Rose
Google Community Team

Lock lost corporate devices and get real-time location updates to recover them.

 

Android Enterprise admins, have you discovered Lost Mode? It’s a new management feature designed to safeguard your organisation's data and recover misplaced devices. No more frantic "phone-finding" missions or compromised sensitive information - Lost Mode empowers you to take control in challenging situations.

 

Lost Mode empowers device management through:

  • Remote lock down: Instantly lock lost or stolen devices. Gone are the days of helplessly hoping lost devices remain untouched; Lost Mode helps prevent unauthorised access beyond incoming and emergency calls, securing your data, and peace of mind. If the need arises, enrolled devices can also be remotely wiped. 

 

  • Real-time location tracking: Track the location of a lost device in real-time. Whether nestled under a colleague's desk or left in a taxi, Lost Mode can remotely pinpoint a device's whereabouts for hassle-free recovery. 

 

  • Lock screen message:  Communicate company contact information directly on the lock screen. If found by a passerby, the pre-set company message will tell them where to return it. Or they’ll have the option to ‘Call owner’ on your chosen contact number with a press of a button, making good deeds a breeze. 

 

  • Audible locator: Turn your device into a beacon. When Lost Mode is activated, the device begins to ring on full volume, guiding you, or a helpful passerby, towards its hidden location. It’s a step up from breadcrumbs or wasting time aimlessly retracing your steps - follow the audible trail and reclaim your missing tech.

 

How does it work?

 

IT admins can easily put a device into Lost Mode from their EMM console. Once the missing device is found, and is back in the right hands, employees can simply exit lost mode with their device passcode and resume business as usual. Or, IT Admins can exit Lost Mode from their EMM console.

 

Beyond immediate recovery, having this security measure in place enables quick action, minimising the risk of data breaches, improving employee peace of mind and eliminating wasted time searching for misplaced devices. 

 

Next steps

 

Lost Mode is exclusive to EMMs that use Android Management API, and is currently available for both Work Profile on company-owned devices running Android 13 or later, and fully managed devices on Android 11 or later. To check if this feature has been made available in their console, please contact your EMM.

 

For a step by step on how to enable Lost Mode on company-owned devices, check out this article in the Help Center.



 

Otherwise it would be great to hear from you, have you or do you plan to  implement Lost Mode into your device strategy? Which feature do you think will be most useful?