Google now lets you find your Android phone from a regular web search.
All you need to do to activate this handy feature is go to Google and type in – you guessed it – ‘find my phone.’
The top search result will now show up as a map pinpointing exactly where your phone is. You may need to sign in again, for security purposes.
Of course, that’s only good for pinpointing where your handset is within 20 metres or so. For a more pinpoint location, there’s an option to have Google ring your phone immediately behind that map.
If you have multiple Android phones, meanwhile, you’ll be able to flick between them with a handy drop-down menu to the top right of the map.
As Google notes in its Google+ post on the matter, you’ll need to make sure you have the latest version of the Google app on your phone. That said, the feature should work for you right now.
Read More: Best Android phones 2015
For more advanced features like remotely locking and even wiping your Android phone, you’ll still need to download the Android Device Manager software – which was the main way to find your misplaced phone prior to this handy in-browser solution.
Last month, Google added the ability to do this through your Android Wear smartwatch, though you have to be in fairly close proximity to your phone for it to work.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
