Here's how Google helps you find your Android phone if you lose or steal it

Although Google has had a tool called “Find My Device” for years to help us locate, block and even delete content from our Android mobile remotely, The platform required the mobile phone to be turned on and connected to the Internet at any time to be able to locate it.

A few years ago, rumors began to circulate that Google was working on an improved version with which we could locate our device even if it was not connected to the Internet. The “Find My Device” update has been officially available for a few days and in this article we tell you everything you need to know about this platform.

Google uses nearby cell phones to help us locate ours

The main advantage of the new version of “Find my device” is that it allows us to locate our mobile even when you are not connected to the Internet, which was not possible until now. This is something Google can do by taking advantage of the huge fleet of Android devices spread around the world. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivityAndroid phones near ours will be responsible for reporting the location of the device to help us locate it.

It works very similar to what Apple offers with its Find My network, which uses the company’s hundreds of millions of devices to help us locate our devices even if they are offline.

Another benefit of “Find My Device” is that It also works even if our cell phone runs out of battery., although this feature is only available on compatible phones (like the Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro). This is possible since compatible devices are able to reserve a small amount of energy for a certain time in order to keep the Bluetooth connection active even when the mobile cannot be turned on.

User security and privacy are paramount, that is why the company has implemented a series of protections and security measures with the aim of guaranteeing the confidentiality of all members of the network. In “Find my device” Location data shared over the network is end-to-end encryptedso even Google cannot know who the owners of the devices that facilitated the location of a lost mobile phone are.

We can also use the platform to find our personal items

One of the new features of “Find My Device” is support for Bluetooth tracking devices similar to Apple’s AirTag. Thanks to this type of device we will be able to have our belongings located at any time, since we can place them in our purse, backpack or suitcase and easily locate them if necessary.

To ensure our safety, our mobile will alert us if it detects an unknown tracking device follow us. With this movement, Google intends to fight against the negative side of this type of device, which has sometimes been used to spy and track people without their consent.