If you’re running Windows 10 and worried about misplacing your laptop or desktop, there’s a handy feature called "Find My Device" you should know about. It uses the computer’s Location feature to help track down your machine if it ever goes missing.
Here’s the basic idea: Find My Device taps into the Location feature on Windows 10, determines where your computer might be, and stashes that info in the cloud linked to your Microsoft account. So, if your device goes AWOL, all you’ll need is access to your Microsoft account to check where it was last spotted. This feature might even be activated by default, but you can always turn it on manually if needed. Not keen on Microsoft keeping tabs on your location? No worries, there’s a switch to turn it off too.
I’ll guide you through setting up this feature on Windows 10 (and yes, these steps work for Windows 11 too).
Enabling Find My Device on Windows 10
To get Find My Device up and running, you’ll want to follow these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Head over to Update & Security.
- Click on the Find My Device section.
- Note: Your location services must be on for this to work. You can verify by navigating to Settings > Location.
- Click the Change button.
- Flip on the "Save my device’s location periodically" toggle.
Once you’ve done this, your device will start sending its location to your Microsoft account on a regular basis.
Checking Your Device’s Last Known Location
To pinpoint where your device was last seen, here’s what you need to do:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security.
- Click on the Find My Device section.
- Choose "Take more action for a lost device on your account page."
You’ll need to log in with your Microsoft credentials (if you aren’t already logged in). Then, select "Find my device" under the specific computer you’re trying to locate.
If you want, you can even click the Find button to see its current location—just remember, your computer needs to be online for this to work. As an added measure, clicking the Lock button will lock your device remotely, so nobody else can access it while you’re not around.
Disabling Find My Device on Windows 10
Should you wish to turn off this feature for any reason, follow these steps:
- Open Settings.
- Navigate to Update & Security.
- Enter the Find My Device section.
- Click the Change button.
- Turn off the "Save my device’s location periodically" toggle.
And just like that, your device will stop saving its location to the cloud.
For more in-depth guides, alongside other handy tips and updates related to Windows 11 and 10, you’ve got plenty of resources to explore right here.
