Stay calm and act quickly
The moment you realize your phone is missing, the most important thing is to get to another device as quickly as possible, check its location, and then take whatever action you need from there.
Setting a lock screen password matters too
A strong screen lock is your first line of defense if a lost phone ends up in the wrong hands, so it's worth reviewing yours before you ever need these recovery tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still find a phone that's turned off?
You won't get a real-time location if the device is completely powered off, but you can often still see the last location it reported before it lost connection.
Do I need to turn on location-finding in advance?
Yes -- you need to enable the find-my-device feature in settings before you lose your phone in order to use it afterward.