How to Use Google’s New Find My Device Service to Track Your Stuff
On Monday, Google officially launched its Find My Device network for Android —not to be confused with Apple’s Find My network, of course. But in this case, similar names are appropriate, since Google’s new service works much the same as Apple’s – and Tile’s, for that matter. Google helps you find devices you’ve abandoned or lost using its vast network of Android devices.
How does Find My Device work in Android?
Find My Device lets you find the approximate location of any connected compatible device using a network of over a billion Android devices worldwide. (However, initially, Find My Device only works in the US and Canada.)
When you leave the device connected, it can passively connect to any nearby Android phone via Bluetooth. This connection updates the device’s location on the Find My Device network, giving you a good idea of where that device is – at least where it was the last time an Android user was within Bluetooth range of it (roughly 30 feet) . If you have a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro, this works even if your device is unplugged. If your phone’s battery is completely dead, you can still find it using Find My Device.
But it’s not just other people’s devices that can help you find missing things: you can also use your personal devices to find others. If you’re close enough to the missing device, you’ll see a Find Nearby option, which will take you straight to your device’s location using the on-screen radius. Your Nest devices can also serve as beacons for missing devices: if they are close enough to one of your Google smart home devices, it will also help you find those missing items.
For now, Find My Device only works with Android phones and tablets, but Google will expand the network to support compatible Bluetooth devices starting in May. This includes Bluetooth trackers from Pebblebee and Chipolo, and Google says companies like Motorola, Jio and Eufy will begin releasing compatible tags later this year. Google will also let you share items with other people, so you can share your TV remote with your friend at home, or your keys with someone borrowing your car.
What about Find My Device security?
Google says all location data, including aggregated device location reports, is fully encrypted, so no one but you can see the location of your items, not even Google. This applies to people whose devices share their location with your properties: their data is completely encrypted, so you can’t see that it was their device that shared the location, and they can’t see that they shared it. to your device. The company even claims that if one of your devices helps locate a missing item, it will ignore all aggregated location data and use your device as a tracker.
Google also says it doesn’t start saving location information until it detects multiple devices around you, and limits the number of updates to minimize the risk of malicious real-time tracking. In other words, this feature works great for stationary objects like keys left in a coffee shop, but it won’t offer real-time updates if you left those keys in the back of a taxi. Additionally, if you’re close to home and your address is linked to your Google account, your device won’t participate in the crowdsourced location data used to determine the location of other devices.
Finally, Find My Device works with established anti-stalker protocols that Android and iOS are part of. If your device detects a strange tracker, it will alert you and offer instructions on how to find and disable the tracker.
How to use Find My Device
To get started, you’ll need an Android device running Android 9 or higher and the Find My Device app from the Play Store. Alternatively, you can access the Find My Device site on your desktop.
If you’re looking for your own device, you can click Continue , but if you’re helping a friend, select Sign in as guest and have your friend enter their credentials. From here, select the device you want to search for: You may need to confirm your device’s PIN or provide a Google password instead. Once confirmed, this action will send a notification to that device.
You should now see your device on the map. You can get directions to your device or, if you’re close enough to the device, use the Find Nearby feature.
You also have a few other options: You can choose to play audio from your device and have it play at maximum volume for five minutes (be careful with this). You can also lock your device with a PIN or password using Device Lock to prevent anyone from accessing it: If you use this feature, you can leave a message for anyone who finds your device to help contact with you.
Finally, if you can’t find it, you can remove the device from your account.