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How to find your phone when it's on silent
Before you turn the house upside down, let our experts show you the quickest ways to find a misplaced iPhone or Android smartphone
With over a decade of experience at Which?, Tom covers everything from tech advice to money-saving tips, and highlights the best deals during major sales events.
If you've ever spent ages looking for a misplaced mobile, you'll know how frustrating it can be when it's set to silent. Calling it from another phone often won't help, but there are other ways to make it reveal its hiding place.
This helpful method will also prepare you for dealing with a phone that's been lost or stolen, plus we look at how other tech around the home can help.
See our full guide on what to do if your phone gets stolen for more need-to-know advice.
Jump to: Find an iPhone | Find an Android
Our main method below uses Apple or Google's 'Find My' features. These are enabled by default on most phones, but here's how to check:
- On iPhone: Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and make sure it's turned on.
- On Android: Open Settings and search for Find Hub. The exact menu path varies by manufacturer: on Pixel phones, for example, it's usually under Security & privacy > Lost device protection > Find hub.
It's also worth leaving Location switched on, as this helps keep your phone's location up to date if you ever need to find it.
IMPORTANT: If you need to use Find My or Find My Device from a device you're not logged into by default, you'll have to sign in with your Apple or Google password. This is a really important password to memorise.
How to find an iPhone
Apple's Find My service allows your iPhone to play a sound, even if it's set to silent or a Focus mode is enabled. You'll need access to another Apple device that's signed in to your Apple Account, or you can sign in to iCloud's Find service from any web browser. If you've set up Family Sharing and enabled location sharing, another member of your family can also use the Find My app to help locate your iPhone.
From a web browser:
- Visit iCloud.com/find (shown above), and if necessary, sign in with your Apple Account.
- Select your iPhone from the list of devices.
- Choose Play sound to make your iPhone ring.
From another Apple device:
Make sure you're using another Apple device that's signed in to your Apple Account, or one belonging to someone in your Family Sharing group.
- Open the Find Myapp.
- Tap the Devices tab.
- Select your missing iPhone and tap Play sound.
Your iPhone will begin playing a loud alert, making it easier to find. If Find My shows your iPhone is nearby but you still can't see it, don't rely on the map alone. GPS isn't always accurate enough to pinpoint which room it's in, so try following the sound instead.
How to find an Android phone
Google's Find Hub is the easiest way to track down a missing Android phone. As well as showing your phone's location, it can make it ring at full volume, even if it's set to silent or vibrate. You can access the service from another Android device with the Find My Device app installed, or by signing in to the Android website from any web browser.
From a web browser:
- Visit android.com/find (shown above) and if necessary, sign in with the Google account linked to your phone.
- Select your phone from the list of devices.
- Choose Play sound to make your phone ring.
From another Android device:
- Open the Find Hub app.
- Sign in with the Google account linked to your missing phone, if prompted.
- Select your phone from the list of devices and tap Play sound.
Other ways to find your phone
Try your phone's voice assistant
If you think your phone is nearby and you've enabled 'Hey Siri' or 'Hey Google', say the wake words out loud, then ask your phone to play music or set a timer. The sound could be all you need to track it down.
This isn't as reliable as Apple's Find My or Google's Find Hub, though, because the feature needs to be enabled in advance and your phone has to be close enough to hear your voice. Even so, it's well worth trying before you start searching every room.
Use your smartwatch
If you own a smartwatch, you might not need to reach for another phone or computer to track down your mobile. On an Apple Watch, open Control Centre and tap the Ping iPhone button. Your iPhone will play a loud sound, even if it's set to silent. If your iPhone isn't nearby, you can also open the Find Devices app on your Apple Watch to see its location on a map and play a sound remotely. If the iPhone is offline, the watch will play the sound the next time it reconnects.
Many Wear OS smartwatches have a Find my phone feature that makes your paired Android phone ring. The exact steps vary depending on your watch manufacturer.
Discover the best smartwatches – Our extensive tests reveal the best models to buy, what features to look for and how much you need to spend.
Ask a smart speaker
If you've linked your phone to a compatible Amazon Alexa or Google Home smart speaker, try saying 'Alexa, find my phone' or 'Hey Google, find my phone'. If your setup supports it, your phone should start ringing, making it easier to track down.
This feature isn't available on every device or account, though, and it usually needs to be set up in advance.
Whether you want an audio powerhouse in your living room or something you can carry around with you, see our roundup of the best Bluetooth and wireless speakers.
Use a Bluetooth tracker
Some Bluetooth trackers, including Tile and select Chipolo models, can make your phone ring even when it's set to silent. The feature works over Bluetooth, so your phone needs to be nearby and already paired with the tracker's app.
Apple AirTags can't do this, though. They're designed for finding keys, luggage and other belongings, but they can't make your iPhone ring. If it's your phone you've lost, Apple's Find My service or an Apple Watch is the better bet.
Our expert says:
'If you're forever losing your phone down the back of the sofa or under a stack of paperwork, a Bluetooth tracker with a phone-finding feature is a small thing that makes a real difference. A quick double press is often much faster than borrowing someone else's phone to call yours.'
'Bluetooth trackers can look nearly identical on paper, but our testing reveals important differences in how they perform. We assess how accurately they report their location, how easy they are to find around the home, how well they track items on the move and how loud their alerts are. See our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers for more details.'
Jonny Martin, Senior researcher & writer
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