Laptops are always a great device for storing documents and others. It will be a disaster if the device is lost or stolen with so much information on it. The most recent OS and devices include built-in tracking tools to get the device back or trace it easily. So, enable the features once you get a new device to keep your laptop secured.
The features can be activated in minutes. You will just need to sync your account with the device and the tracking tools. Using these built-in features is the most effective way to track your lost or stolen laptop.
This article will guide you in activating the features of different OS. Once they are activated, you’ll just need to scan for the location using the features if the device is lost. Check the different methods for Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu –
Effective Ways to Track Your Lost or Stolen Laptop
Whether it’s a Mac or Windows, there are some features that need to be enabled if you want to get your device back once it’s stolen or lost. That means it’s possible to find your laptop by just enabling the tracking features. These are the most effective ways to track your laptop. If you already enabled these features then just use the tool to track your device.
Once you activate or enable these features, there will be a good chance to track it without any additional tools. So, how to activate or enable the features that will help you to track your lost or stolen laptop –
Windows Device
Windows recently upgraded features for stolen devices. The Find my Device feature of Windows will help you find or track your stolen laptop. This feature needs to be activated from the settings option. So, how to activate this feature?
Go to Start > Settings > Update and Security > Find My Device and activate the feature.
Once you have activated the ‘Find My Device’ feature of a laptop with Windows OS, you will be able to find that device by using any other device or browser. If your Windows laptop is stolen, use the following steps to locate it –
- Go to https://account.microsoft.com/devices and log in with the account you used on your laptop
- Look for ‘Find My Device’ and click on it
- Find the stolen device from the list and select ‘find’ to see the device’s location on the map
This will show you the location of your laptop on the map. You will get the real-time location of your device. If you identify the location, you may file a police complaint with proof or documents.
Mac
Apple always prefers the privacy of its users. Losing your Mac is kind of a threat to your privacy. If you’re a Mac user, you need to use the iCloud backup option and the Find my Mac feature to track your stolen Mac. Some of the steps should be followed before the accident. So, to enable the tracking feature of a Mac, implement the features as soon as possible.
- First, create an iCloud account or log in if you already have one
- Register with the account on your mac and tick the Use ‘Find My Mac’ feature during registration
- From the iCloud backup list, search for the ‘Find my Mac’ option
- Turn on the location service of ‘Find my Mac’
- Now, once you login to your iCloud account by using any other device or browser, you will get the location of that stolen MacBook by using the ‘Find my Mac’ feature.
Ubuntu
If you had Ubuntu OS on your stolen laptop, it needs to be tracked by using a different method. It can be tracked only if Prey (security solution) was installed on that PC beforehand. Prey allows for tracking lost laptops that have Ubuntu as OS. Check the detailed procedure below –
You may install Prey either by downloading the software from this link or by using the terminal. To install Prey through the terminal run the following command
sudo apt-get install prey
Prey will help you to locate or track a stolen laptop that had Ubuntu as the OS. You just need to sign in to the official website of Prey and mark your laptop as missing. This will get you the details about the laptop and its location. Prey provides movement detection, automatic reactions, and notifications about that device.
Prey will keep your device safe. It is not possible to uninstall this software without the user password. You may add a BIOS password to keep it safer. Once you have installed Prey, disable booting from removable devices as this won’t allow the thief to boot again.
Can You Track A Stolen Laptop With an IP Address?
Well, the IP address is not associated with the laptop. It’s an address of the network that the device is connected to. If you change the network, the IP address will change too. If you find or have any IP address of the laptop, you may check the location from IP checker sites.
There are some third-party tools available that can detect a laptop’s IP address once it goes online. If you are planning to track the laptop by using only the IP address then you may try these tools. Advatrack and Adeona are quite popular in detecting IP addresses.
IP address is not an effective way to track a stolen laptop. You should use the built-in features of the device or OS to get the most effective solution if the device is lost. They are designed to make devices more secure.
Bottom Line
It’s possible to locate a stolen laptop if you activate the built-in features beforehand. They are developed by the manufacturers and make the procedure more efficient. Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu – the mentioned methods for the devices will help you to track your device instantly with no further installation or registration. You should enable the functions the first day you use your laptop.
