The average smartphone contains so much of one’s personal life—photos, contact list, calendar, email, digital wallet—that the loss of that handy slab of glass and metal can be very upsetting and disorienting. You may never have to face this situation, but it would be wise to plan for it, especially if you have children with their own phones.
Here’s a guide to what you can do before and after you lose or break your phone.
basic precautions
A drop-resistant case and screen protector are essentials to protect your phone from physical damage. Wirecutter, a product review site owned by The New York Times, has case recommendations for iPhones.
A lost phone can be a security risk, so make sure you have facial or fingerprint recognition enabled and a secure passcode to lock the screen.
Your phone’s location services feature can also help you find your device if you lose it, so be sure to enable location on your phone. Android either iOS settings if you have disabled it. Remember, you can adjust the access apps have to your location in your privacy settings.
Keep a record of your phone’s identification numbers (serial number and International Mobile Equipment Identity number) in case you I need the information later to file a police report. You can find the numbers in the settings or by dialing *#06# on the phone keypad. Take a screenshot and send it to your computer to save.
insurance options
Purchasing insurance or extended warranty coverage for your phone costs money up front, but can bring benefits like 24/7 support, low-cost repairs, and same-day replacements for unusable devices.
If you’re not sure if you need insurance, consider how long you plan to keep the phone, how you use the device, and whether you can afford repairs out of pocket. In some cases, the insurance can cost more than the repair, so read the warranty or policy carefully before investing in it.
You are usually asked to register when you buy a new phone. AppleCare, Google Preferred Care and Samsung Care+ are common manufacturer plans; AT&T, T Mobile and Verizon are among the companies that offer coverage. Third party insurance companies such as ensuring, Asurion and Akko sell smartphone policies, as do some general insurance providers like Progressive and United States to.
make a backup
with your phone Apple, Google either samsung account, you get a certain amount of “cloud” storage – servers connected to the Internet where you can back up your files. Cloud backup is simple: once enabled, the phone should automatically back up when plugged in and connected to a Wi-Fi network.
If you have a lot of content on your phone, you may need to purchase more space for a few dollars a month.
set your apple iCloud, Google either samsung account to sync between devices, and then your email, contacts, notes, and calendar will be backed up to your provider’s cloud. But you may also want to keep things like call history, text messages, and other phone information.
Apple, Google and samsung they all have instructions on their sites for setting up cloud backup on your computer. of Google Google One service it also works with other Android phones and devices.
If you prefer to keep your files off remote servers due to privacy and security concerns, you can back them up on your computer. of Apple iOS devices could be backup to a Mac or PC wearing a usb cable either WiFi connection; that backup can be later transferred to a new iPhone or iPad. Google site has instructions to transfer files from android to computer and samsung for free smart switch app for Windows, Mac and Android you can backup and transfer the files on your Galaxy phone.
looking for the phone
If you lost your phone or fear it may have been stolen, search for it using the Apple, Google either samsung “find my device” pages, or with tools like Apple’s find me or Google find my device apps If your phone is still working, location settings are enabled, and you are connected to a network, you should see the whereabouts of your device on a map.
Apple Find My app I can let you know if you leave a device and include a mark as lost Settings to lock your phone with a passcode and disable Apple Pay. But if the device appears to be in an unknown location, you can use these tracking tools to block or wipe its iphone, samsung galaxy or another android phone.
If the phone appears to be permanently missing or if you know it was stolen, tell your wireless service provider and report the loss to the police; you will probably need to provide those serial numbers and IMEI. File an insurance claim if you have a policy, change your passwords, and alert your financial institutions to watch for suspicious activity on your account.
deal with the damage
Accidents happen. Waterlogged hardware and cracked screens are common phone mishaps. Apple, Google and samsung they have their own guides for dealing with water damage, which may be less fatal than they used to be. (Many experts advise against soak wet phone in dry rice to extract moisture).
For the technically adventurous, the DIY site I fix it has illustrated guides for common repairs. But for many people, broken glass or fried electronics mean a trip to a professional service center. Check with your phone manufacturer and wireless service provider for your options.
National chains like CPR either Asurion Tech Fixes & Repairs (formerly UbreakiFix) work with some insurance policies. And speaking of insurance policies, if you signed up for one, file that claim.
