How to set your phone up to erase itself if it's ever lost or stolen

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Secure ConfigMedium priority

About 15 minutes to complete

Set your phone up so that if it is ever lost or stolen, you can erase everything on it from any other device. This takes a few minutes and could prevent serious data exposure.

Step-by-step guide

On iPhone: go to Settings → [your name] → Find My → Find My iPhone. Enable 'Find My iPhone' and 'Send Last Location.'
On Android: go to Settings → Security → Find My Device and ensure it is turned on. Sign in to android.com/find to test.
On a Windows laptop: go to Settings → Update & Security → Find My Device and turn it on. Requires a Microsoft account to be signed in.
On a Mac: enable Find My Mac in System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Find My Mac.
Write down the URL or steps to trigger a remote wipe so you can act quickly if a device is ever lost or stolen.

5 steps

Why this matters

If your phone or laptop is lost or stolen, the data on it, such as passwords, photos, documents, and business files, is at immediate risk. Remote wipe lets you erase everything from any other device in minutes, before an attacker has a chance to access it. It costs nothing to set up and you will only ever use it in an emergency.

How to confirm it worked

The setting is saved and active on your device
You have tested it works before closing the page

Tick this task off in your Dashboard to update your Security Score.

Need step-by-step instructions? How to set up Find My Device on Android →

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