It happens to all of us. You set your phone down to go do something and later on you can't remember where you left it. Or maybe it fell out of your pocket somewhere. Whatever the case may be, a lost cell phone can give you a headache in a hurry.

After all, we're dependent on these devices. What if it was stolen? You don't want your private information in the wrong hands, especially since these new phones are capable of making purchases online.

In this article, I am going to cover a few of the tools you can use to locate your lost or stolen cell phone. So the next time you lose your phone, hopefully it won't take all day to find it.

[Note]: Finding your cell phone is much easier if you have the ringer turned on or at least have it on vibrate. Finding a phone on silent can be done (if you have GPS), but it is by far the trickiest of all recoveries.

WhereisMyCellPhone

how can i find a lost cell phone

For a lot of you, this may be the only tool you need. If you don't have a house phone (less and less people do every day), you can go to WhereisMyCellPhone and dial your number for free. We've covered this app in our directory before. Simply type in your number, click Find It!, and let it ring until your phone is found. There is no registration required to use this app.   This app is US-only.

[NO LONGER WORKS] BlueRetriever

how can i find a lost cell phone

If you think you've left your phone in a public place, you can try this directory app. BlueRetriever is pretty cool in that it allows you to create a wallpaper for your phone that has a site URL and an ID number on it.

how can i find a lost cell phone

When someone finds your phone, they can go to the website, type in the ID number, and they will be able to find out who the phone belongs to. You can even offer them a reward, which you set yourself, of up to $100 in gift cards (Amazon, Starbucks, Target) or donations with Kiva.

Site registration is free and BlueRetriever supports the following devices:

  • iPhone Original/3G/3GS.
  • iPod Touch.
  • Blackberry: Curve, Storm, Bold, Pearl.
  • Palm Pre.
  • Google G1.

[Note]: If your phone is not on the list, feel free to try the service anyway. You may however need to crop the image to fit on your phone's screen.

Lookout

locate my lost cell phone

This app supports Android, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile phones. Lookout provides security in the form of virus and malware protection, data backup of your contacts and photos, and device location.

The site says that if you can't find your phone you can make it "scream" (not quite sure what that means) or wipe it out.

F-Secure Anti-Theft

locate my lost cell phone

If you're really worried about your data being stolen, you can look into F-Secure Anti-Theft (directory). Supported by Symbian OS, Windows Mobile, and Android, this application provides the ability to track your lost phone, remotely lock it, and even remotely wipe out all the data.

If your phone is stolen, you can text message a key to your phone to find its geo-location. Send the phone different keys to perform the activities mentioned above.

We've covered similar software in WaveSecure and BuddyWay.

[NO LONGER WORKS] iTag [Android]

Conclusion

Did you find your lost cell phone? I hope you did.

Other articles you can check out relating to this matter include How To Trace & Deactivate A Stolen Cell Phone, How To Trace a Mobile Phone Location with Google Latitude, and 6 Possible Signs Your Cell Phone May Be Tapped.

Image Credit: boostmobile