PTA Urges Users to Enable Find My Device to Protect Lost or Stolen Phones
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has advised smartphone, tablet and computer users to enable built-in location and device-recovery services before their devices are lost or stolen, as part of a wider set of digital-security recommendations.
The regulator specifically highlighted services such as Apple’s Find My iPhone and Google’s Find My Device, which can help users locate compatible devices and take protective actions remotely.
PTA also recommended stronger device passwords or biometric security, regular software updates, backups of important information, parental controls for children’s devices and removal of personal data before a device is sold, donated or handed over.
The central message is simple: these security features need to be configured before a phone disappears.
If tracking and recovery tools were never enabled, the options available after a device is lost can be significantly more limited.
What Setting Does PTA Want Users to Enable?
The main feature highlighted by PTA is the device’s built-in location and recovery service.
Depending on the platform, this is called:
- Find My on Apple devices
- Find My Device / Find Hub on Android
- Find My Device on Windows
Google has been transitioning its Android recovery service from the old Find My Device branding to Find Hub, although users may still see both names during the transition.
These services are different from simply enabling GPS for navigation.
They link a device to the owner’s account and can provide recovery and security tools if the device later goes missing.
What Can Find My Device Actually Do?
Depending on the platform and device, recovery services can allow the owner to:
- View an approximate device location
- View a recent or last known location
- Make the device play a sound
- Lock or secure it remotely
- Display a message for whoever finds it
- Mark it as lost
- Erase personal data remotely
Google says its Find Hub can locate, secure or erase supported Android devices remotely.
Apple similarly allows users to locate supported Apple devices through Find My or iCloud, mark a missing device as lost and remotely protect its information.
These capabilities can be particularly valuable because a modern smartphone may contain considerably more sensitive information than the physical value of the phone itself.
How to Enable Find My on iPhone
Apple users should check that Find My is active before they ever need it.
On a current iPhone, go to:
Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone
Then turn on:
Find My iPhone
Apple also provides two useful additional settings:
Find My network
and
Send Last Location
Apple says Find My network can help locate supported iPhones even when they are offline. On compatible models, location capability may continue for a period after the phone has been switched off or entered power reserve.
Send Last Location automatically sends the phone’s position to Apple when the battery reaches a critically low level.
Find My Also Enables Activation Lock
Find My provides another important protection on iPhones: Activation Lock.
Apple says Activation Lock is automatically enabled when Find My is turned on.
Its purpose is to make it significantly more difficult for another person to activate and use a missing iPhone, even after the device has been erased.
That is important because phone security is not only about recovering the hardware.
Making a stolen device harder to reuse or resell can also provide protection.
What to Do If an iPhone Is Lost
If Find My was enabled beforehand, users can access their missing device through:
Find My app
or
iCloud Find Devices
The device can then be marked as lost.
Apple says Lost Mode locks the screen and can display contact information so someone who legitimately finds the phone can return it.
If recovery becomes unlikely, remote erasure can provide another layer of protection for sensitive information.
However, Apple warns that if Find My was not enabled before the device was lost, it cannot subsequently be marked as lost or remotely erased through Find My.
That reinforces PTA’s recommendation to configure the feature in advance.
How to Enable Find My Device on Android
Google’s current Android recovery ecosystem is known as Find Hub, although the setting itself may still appear as Find My Device.
Google’s current instructions are:
Settings → Google → All services → Personal and device safety → Find My Device
Then check that:
Use Find My Device is enabled.
Users should also make sure Location is enabled.
Google recommends confirming that the phone:
- Is signed into a Google Account
- Has Location enabled
- Has Find My Device enabled
- Is visible through Google’s device services
- Has suitable screen-lock security
These settings improve the chances of locating or protecting the device later.
Android Can Also Help Find Offline Devices
Google’s newer Find Hub network goes beyond traditional GPS tracking.
Android devices can participate in a crowdsourced location network that helps locate supported devices even when they are temporarily offline.
Google says recent locations are stored using encrypted technology, and users can configure how their device participates in the network.
Users can review these options through:
Settings → Google → All services → Find Hub → Find your offline devices
A PIN, pattern or password may be required for some offline-finding functionality.
How to Find a Missing Android Phone
If the phone later disappears, users can open the Find Hub app on another Android device or access Google’s Find Hub through a browser.
After signing into the Google Account linked with the missing device, the system may show its approximate location.
Google also provides actions such as:
Play sound
which causes the phone to ring even if it was set to silent in supported circumstances;
Secure device
which locks it;
and
Erase device
which removes data remotely.
Users should remember that the reported location can be approximate rather than an exact physical position.
Remote Erasure Should Usually Be the Last Resort
Remote wiping can protect highly sensitive personal information if a phone appears permanently lost.
But there is an important trade-off.
Once a device has been erased, some location and recovery functions may no longer be available.
Users should therefore consider whether there is still a realistic chance of recovering the phone before using the erase option.
If theft is suspected, protecting financial accounts, email and other important credentials may become more important than recovering the hardware.
Windows Computers Have a Similar Setting
PTA’s guidance also refers broadly to computers.
Windows 10 and Windows 11 include Find My Device, which can help owners locate and lock compatible PCs.
Microsoft says the feature must be enabled before the computer is lost or stolen and requires a Microsoft personal account.
Users can check Windows settings for Find My Device and ensure location functionality is available.
Microsoft allows registered devices to be located through the user’s Microsoft account dashboard.
Macs Can Also Use Find My
Apple’s Find My ecosystem is not limited to iPhones.
Supported Macs, iPads, Apple Watches, AirPods and several other Apple devices can also appear in Find My when correctly configured.
Apple says Find My must be set up before a device goes missing.
A Mac connected to the owner’s Apple Account can therefore benefit from similar location and protection features.
Location Tracking Is Only One Part of PTA’s Advice
PTA’s recommendation is broader than simply turning on one switch.
The regulator also wants users to adopt basic device-security habits.
One of the first is a strong lock-screen credential.
PTA recommends using strong passwords and, where available, biometric authentication such as:
- Fingerprint recognition
- Facial recognition
This matters because location tracking might help locate a missing device, but the screen lock helps protect the information stored inside it while it is outside the owner’s control.
Do Not Rely on Biometrics Alone Without a Strong PIN
Fingerprint and facial recognition are convenient, but most smartphones still depend on a PIN, password or pattern as the underlying credential.
Users should avoid very predictable PINs such as:
- 1234
- 0000
- Birth year
- Repeated digits
The stronger the underlying credential, the harder it becomes for someone who finds or steals the device to access stored information.
Account passwords protecting Apple, Google or Microsoft recovery services should also be unique and protected with multi-factor authentication where available.
Keep Phones and Computers Updated
PTA also recommends regularly installing operating-system updates and security patches.
Updates do more than introduce new features.
They often correct vulnerabilities discovered after the original software was released.
A device that remains on an outdated operating system can therefore be exposed to security weaknesses even if the user has configured Find My correctly.
Users should also keep important applications updated, particularly:
- Banking apps
- Browsers
- Email clients
- Messaging apps
- Password managers
Back Up Important Data
The regulator also advises maintaining backups of important information.
That can include:
- Photographs
- Contacts
- Documents
- Videos
- Work files
PTA recommends secure cloud services or external storage.
A good backup changes the consequences of losing a device.
Instead of losing both the hardware and years of personal files, users may only need to replace the hardware and restore their data.
Why Backups and Find My Work Together
Tracking and backups solve two different problems.
Find My attempts to help recover or secure the physical device.
Backup protects the information if the device is never recovered.
Users should therefore not treat one as a substitute for the other.
Even the best tracking system cannot guarantee that a stolen device will be returned.
Similarly, a backup cannot prevent someone from attempting to access data that remains on an inadequately protected lost phone.
The strongest approach combines both.
Parents Should Review Children’s Devices Too
PTA has also advised parents to use built-in parental-control features.
These can help families:
- Manage screen time
- Restrict particular applications
- Control age-inappropriate content
- Review app permissions
- Limit purchases
Apple, Google and Microsoft all provide parental-control systems within their respective ecosystems.
Parents should balance monitoring with age-appropriate privacy and digital-literacy education rather than relying solely on technical restrictions.
Factory Reset Before Selling a Device
PTA’s guidance also highlights what should happen when a phone or computer permanently leaves the owner’s possession.
Before selling or donating a device, users should remove their personal information and perform the appropriate factory-reset process.
Simply deleting a few photos or uninstalling apps is not the same as properly preparing the device for a new owner.
Users should first back up anything they want to keep.
They should then follow the device manufacturer’s official instructions for removing their account and resetting the hardware.
Be Careful When Preparing an iPhone for Sale
On Apple devices, users should properly remove the device from their account when transferring ownership.
Find My and Activation Lock are deliberately designed to prevent another person from setting up an iPhone without the original owner’s authorisation.
That is extremely useful when the device is stolen.
But when legitimately selling an iPhone, the owner must follow Apple’s transfer procedure so the buyer can activate it normally.
Repair Situations Need More Care
PTA’s guidance also recommends protecting personal data when sending devices for repair.
Whenever possible, users should back up important information first and follow the preparation instructions supplied by the manufacturer or authorised repair provider.
The exact steps can differ depending on whether technicians need access to the operating system for diagnostics.
Users should never casually provide banking passwords, email passwords or unrelated account credentials to a repair shop.
Does Enabling Find My Mean Everyone Can Track You?
No.
Enabling a device-recovery system is not the same thing as publicly broadcasting your location.
Find My functionality is normally tied to the owner’s authenticated Apple, Google or Microsoft account.
Google says its offline Find Hub system uses encrypted recent-location information to assist with supported device recovery.
Apple similarly ties Find My to the user’s Apple Account and supports encrypted network-assisted device finding.
Users should nevertheless review their location permissions and understand which applications have access to location information.
Location Services and Find My Are Related but Different
A common source of confusion is the difference between:
Location Services
and
Find My Device.
Location Services allow the operating system and authorised apps to determine where the device is.
Find My is a recovery service specifically designed to help locate and secure devices associated with an account.
For effective recovery, both relevant account settings and device-location features generally need to be configured properly.
Simply turning on GPS for Google Maps does not necessarily mean a device-recovery service is fully configured.
Can Find My Guarantee Recovery of a Stolen Phone?
No.
These systems can significantly improve the chances of finding or securing a missing device, but they cannot guarantee recovery.
Success can depend on factors including:
- Device power
- Connectivity
- Offline-network support
- Account configuration
- Whether tracking was enabled beforehand
- Whether the device has been physically damaged
- Whether location data is available
Even when a location is shown, it may only be approximate.
Do Not Personally Confront a Suspected Thief
If a tracking service shows a stolen device at an unfamiliar location, users should avoid putting themselves at risk by attempting to retrieve it through confrontation.
Location data can be useful when reporting a theft to the appropriate authorities.
But consumer tracking systems are not intended to turn device owners into investigators.
The priority should remain personal safety and protection of accounts and information.
Protect Your SIM and Financial Accounts Too
A stolen smartphone can potentially expose more than the phone itself.
Users should consider the accounts connected to the device, particularly:
- Online banking
- Mobile wallets
- Social media
- Cloud storage
- Password managers
If a phone is genuinely stolen and cannot quickly be secured, users may need to contact their mobile operator and relevant financial institutions.
A secure phone passcode and remotely locking the device can significantly reduce immediate risk.
Modern Phones Store Extremely Sensitive Information
PTA’s advice reflects how smartphones have evolved.
A phone may now contain:
- Personal photographs
- Family conversations
- Office documents
- Authentication apps
- Bank notifications
- Password-reset email
- Identity-document scans
- Location history
Losing a phone is therefore no longer just the loss of a piece of consumer electronics.
It can become an account-security and privacy incident.
Important Clarification About Google’s Naming
The original report refers to Google Find My Device, which is understandable because that name has been widely used.
Google’s current documentation says:
“Find My Device is now Find Hub.”
During the transition, devices may display either name.
Users who cannot find an app called “Find My Device” should therefore look for Find Hub or search their Android settings for Find My Device.
The underlying purpose remains the same: locating and protecting missing Android devices and compatible accessories.
What Users Should Check Today
For most smartphone owners, PTA’s recommendation can be acted on in a few minutes.
On iPhone
Go to:
Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone
Enable:
Find My iPhone
and preferably review:
Find My network
Send Last Location
On Android
Go to:
Settings → Google → All services → Personal and device safety → Find My Device
Ensure:
Use Find My Device is on.
Also confirm Location is enabled and review Find Hub’s offline-finding options.
Menu wording can vary slightly depending on the Android manufacturer and software version.
Important Correction to the Source Headline
The headline says PTA wants users to enable “this setting.”
The underlying recommendation is not a mysterious PTA-only feature.
PTA is advising people to turn on the device-recovery technology already built into their operating systems, particularly Find My on Apple devices and Google’s Find My Device/Find Hub on Android.
Those systems are useful only when properly configured before a phone disappears.
PTA’s other recommendations — strong authentication, updates, backups, parental controls and secure data removal — are equally important parts of the guidance.
Bottom Line
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority is urging users to enable location and device-recovery features on smartphones, tablets and computers as part of a broader campaign to improve personal digital security.
For iPhone users, that means checking Find My iPhone, Find My network and Send Last Location. Apple says Find My can locate supported missing devices, activate Lost Mode and enable remote protection, while Activation Lock makes unauthorised reuse more difficult.
For Android users, Google’s service is now transitioning to the Find Hub name. It can help locate, secure or erase supported devices and can use its network to assist with finding certain offline devices.
PTA is also advising users to protect devices with strong passwords or biometrics, install security updates, maintain backups, configure parental controls where appropriate and properly remove personal data before a device is transferred to another person.
The most important point is timing.
Find My should be enabled before the phone is lost.
Once a device has disappeared, users may not be able to activate recovery features retroactively — making a few minutes of preparation today potentially far more valuable if the device ever goes missing.