How to Recover a Lost Phone, Tablet, or Laptop-gctid49431

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How to Recover a Lost Phone, Tablet, or Laptop

                     
These terrific tools and tips can rescue your wayward mobile  devices and keep your personal data from falling into the wrong hands.

By Armando Rodriguez and Nick Mediati, PCWorld                          
 Sep 26, 2011 9:00 pm        

                                                                                                                               

Illustration by Tavis CoburnThe  bad news: At some point, your cell phone is likely to go missing.  Whether it falls out of your pocket in a cab, or you leave it unattended  in a public place for a few seconds only to have it swiped by someone  with sticky fingers and low moral fiber, your phone is vulnerable. In  fact, according to a report from security software company Symantec, 36  percent of U.S. consumers have had a cell phone disappear on them.

 If that phone is a smartphone--or if the missing item is another  valuable mobile device such as a laptop or a tablet--thieves will be  even more motivated to do their dirty work. And misplacing your gear or  having it stolen is more than just a hassle: Given the amount of  information that people store on their devices, losing a gadget may very  well mean not only losing your files, contacts, and photos, but also seeing your identity stolen.

 What can you do? Start by following these simple steps before your  favorite tech goodies go MIA. Although we can't guarantee that you'll  get your missing phone, laptop, or tablet back, we can at least help you  ensure that no unauthorized person starts peeking at your most personal  details, and we can help you increase the odds that your gadget will  return to you.

 Preventive Protection

 Use a password: The first step in securing your  laptop, phone, or other mobile device is to put a password on it.  Needing to enter a password whenever you use your phone may seem  inconvenient, but you'll appreciate having taken the precaution should  the device fall into the wrong hands.

 

Setting  a PIN or an unlock pattern (shown) won't stop a determined thief, but  it's an easy way to add an extra layer of security.On iOS,  you can assign a four-digit PIN to keep your iPad or iPhone from being  unlocked easily. If you own an Android phone, you can choose either a  PIN or a pattern; with a pattern, you unlock your device by drawing a  simple shape on the screen. For both Android and iOS, these security  options reside under the 'Settings' menu. For most Android devices, the  option to add a PIN or pattern appears under 'Location and Security'. On  iOS you'll find the option to set a PIN under 'General', then 'Passcode  Lock'.

 Remember not to choose an excessively simple PIN like 0000 or 1234.  You don't want to make it unduly easy for anyone other than yourself to  access your assorted devices.

 In addition, always lock your laptop's screen when you step away for  any period of time, to keep prying eyes from peeping at your work. In  Windows, hold down the Windows key and press the L key; that will take you to the login screen.

 In Mac OS X, open Keychain Access in your Utilities folder (or do a  Spotlight search for it), and within the Keychain Access menu, select Preferences. From there, check the box labeled Show keychain access in the menu bar. A lock icon will appear in the menu bar; that icon will allow you to lock your password keychains, as well as your screen.

 Use security software on your smartphone: Even  though PINs, patterns, and passwords are a good first line of defense,  you'll need much more to keep your data safe. In fact, one of the first  things you should do when you purchase a new phone is to install a  mobile security suite.

 

The Lookout Web portal lets you remotely track a lost Android phone.On Android, apps such as Lookout Mobile Security, Norton Mobile Security, Seekdroid, and Webroot Mobile Security  let you remotely locate your absent device, lock it, or wipe all data  from it. Some of these apps also in**clude antimalware and phishing  safeguards, so you'll be protected even in your day-to-day activities.  Seekdroid costs $1, while the rest of the listed mobile security suites  are free (you will have to pay extra to unlock all of their features,  however).

 

Find My iPhone can track a missing Apple iOS device, and erase it if necessary.Apps for iOS are more limited. We recommend that you install the Find My iPhone  app on all of your iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touches. After installing  the app, you can use your Apple ID to sign in to Me.com, which will open  to a map showing your iOS device's approximate location, as well as  options for displaying a message on the lost hardware, remotely locking  it, or remotely wiping it. Find My iPhone does require a little setup, but operation is straightforward once you have it working.

 The only drawback to Find My iPhone is that it's easy to disable,  whereas several of the Android security suites we've mentioned will  either request a password or hide the app. We're hoping that you  followed our earlier advice and set up a PIN on your device to prevent  people from getting into it and then uninstalling the security app.

 Track your laptop: You can hunt down a lost laptop in much the same way that you track a missing smartphone. Consider investing in LoJack for Laptops,  a subscription service that makes it easier for both you and law  enforcement to find your laptop. The service permits you to track the  notebook's location (some plans track only IP addresses, while others  track by using GPS), lock it so that nobody can access the data,  remotely wipe the hard drive, and perform other tasks. LoJack requires a  piece of software that you install on your computer; versions are  available for Windows and Mac. Plans start at $40 per year.

 

Prey, for computers and Android phones, will track items, lock them, and more.If you prefer tracking your laptop yourself, try out Prey,  which installs a small piece of software on your computer that lets you  track the system's location via an online control panel. You can also  capture screenshots of your laptop if it goes missing (to gather  information about a thief), take a photo using the built-in webcam,  sound an alarm (useful if you misplace your laptop nearby), remotely  lock the computer, and more. The Prey software runs on Windows, Mac OS  X, Linux, and Android; installation is fairly straightforward.

 The free version of Prey allows you to monitor up to three devices  (computers or Android-based phones), and the various "Pro" account  options range in price from $5 for a personal account to $400 for a  large business.

 At this writing, Apple was working on Find My Mac, which is similar  to Find My iPhone but for Apple laptops. Find My Mac may be available by  the time you read this.

 A word of caution: Privacy concerns about device-tracking products  have begun to emerge. Shortly before we went to press, a judge ruled  that a woman in Ohio could sue Absolute Software, makers of LoJack for  Laptops, for allegedly infringing on her privacy  after she had unknowingly purchased a stolen laptop. So if you decide  to use a device-tracking product on your gear, be sure to use it  responsibly.

 Lock your laptop: A physical lock isn't foolproof, but it will help prevent someone from swiping your machine off your desk. Companies such as Kensington and Targus  sell assorted products that attach to or link through the lock port on  most laptops. One from Targus even has an alarm that sounds when someone  picks up your laptop.

                                                                                                       More Preventive Protection

 Label your device: If you're feeling optimistic that  your gadget will fall into the hands of a person with a conscience, you  can use a service such as BoomerangIt or StuffBak.  With both services, you attach a coded label to your device; the label  encourages anyone who finds the gear to go to the BoomerangIt or  StuffBak website and follow the instructions to report the recovered  item. You can also stipulate a monetary reward on the label, which  should improve the odds that the finder will do the right thing.

 Back up your phone or tablet data frequently: If  you're using some flavor of Android, remember that Google backs up most  of the basic phone and tablet data (contact lists, email messages, app  purchases) and stores it online for you. Focus on backing up photos,  videos, and any documents or files you may have downloaded; those items  generally aren't synced to Google's servers, so it's up to you to keep  regular backups.

 

MyBackup Pro for Android saves backups to an SD Card or online.A good app for safeguarding your entire device is MyBackup Pro  ($5), which backs up every file on your gadget and saves it to your SD  Card or to an online storage service. If you save the backup data to an  SD Card, make sure to keep the card in a safe place, and don't use it as  your primary storage. That way, if your device disappears forever, you  can just plug the SD Card into your new gadget and restore all of your  lost information.

 iOS owners have it slightly easier. Every time you sync your iPhone  or iPad to iTunes, you create a backup of your device on your computer.  The backups contain all of your app data, as well as your settings,  pictures, music, movies, and books. Restoring an iDevice is as easy as  plugging it in and selecting Restore. iOS 5,  which Apple had not yet released as we went to press with this issue,  should automatically sync your phone or tablet via iCloud, Apple's  upcoming personal online storage service. Until iCloud arrives, you will  have to sync your data manually.

 Recovering a Lost Gadget

 If the worst does happen and you lose your phone, tablet, or laptop,  don't panic. Just take a deep breath, and then follow these steps to  hunt it down and protect yourself.

 Change all of your passwords: This is the very first  thing you should do after losing any device containing valuable data.  Start with your email password--once thieves have access to your email,  they can easily break into all of your other online accounts by  resetting your various website passwords.

 While you're at it, now might be a good time to revisit your approach  to passwords, making them stronger--and easier to remember in the  process. Want help? See PCWorld's tips for building better passwords.

 File a police report: Once you have changed your  account passwords, file a police report for your missing tech. Be sure  to mention any identifying features (say, engravings or other  customizations), as they will help other people recognize your device.  You might also want to alert any local pawnshops in case someone tries  to sell it for a quick buck, though this step may be time-consuming.

 Track your gadget: If you have in**stalled recovery  software on your gear, activate it and use it to gauge your device's  location. For most tracking products, this means logging on at the  service's website and tracking your wayward gadget via the control  panel. At this point, it's entirely up to you whether to pursue your  device or just give it up for lost and wipe it remotely.

 On iOS, a remote wipe will erase all content on the device. Wiping an  Android phone or tablet will clear most of the user data, but SD Cards  and other pieces of external media will remain untouched; keep that in  mind if you store a lot of critical information on your SD Card.

 

Lookout's Plan B, on the Web version of the Android Market, offers a last-ditch option. Turn to Plan B:  What if you didn't install any recovery software? Are you out of luck?  If it's an iOS device, probably yes. But Android users can still take  action. Thanks to the Web-based Android Market, you can remotely install  recovery software to your phone or tablet, even if it is no longer in  your possession. For instance, in addition to its mobile security suite,  Lookout offers the aptly named Plan B.  You remotely install the app through the Web-based Android Market, and  it begins to run automatically, sending email messages to your Gmail  account with a map showing where your equipment is. Don't rely on this  app alone, though: Consider Plan B only as a last resort, rather than as  your primary or sole line of defense.

 Starting Over With a New Phone or Laptop

 Let's say that despite following our suggestions, you've lost your  valuable mobile tech and you're resigned to the fact that the device  will never come back to you. Yes, it's time to start from scratch.  Fortunately, securing a new laptop, tablet, or smartphone will be a  relatively quick and painless affair. But even before you begin to set  up your new device and install any of the apps we recommend elsewhere in  this article, consider taking two actions.

 Contact your carrier: If your missing phone, tablet,  or laptop used a SIM card, make sure that your wireless carrier has  deactivated or locked it. That move will prevent other people from  simply pulling the SIM card out of your locked device, inserting it into  their own, and then shamelessly racking up charges to your account.  This tip also applies to LTE (4G) phones on Verizon, as well as to  so-called world phones (handsets that work outside the United States),  since they also carry SIM cards. Be sure to explain to your carrier that  your device was stolen; it may be helpful to bring along a copy of the  police report you filed, in case you need to dispute any charges.

 Keep an eye on your financial statements: If  evildoers succeeded in rummaging through your data before you could wipe  or lock your device, they may have snagged some of your personal  financial information. If you did any online banking or shopping on the  lost device, change the passwords for those accounts immediately. Check  your credit reports by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com,  and be ready to put out a fraud alert at the first signs of trouble.  You might also wish to cancel any credit cards that you used on the  device, as they may have been compromised.

 So get to it! Something as simple as downloading and installing a  basic security program or locking your laptop doesn't take much effort.  And you never know: A ten-dollar app could end up saving you thounited snakesnds  in the long run.