How To: Locate, Lock, Or Reset Your Lost Windows Phone

Lost your Lumia? Try this before hitting the panic button.

Chandrakant 'CK' Isi
02nd Jul 2014

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How To: Locate, Lock, Or Reset Your Lost Windows Phone

Have you just lost sight of your phone? Most probably, it will be lying somewhere in your room. However, if it is on the silent mode, you can't even ask your friend to ring and find it. If your handset runs Windows Phone platform, here's something you should try before hitting the panic button. All you need is a working Internet connection and a tablet/computer. Using Microsoft's Windows Phone portal you can ring, lock, or even erase your handset.

Step 1. On your PC/tablet, go to Windowsphone.com. If you've set your phone's region to the US (for Cortana), type in Windowsphone.com/en-us. Hover your mouse pointer over Explore section. There you'll see Find My Phone option.

Step 2. Log in, use your Windows ID. This has to match the one that being used on your phone.

Step 3. After the logging in, the website will display your most recently used handset. If you own multiple WP devices, click on Windows Phone drop-down menu, and manually select your phone. Using Bing maps, it will pin-point your phone's location. Of course, your phone's GPS must on to make this feature work.

Step 4. To find your phone, click on Ring (highlighted in purple). Punch in your mobile number, and Microsoft will send a special SMS code that will instruct your phone to ring. This can make your phone ring even if there's no data connection. The code also overrides user preferences such as silent mode.

Within a few seconds, the website will inform you whether they managed to ring your phone. If your phone hasn't been switched off yet, you'll see the following message.

Step 5. If the previous step didn't help you locate your phone, then there's a good chance that you've lost it. In this case, instead of mourning, you better lock your handset. To do that, simply click on Lock, and write a lockscreen message. If someone has got hold your handset, lockscreen message is your best shot at making him return it. Don't forget to mention a contact number in that message.