Have you ever experienced that sudden panic when you reach for your phone and think it’s lost? Hopefully, it doesn’t happen too often. But you know what’s even worse? Discovering that you were correct in your fear. Losing your phone can be a disorienting experience, particularly if it’s your primary device.

It’s important to safeguard your personal information such as photos, videos, documents, and passwords, in case you misplace your phone. To ensure the safety of your smartphone, here are some tips to follow before you lose it.

Steps To Take Before Your Phone Is Stolen/Lost

Enable Remote Tracking

Both Android and iPhone devices have a built-in feature that enables you to locate your phone remotely. This can be done through either the web or another phone. On Android, the feature is called “Find My Device” and on iOS, it is called “Find My iPhone”.

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If your phone is stolen, you can track it easily using the same account you had and then lock it or remotely wipe its contents.

Write Your IMEI Number

A unique serial number, IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is available with every phone you buy. Your cell carrier already has this number on file and may use it to put the phone on a missing phone list.

The IMEI is also what you should give to authorities in case you report your missing phone for recovery.

To find your phone’s unique IMEI or MEID number, use these steps:

• Dial *#06# from your phone. The number should pop up on your screen.
• On an Android phone: Go to Settings > About Phone. The number should be on that screen.
• On an iPhone: Go to Settings > General > About. Scroll down to find the number. If you don’t see the IMEI/MEID in this location, you may find it etched on the SIM tray or engraved on the back of the phone.

Use Strong Security on Lock Screen.

Whether it’s a PIN, a pattern, a fingerprint, or a face, ensure you have your lock screen well-protected. This is an excellent strategy against anyone who wants to access your lost device’s contents. This is proper even when someone just wants to snoop in there.

Set up automatic backups.

Apps almost always save files to the cloud for you, but the photos and videos you take may not. Apps such as Dropbox and OneDrive, Google Photos, and iCloud Photos will keep your files safe for future recovery.