What Should I Do If My Laptop Is Stolen
While some of the ideas below could help you find a missing device, wed strongly recommend that you involve the police rather than heading off to confront the thief yourself.
Locations provided by tracking services will be approximate, so youre unlikely to know which exact door to pound upon. Plus, theres the fact that the thieves have already proven theyre not exactly adherents to the law, so you cant be sure of what theyll do if challenged.
What Technology Can Be Used To Track Your Device After It Has Been Stolen
It is not any type of Rocket-Science that most of people think it would. Thousands of Applications and Programs would help the users to provide the info of their device in no time. The technology which is going to be used to recover your device would simply be possible with the IT Big like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, or Apple. They have indeed encrypted their system with the technology that would tell the users from where the device is connected, and it will also provide its IP Address, which is the primary key to solve out your problems. Other than that, some encrypting software also uses techniques and tech to find out the location of your device, and all the info would be provided securely and safely that cant be traced in any way.
Browse Security And Login Page On Facebook
Facebook is another app widely used by billions of people. I use Facebook exclusively on my phone, but if you ever signed in to the web site from the browser and someone opened it , then the steps to check the last activity are the following:
- In the dropdown list click on Settings and Privacy
- On the left side click on Security and Login tab
All activity will be under Where Youre Logged In.
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Turn On Find My Device
When you set up a new device, you can decide whether to turn on or turn off the Find my device setting. If you turned it off during setup and now want to turn it on, make sure your Windows device is connected to the internet, has enough battery power so it can send its location, and that you’re signed in to the device using your Microsoft account.
On the device that you want to change, select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Find my device.
Select Change for the device you want to change.
What To Do If Your Stolen Laptop Is Off
Although some of the methods that we will share here are valid, if your laptop was stolen, then we recommend that you involve the police. This is critical because you cannot confront a thief by yourself, even if you are successful in tracing him.
Also, the locations that you will get from the tracker are approximate, which makes it hard to know which exact door to knock is. Moreover, a thief is not a law adherent, so he might want to harm you. For these reasons, make sure that you report to the police.
Here are some methods that you can use to track your laptop if it is off:
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How Can I Track My Stolen Laptop Without Tracking Software
How Can You Erase Your Data If You Failed To Recover Your Device
Unusually, your laptop would not be retrieved through the methods stated above. Still, if something goes wrong, you can always erase all of your data so that your personal and private files could not be leaked to anyone else. There is some trusted software I have stated above, like Prey Project and Hidden App Anti Theft Security software, which enables the users to erase complete data from your laptop in case anything goes wrong with the recovery.
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Tracking With Find My Mac
Like Windows systems, Apple provides you with the option of tracing the last seen location of your laptop. It is aptly called Find My Mac. This can help you retrieve it. Just follow the steps below:
Step 1: Launch iCloud Settings
A. On the Mac PC, look for the menu and search for System Preferences.
B. After, select the iCloud option.
C. Note that you may need to sign in with your Apple ID
Step 2: Enable Find My Mac
A. Go through your settings on iCloud
B. Locate Find My Mac
C. Ensure it is turned on
D. If it is not click allow when the OS prompts you to.
Step 3: Test it on iCloud
To check if the feature has been enabled properly,
A. Visit iCloud.com
B. Log in with your Apple ID
C. Select the option for Find my Device
Step 4: Trace it on the Map
If you have a host of Apple devices, look for the one representing your Mac on the list of devices.
A. Select it
B. Apple brings up a map and you should be able to locate your device.
Other Perks
You can also remotely lock your device using the Find My Device tab to prevent unauthorized access.
Easy And Effective Ways To Track Your Lost Or Stolen Laptop
Now, if your laptop has been stolen or lost, then you might now be thinking that how would you get it back? Well, that is why I am going to tell you these four ways which would help you to get your hands again on your laptop doesnt matter if it has the macOS or Windows OS. So lets get started with the procedure:
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Track Someones Location Via Famikit
FamiKit is a parental control app for people with kids. It enables parents to check screen time, track real-time location, get location history, set geo-fencing, block inappropriate websites, view phone activities and more. With FamiKit app installed both on parent and child device, parents can track their kids location in an easy and convenient way.
With FamiKit, you can:
Follow the steps below to get it done:
Step 1 Create an Account. Visit FamiKit official website then go to Sign UP to create a FamiKit account.
Step 2 Install App. Go to to install Famikit app on parent device then login with your account. Select Parent when asking “Who use this device”. Likewise, install FamiKit app on child device and login with the same account. You should select kids role this time and then follow the instructions given to fully authorize permissions required.
Step 3 Start Monitoring. After FamiKit is fully set up on child device, now you can refer to parent device to track real-time location or location histories. Besides, you can even set geo-fencing to receive instant alert whenever the person you track is out the defined area.
Supported OS: Android 5+ /iOS
Price: Free trial here
Find A Stolen Laptop With The Help Of Adeona:
Adeona is a free software which is available for computers and laptops. The software is available online.
You can install the software on your device and create an account on its official website.
In future, god forbid, if someone steals your laptop. So, you can control everything on your laptop remotely. You can entirely control the system by turning the wifi on or opening any specific pages.
However, the installation of the software could be a bit tricky. But if you want to make your laptop security proof. Adeona can play a huge role.
Moreover, you can also visit the official website of Adeona for further information regarding the software.
Read Next:
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What If It Was Not Stolen
Id like to believe that the majority of people who find a lost laptop will be so kind as to decide to return it to a rightful owner. Unfortunately, this is not always easy to do.
One simple thing you can do to make sure that your lost MacBook is returned is to give the person who found it the way to connect with you. All you need is to set up a custom message on the lock screen.
Setting a custom message on MacBook lock screen
To test the message, press Control-Command-Q and the screen will be locked.
Similarly, you can set a password protected screen saver with the custom message.
So, what should you do to prevent this?
Lets not be naive. It is very unlikely that the thief will return your MacBook. You may get it back in 2 cases: when someone found it and wants to return it and when the laptop is brought to the repair shop.
In the first case locking the laptop with Find My Mac and providing a phone number is the best way to let the person who found it to return it to you.
However, the damage that could be done by someone who hacks your computer can be substantial.
According to this research:
So, in short, enable Find My Mac feature in iCloud in future.
Track Your Stolen Windows Laptop Ip Address With Dropbox
Step 1: Log in to Dropbox web account.
Step 2: Select Account on the top right corner next to the Search Icon.
Step 3: Go to Settings and choose Security.
Step 4: Find your device on most recent activities and hover over the information icon next to it.
Step 5: Take note of the IP Address and report it to law enforcement.
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Fetching Senders Ip Address
First of all, sign in to your Gmail account and open your inbox. Open any email that you want to track the real sender. When you have opened the email, go to right-hand side of the email and click on the downward arrow called as More button.
Youll see a number of options and you need to click on Show Original option.
Then, youll see a new tab is opened and youll see an original message written. In original message section, youll see Message-Id, Date & Time, Senders Email, Your Email and many other options.
Now, you need to find the IP address of the sender. Scroll down the page to see some more details with encrypted Ids and IP addresses. What you need to do is, press CTRL + F to turn on Find function.
Type Received: from in the search box and locate the line with Received: from. In that line, you can find the senders IP address as shown below.
In some emails, you might see multiple Received: from lines. These lines could be inserted by the spammers in order to confuse the recipients. This also happens when the email is passed through multiple email servers. In order to look for the originating senders IP address, you need to check the Received: from line which has the IP address at the last position.
When you have the senders email address, its time to track this IP address.
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Log Out Of Your Accounts And Deauthorize Your Laptop Remotely
Typically, most people are always logged in to social media platforms and applications frequently used, such as Gmail, Facebook, iCloud, and Instagram. This means anyone with your laptop has automatic access to these accounts.
Fortunately, all the major platforms allow you to log out of your accounts remotely. For example, you can log out of your Google account via another computer or your smartphone.
Heres how to do this:
Thats it!
Now, do the same for your social media accounts. You can also turn off the auto-sync so the updates wouldnt reflect on the missing device. Next, deauthorize your laptop and remove it from your trusted device list for these platforms.
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Things You Must Do If Your Laptop Is Lost Or Stolen
Stephen Wright
A stolen laptop can be a nightmare. Apart from the financial cost of replacing your device, it also puts your digital security at risk. When an unauthorized third party gets access to your digital information, they can hack into your accounts and do whatever they like with your business and personal data.
Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to mitigate the risks associated with a stolen or lost laptop. In this article, well look at seven crucial laptop security tips.
These steps will help you safeguard your information while you try to locate and recover the device.
How Can I Track My Lost Laptop
Login to your device through your Microsoft account to get your Find my device working.
- Go to the start button and select accounts. Click on the account to select settings and move to update and security. Select the section tagged update and security. If your information appears on top of the screen, then youre on. If not, you have to log in.
- When update and security pop up, look for the option Find my Device on the sidebar menu. Click on it.
- You will see ON or OFF
- If OFF, click on the same button to turn it on. To be sure, you need a windows 10 to gain access to a Microsoft account.
- Log in to your Microsoft account provided that you have an existing account. When youre logged on, now what? Go to devices that you have signed in with your account, select the stolen or missing device, and select find my device. Note that your device may not be powered on for this feature to work. Nevertheless, to get its specific location, you need an internet connection to look at its location with GPS.
- So, do laptops have GPS tracking? Yes, however, not all laptops come with the feature. However, devices like ThinkPads are known to adapt to the feature. Heres a guide to help you choose which works best for you.
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What Apple Can Do About Stolen Macbook
Does Apple replace the lost or stolen MacBook?
Apple does not replace stolen MacBooks. Apple provides AppleCare and AppleCare+ warranty programs, but neither one covers a theft. There is AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss coverage, but it only covers the latest iPhone models and does not cover MacBooks.
Can Apple track stolen MacBook?
While Apple generally does not help you with finding your MacBook reporting to the Apple customer support can still be useful.
Read the story about the guy who was able to get his MacBook back. He reported the theft, and to his surprise, the laptop was brought to an Apple authorized repair shop. The repair shop sent him an email, so the owner was able to get his MacBook with the help of the police.
Can a MacBook be tracked by serial number?
MacBook cannot be tracked by the serial number or MAC address. But the serial number is needed to prove the ownership in case if police found the MacBook. The serial number can be found on the purchase receipt or the original box.
Reporting An Ip Address Hacker
You wont be able to track the hackers exact identity when you try these techniques. However, there are a couple of ways that you can use it:
You can turn them over to the authorities. You can report them to their hosting provider after learning their identity.
I would suggest the former in most situations. You will know which countrys jurisdiction to contact to report the crime.
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How To Use Spyzie To Hack Gmail
Let us discuss the steps involved in installing Spyzie and using it to hack Gmail.
Step 1: First, make an account on the Spyzie website. Sign up with an email address and choose a strong password.
Step 2: Provide information about the target device. Next, proceed to install the Spyzie app on the device. After installation, log in to your Spyzie account.
Step 3: You should now be able to see the Spyzie dashboard. Click on the E-mail option on the left.
Step 4: You will now see all email messages on the target device including the data and time. You will also see any media files that were exchanged.
Step 5: Alternatively, click on the Keylogger option on the left. You should now be able to see all passwords the user entered. Look for the Gmail account password. Once you obtain that, log in using the Gmail username and password.
Can I Still Trace My Laptop Without Tracking Software
Tracing a laptop requires having certain measures in place that make it possible. We enumerated ways to ensure that it is possible to retrieve your laptop through the presence of certain software.
However, without them, tracing becomes close to impossible.Therefore, while you still have the chance, ensure you enable one of the abovementioned to be on the safe side.
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How Can I Find My Phone Using Gmail
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Is it possible to find my lost phone using Gmail? Please help me out.
For such a situation, you can rely on Google. Its Find My Device is a feature that gives you the ability to find your phone which has been attached to your Gmail account. But there are some conditions to use Gmail location tracker to locate your lost phone.
In case you don’t meet the requirements, we also have another method which works without using Gmail. All the methods are detailed below in this article. Have a look!