Smartphones have become a mainstay in our lives and we face tons of problems if we lose our mobiles. Protection of both our phone and its contents should be a priority for us and some important steps are given below.

What to do before you lose your phone

Setting up protective measures beforehand to ensure minimal damage is a good idea. Make sure you download and enable Android Device Manager on your phone if you are using an Android based smartphone. However, if you own an Apple iPhone, you should go for the Find My iPhone app which can come in handy.

Immediate responses after missing your phone

• Nowadays, it has become commonplace for smartphone manufacturers to include security apps on the phones. You are strongly recommended to enable them while setting up your new device. In iOS, look for iCloud while Android users should take a look at the Google Settings up.
• Your lost phone must have some sort of security check in place on the lock screen such as a fingerprint lock or a PIN code. Though breakable, they serve as the initial level of defense against snoopy individuals.
• Make sure some sort of emergency contact detail is displayed on your lock screen in case someone finds your lost phone and wishes to return it.

Track and erase your device remotely

If you a lost phone on your hands, you can use a different device to access apps from the Internet that provide you with the choice to either lock your phone remotely or erase the contents altogether. You may even disable any access to the installed apps on your phone or cancel any existing mobile payment methods.

Safety concerns

In case you do not have such apps enabled on your phone, you may find yourself in trouble. Keeping the data on your lost phone safe should be easy thanks to pattern locks, PIN numbers and fingerprint locks but you might have to endure a difficult time locating your handset.

• It is worth a shot checking your timeline if you have location history enabled on Google Maps. However, this is not always a foolproof solution.
• Get in touch with your carrier service and they can block any outgoing calls from the device.
• If you suspect your phone has been stolen, do not hesitate to file a police report.

Get lucky

If luck is on your side, then chances are that the person who found your lost phone might have kept it safe but had no way to get in touch with you. This is why you should call your phone first and hope that someone on the other end picks up.