The Find My Device feature on your smartphone or tablet can be helpful in case of loss or theft. However, even if you don’t actively use your old device and it’s just gathering dust, I still like to keep it in Find My Device for the following reasons:
1 You can track and recover your device
One of the main reasons I never remove old devices from Find My Device is for tracking and recovery purposes. Even if you don’t use some of these devices regularly, they serve as backup options or are passed on to family members. As a result, my old devices sometimes end up in unexpected places, like forgotten in a drawer at the office or left at a friend’s house.
You can locate your device remotely, eliminating the hassle of retracing your steps and guessing where it is. This is a little extra insurance that costs nothing to me and has saved me many times from losing my device forever.
2 You can remotely lock and wipe your device
If any of your devices are stolen or lost, you can quickly lock them down remotely by enrolling them in Find My Device. This feature helps prevent unauthorized access by setting a passcode or locking the screen even when you no longer physically own your device. If you think it’s lost and not stolen, you can also display a custom message on the screen with contact information for return while keeping the rest of your data safe.
If things get bad, for example if I’m sure the device is really gone forever, I can go a step further and wipe all data remotely. This is a lifesaver, especially considering how much personal and sensitive information we store on our devices these days.
That way, even if someone gains access to my device, they won’t be able to access my photos, documents, or account logins. They cannot even answer my phone calls, read my notifications, or steal my personal information in any way. This level of protection will help you sleep better at night.
3 Maintain activation lock for security
Keeping your old Apple device in Find My also helps maintain iCloud Activation Lock, an important security feature. Similarly, if you delete your Google Account and remove your old Android phone or tablet from Find My Device, FRP (Factory Reset Protection) will also be disabled. For this reason, we believe it’s best not to remove the device from your account, even if you lose it and remotely erase it.
The above security features remain active as long as the device is linked to my account. As a result, even if someone gets their hands on my device, they can’t simply wipe it and reuse or resell it without entering my credentials.
4 Preserves access to IMEI for recovery
The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number is a unique identifier for every mobile device and is very useful during recovery. Listing your old device in the Find My Device list gives you a central, easy-to-access location to retrieve important information like the IMEI.
Having your IMEI handy can be very helpful if you lose your phone. Reporting your IMEI to authorities or your mobile phone company may blacklist your device, making it difficult for anyone to use it on your network. Without Find My Device, you would have to dig through old documents or linked devices to find this number, which isn’t always practical.
Knowing there is a reliable way to find and protect your devices gives you peace of mind, especially given that they often contain sensitive information. Additionally, I strongly believe that leaving your old device in Find My Device is a wise decision, as there are no significant disadvantages to leaving it on the list.
