Angela B. Tech 05.09.2024 00:May AM EDT

Google Pixel’s Find My Device Feature Still Works Hours After Its Battery Dies

As small and valuable as smartphones are, they can be easily lost or stolen. It's why tracking features on devices are extremely helpful, but they aren't all that effective once the device is turned off. In Google Pixel's case, that not going to be an issue for a bit.

Pixel's 'Find My Device' Works Without Power

Unlike most devices, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are capable of sending out their location even after their battery is depleted or if the device is turned off. While the tracking feature won't be active forever, it will be for a couple of hours even without power.

This means that you'll have just a bit more time trying to locate your phone if it runs out of battery before you do. Also, in the event that it's stolen, the device being turned off won't really mean you cannot track it anymore.

The feature will only work if it is enabled in the settings. To do so, set "With network in high-traffic areas only" or "With network in all areas" in FMD settings, as mentioned in 9To5Google. The latter is said to help you find lost items faster.

It's unclear which OS version is needed for it to be functional, but the safe option would be to download the latest one. It's also necessary to have the phone's Location and Bluetooth on, although that might be battery-consuming.

This is certainly a useful way to keep your phone from being lost for good, and while the necessary tools to keep it active can shorten the battery's lifespan, the tracking feature can at least make up for it by working even without power for hours.

Other Actions to Take

If you still cannot find your phone even with the new feature, then you can turn to other measures to make sure that your data is safe, especially if you use your phone for sensitive purposes like saving credentials and personal information.

You can actually erase, rest, or remove your device to keep others from accessing it, assuming that they manage to unlock the device or if you did not set up a security lock. You can do this by opening the Find My Device app through the web or another Android device.

Once the app is open, select the device or accessory that was lost and tap on Settings. To erase an Android device, select "Factory reset device." It's important to note that this will only erase the contents on the device itself, but not the files on external storage like SD cards.

Your mobile service provider could also assist you in this measure as long as you have your device's IMEI number, which can be determined through the phone's settings or through Find My Device, as per Google's blog post.

Open the Find My Device app, and then select the device you want to locate. Find the gear icon and look for the number there. You can then enter it on android.com/find and then tap the information icon. Unfortunately, this does not work on Google Pixel tablets since they don't have IMEI numbers.