphone.
Locate Your Vehicle: Within the app, you can view the location of your Hum-equipped car on a map.
Utilize Stolen Vehicle Assistance: If your car (and thus likely your phone) has been stolen, you can contact Hum Customer Service after filing a police report. They can assist authorities in tracking down your vehicle's GPS location.
Step 3: Leveraging Built-in Smartphone Tracking Services
Regardless of whether you use Verizon's specific services, your smartphone likely comes with its own powerful tracking capabilities. These are often the most effective for a wide range of situations.
Sub-heading: Google Find My Device (for Android Phones)
If you have an Android phone, Google's Find My Device is an indispensable tool. It allows you to locate, lock, and even erase your device remotely.
What it offers: Location on a map, ringing the device (even on silent), locking the device with a message, and erasing all data.
How to use it:
Go to the Website: Open a web browser on a computer or another smartphone and go to
google.com/android/find Sign In: Sign in with the Google Account that is associated with your lost Verizon phone.
Locate on Map: Your device's approximate location will appear on a map.
Choose an Action:
Play Sound: Your phone will ring at full volume for five minutes, even if it's on silent. This is perfect for finding a misplaced phone nearby!
Secure Device: You can lock your device and display a message or contact number on the lock screen. This also signs you out of your Google account on the phone.
Erase Device: As a last resort, you can permanently delete all data on your phone. Be aware this is irreversible and you won't be able to track the phone afterward.
Important: For Find My Device to work, your phone must be turned on, connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, have location services enabled, and Find My Device must be turned on in its settings.
Sub-heading: Apple Find My (for iPhones)
For Verizon customers with iPhones, Apple's Find My service is your go-to. It offers similar functionality to Google Find My Device.
What it offers: Location on a map, playing a sound, marking as lost (locks and tracks), and erasing the device.
How to use it:
Go to iCloud.com or Use Another Apple Device:
On a computer, go to
iCloud.com/find On another Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac), open the Find My app.
Select Your Device: Choose your lost iPhone from the list of devices.
Locate on Map: Its location will appear on a map.
Choose an Action:
Play Sound: Makes your iPhone play a sound, even if it's on silent.
Mark As Lost: Locks your device with a passcode, displays a custom message and contact number on the lock screen, and tracks its location.
Erase iPhone: Remotely erases all content and settings from your iPhone. This is also irreversible and prevents future tracking.
Important: Find My requires your iPhone to be powered on, connected to the internet, and Find My must be enabled in iCloud settings before it's lost.
Sub-heading: Samsung Find My Mobile (for Samsung Galaxy Phones)
If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, in addition to Google Find My Device, you also have Samsung's dedicated Find My Mobile service.
What it offers: Locating, ringing, locking, backing up data, retrieving call/message logs, unlocking, and erasing data.
How to use it:
Go to the Website: Open a web browser on a computer or another smartphone and go to
findmymobile.samsung.com Sign In: Sign in with your Samsung Account.
Locate on Map: Your phone's location will be shown on a map.
Choose an Action:
Ring: Makes your phone ring at its loudest volume for one minute.
Lock: Locks your phone, displays a custom message, and prevents it from being powered off.
Retrieve calls/messages: Access up to 50 recent calls and messages.
Unlock: Remotely unlock your phone if you've forgotten your lock screen method.
Erase data: Permanently deletes all data on your phone.
Important: Find My Mobile requires a Samsung account, and the "Remote unlock" and "Offline finding" features need to be enabled in your phone's settings beforehand.
Step 4: Contacting Verizon Customer Support (for Stolen Phones)
If your phone has been stolen, or you've exhausted all other tracking methods and believe it's irrecoverably lost, it's crucial to contact Verizon customer support immediately.
What they can do:
Suspend your service: This prevents unauthorized usage and charges.
Blacklist the device: They can add your phone's IMEI number to a national database of lost/stolen devices, making it unusable on any network. This won't help you find it, but it prevents others from using it.
Discuss insurance options: If you have Verizon Mobile Protect or other device insurance, they can guide you through the claims process.
How to contact them:
Call Verizon: Dial 611 from another Verizon phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone.
Be Prepared: Have your account information, phone number of the lost device, and potentially its IMEI number ready.
Step 5: Filing a Police Report (for Stolen Phones)
If your phone has been stolen, filing a police report is a critical step.
Why it's important:
It creates an official record of the theft.
It's often required for insurance claims.
While law enforcement may not actively search for a single stolen phone, having a report on file is essential if it's recovered or used in other incidents.
How to do it:
Contact Local Law Enforcement: Call your local police department's non-emergency line or visit their station.
Provide Details: Give them all relevant information, including the phone's make, model, color, IMEI number (if you have it), and the circumstances of the theft.
Step 6: Changing Your Passwords
This step is about security, not tracking, but it's extremely important once you realize your phone is lost or stolen.
What to change:
Your Google Account password (for Android users).
Your Apple ID password (for iPhone users).
Your My Verizon password.
Passwords for any other critical apps on your phone (banking, email, social media, etc.).
Why: Even with a locked screen, there's always a risk of someone gaining unauthorized access, especially if your phone is compromised. Changing passwords immediately minimizes this risk.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to track my Verizon phone if it's turned off?
Unfortunately, if your Verizon phone is turned off, GPS and network connections are disabled, making direct real-time tracking impossible with most services like Google Find My Device or Apple Find My. However, these services may show the last known location before it powered off.
How to track my Verizon phone without the companion app?
You can still track a Verizon phone without the companion app using Google Find My Device (for Android) or Apple Find My (for iPhone), as long as the phone is linked to your Google/Apple account and the tracking features were enabled. Verizon Smart Family also offers limited tracking without the companion app, providing general network location.
How to track my Verizon phone's location history?
Both Verizon Smart Family and Google Find My Device/Apple Find My offer location history features. Smart Family provides a detailed history, while Google/Apple services typically show the last known locations and recent movements.
How to remotely lock my Verizon phone?
You can remotely lock your Verizon phone using Google Find My Device (for Android) or Apple Find My (for iPhone). These services allow you to set a new passcode or display a message on the lock screen. Samsung Find My Mobile also offers this for Samsung devices.
How to make my lost Verizon phone ring loudly?
Use the "Play Sound" feature in Google Find My Device (for Android) or Apple Find My (for iPhone). Both will make your phone ring at full volume for several minutes, even if it's on silent mode. Samsung Find My Mobile also has a "Ring" option.
How to erase data on my lost Verizon phone remotely?
You can remotely erase all data on your lost Verizon phone using Google Find My Device (for Android) or Apple Find My (for iPhone). Samsung Find My Mobile also provides an "Erase data" option. Be aware this action is irreversible and prevents further tracking.
How to track a Verizon flip phone?
Tracking a basic Verizon flip phone is more challenging as they typically lack advanced GPS and internet connectivity for services like Google Find My Device. Verizon Smart Family might offer some limited network-based location for certain flip phones if they are part of a family plan, but precision will be low. Contacting Verizon customer support is often the best option for these devices if lost.
How to track my Verizon phone if I don't have another smartphone?
You can access Google Find My Device, Apple Find My, or Samsung Find My Mobile by logging into their respective websites from any internet-connected computer or tablet. Similarly, the My Verizon website can be used to manage aspects of your account, including Smart Family features.
How to report a stolen Verizon phone to customer support?
To report a stolen Verizon phone, call Verizon Customer Service at 611 from another Verizon phone or 1-800-922-0204 from any phone. They can suspend your service and blacklist the device.
How to claim insurance for a lost or stolen Verizon phone?
If you have Verizon Mobile Protect or other device insurance, contact Verizon Customer Service (611 or 1-800-922-0204) to initiate a claim. You will likely need to provide details about the loss/theft and may need a police report number for stolen devices.