How do you protect a Samsung phone against theft?
Set up Find My Mobile, offline finding and backup codes on your Galaxy phone before it ever goes missing.
Short answer
Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection > Find My Mobile and turn on "Allow this phone to be found", "Send last location" and "Offline finding". Then enable Google Find My Device as a second channel, add a contact message to the lock screen, and store the two-step verification backup codes for your Samsung and Google accounts somewhere off the phone.
What you need
Step by step
Turn on Find My Mobile
Open Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection > Find My Mobile and switch on "Allow this phone to be found". This is the foundation for ringing, locking and locating the phone remotely. You must be signed in to your Samsung account for it to work.
Enable last location sending
On the same screen, turn on "Send last location". The phone pushes its final known position to Samsung's servers just before the battery dies or the data connection drops. For a phone that has already powered off, this may be the only clue you get.
Switch on offline finding
Turn on the "Offline finding" toggle as well. Even with no internet connection, nearby Galaxy devices can pick up your phone's signal and relay its position to the server. In busy places this sharply improves the odds of locating a lost device.
Add a contact note to the lock screen
Sign in at smartthingsfind.samsung.com, pick your device and write a lock screen message such as "Lost phone, please call 05XX ...", or add emergency contact details. An honest finder then has a way to reach you. You can also set a permanent note under Settings > Lock screen.
Turn on Google Find My Device too
Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Find My Device and enable the Google service. If the Samsung side fails you still have a second way to search. Test it at android.com/find by making the phone ring, and do not stop until you see it actually work.
Store backup codes off the phone
If two-step verification is on for your Samsung and Google accounts, the verification code may go to the lost phone and lock you out. Generate backup codes in your account settings and write them down or save them on another device. Keep them somewhere you can reach but no one else can see.
Practise remote lock and erase
From a computer, open smartthingsfind.samsung.com and actually try the "Lock" and "Ring" commands. That way you already know the drill instead of panicking in the moment. Note where the erase option lives, but do not use it now.
Tips
Watch out
These settings can only be enabled while the phone is in your hands, never remotely after it is gone. Also never keep your Samsung account password in a notes app on the phone: the moment the lock is bypassed, you lose both the device and the account.
Frequently asked questions
+Do I need Samsung Find My Mobile if I already use Google Find My Device?
Yes, the Samsung side adds extras: turning location on remotely, blocking power off, blocking Samsung Wallet cards, keeping location history and stretching battery life with maximum power saving. Running both is the safest setup.
+Can the phone still be found if it is switched off?
"Send last location" reports the final position just before shutdown, and with offline finding on, nearby Galaxy devices can refresh it. But for a device that is fully off and untouched for a long time there is no guarantee.
+What should I do first when I lose the phone?
Lock the device at smartthingsfind.samsung.com, check its location and leave a contact note on the lock screen. If recovery looks hopeless, have your carrier suspend the line, change your banking passwords and file a loss report with the IMEI.
+Should I use remote erase right away?
No, treat it as the last resort. Once the data is wiped the device usually can no longer be tracked, so lock it, watch the location and try to get it back first.
+Do all of these features work outside major markets?
Find My Mobile, offline finding, remote lock and ring work reliably in most regions. Extras like Samsung Wallet card blocking depend on your card being saved in Wallet, so also block the card through your bank's app.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 12 Eylül 2026. tell us. Menu names follow One UI on recent Galaxy models; wording may differ slightly on older software versions.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.