Device finder
Shows your phone's location on a map, makes it ring even in silent mode, and lets you lock the screen or erase data remotely. It only works if it was turned on in advance and linked to your account.
Tools
Tools
Many useful features do not need to be found and installed separately: they are already part of your phone's system, just tucked away deep in the settings. We describe them in general terms so you can recognise a familiar feature on any platform and turn it on before you need it in a pinch.
Turning on the phone finder takes a minute, yet people remember it only when it is too late to turn it on.
How this section works: we talk about types of built-in features, not specific apps. The menu names on your phone may differ, but the meaning is usually the same.
What your phone already has
Six built-in features worth checking in your settings today.
Password storage
Remembers passwords and fills them in on websites and in apps, suggests strong options and warns you about reused ones. The storage itself is protected by your screen lock, so that lock needs to be strong.
Backup
Regularly saves settings, contacts, photos and other data to the cloud or a computer. It is worth checking at least once a year that the backup is really being made and can be restored.
Parental controls
Limits screen time, access to purchases and unsuitable content, and shows a parent where a child's phone is. It is better to agree on the rules together than to turn on controls in secret.
Battery saver
Reduces background activity, brightness and how often data refreshes, to stretch the charge until you reach a socket. Handy when travelling, but in this mode notifications and syncing may be delayed.
System updates
Bring fixes for vulnerabilities and bugs. Turn on automatic installation or check for updates manually at least once a month.
Related reading
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: preparing to switch phones, moving contacts and photos, two-factor codes, resetting the old device. The article catalogue lives here too.
- Security
Screen lock and account protection, app permissions, what to do if your phone is lost or stolen, and what the IMEI number is for.
- Glossary
A plain-language glossary: device and system, data and backups, security and connectivity.
What we relied on
- Official help centres of mobile operating system developers
- Digital security recommendations for users
Dates and definitions were checked against the official help materials of operating system developers at the time of writing. Mobile systems are updated regularly, so menu names and steps on your device may change over time.