Short answer
Work in this order, from another device. 1. Lock the phone remotely — iPhone: Mark as Lost at iCloud.com/find, which needs no verification code; Android: Mark as lost in Find Hub. 2. Call your mobile provider to suspend the line, so the SIM can’t receive your sign-in codes. 3. Change the password of your main email, then your Apple or Google account, bank, WhatsApp and social accounts, and sign the lost phone out of each. Don’t remove the phone from Find My and don’t erase it straight away — erasing can’t be undone, so it is the last step. Report the theft to the police, and ignore messages saying your phone has been “found”: Apple says it won’t contact you about that.
The first hour, step by step
| Step | iPhone | Android |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lock it | iCloud.com/find → All Devices → Mark as Lost. Works without a verification code, even if your trusted device is the one that was stolen | Find Hub at android.com/find, or the Find Hub app on another device → Mark as lost. Locks it with your PIN, pattern or password and hides notifications |
| 2. Suspend the line | Call your provider and ask them to suspend the account; if the phone is covered by your plan, ask them to file a claim | The same — a suspended SIM can’t receive SMS codes for your accounts |
| 3. Secure the account | On another trusted device: Settings → your name → remove the stolen phone from the device list (not from Find My) and check your phone numbers and recovery methods | Google Account → Security → your devices → sign the lost phone out, then change the password |
| 4. Report it | Police report; the serial number can be found without the device | Police report with the IMEI, which Find Hub shows for the device |
| 5. Erase — last | Only when you’ve given up on getting it back. On iOS 15 or later you can still locate it after erasing | A last resort: after a factory reset the phone disappears from Find Hub, and it needs your Google Account password to be used again |
Lock down the accounts that were on the phone
- Email first. It is the key that resets everything else. From a computer, change the password, sign out of other sessions and check the recovery phone, recovery email and forwarding rules.
- Apple or Google account. Remove the phone from your account’s device list and review who else is signed in — see where to check logged-in devices. Apple notes that on a new device, security changes may come with a waiting period.
- Bank and cards. Call your bank, ask it to block the cards saved in the phone’s wallet and banking apps, and watch for transfers you didn’t make.
- WhatsApp. Locking the SIM is not enough, because WhatsApp keeps working on Wi-Fi. Register your number on a new phone with a replacement SIM, or email WhatsApp support with “Lost/Stolen: Please deactivate my account” — details in WhatsApp on a lost or stolen phone.
- Everything else. Change the passwords that were saved in the phone’s browser or password manager, starting with shopping, social media and work accounts.
Should you erase the phone?
Not straight away. Apple warns that erasing can’t be undone and asks you to try everything else first. If the phone is offline, the erase runs the next time it connects. Above all, don’t remove the device from Find My: that switches off Activation Lock and makes the phone easier to resell — even after it has been erased. On Android, Google calls erasing a last resort: once the phone is reset it no longer shows up in Find Hub, although anyone who wants to use it will still need your Google Account password.
Apple also advises against putting your contact details on the Lost Mode screen, because a thief can use them to trick you, and against trying to recover the phone yourself if it shows up somewhere unfamiliar — give the location to the police instead.
Prepare now, before it happens
- iPhone: turn on Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3 or later). Away from familiar places, sensitive actions need Face ID or Touch ID, and some — such as changing your Apple Account password — add a one-hour security delay and a second scan. It requires two-factor authentication, a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID and Significant Locations.
- Turn on Find My or Find Hub before you need it — the FTC’s first tip for lost phones.
- Use a screen lock of at least six digits, as the FTC recommends, and back up your phone regularly.
- Move two-step codes off SMS where you can: an authenticator app or a passkey keeps working even if a thief has your SIM. See SIM swap: what to do.
- Save your recovery codes somewhere other than the phone, or you may face losing access to two-factor authentication.
The scams that follow a theft
- “Your iPhone has been found.” Texts and emails with a link to a fake Apple sign-in page are a known follow-up. Apple says it won’t contact you to tell you a device was found, and phony support calls happen too.
- Requests for your passcode or codes. Never share your passcode, passwords or verification codes with anyone — the thief needs them to switch off Activation Lock.
- Messages “from you”. Whoever has the phone may write to your contacts asking for money. Warn family and friends, especially about the “Hi Mum” scam.
Frequently asked questions
Should I erase my stolen phone right away?
No. Mark it as lost first and suspend the line. Erasing can’t be undone, and on Android a reset phone no longer appears in Find Hub, so erase only when you’ve given up on getting it back.
Does suspending my SIM stop WhatsApp on the stolen phone?
No. WhatsApp can keep running on Wi-Fi. Register your number on a new phone or ask WhatsApp support to deactivate the account.
What if Find My was turned off?
Then, Apple says, you can’t mark the phone as lost or erase it remotely. Change your Apple Account password straight away and secure your email, bank and messaging accounts from another device.
Will Apple contact me if my phone is found?
No. Apple says it won’t contact you to say a device was found. Treat such texts, emails and calls as phishing.
Sources: Apple Support — if your iPhone or iPad was stolen, Apple Support — about Stolen Device Protection for iPhone, Android Help — find, secure or erase a lost Android device, WhatsApp Help — lost and stolen phones, FTC — how to protect your phone from hackers