Use Samsung Find Mobile to locate your tablet in real time

Samsung Find Mobile is the fastest way to locate a Samsung tablet. If you set it up before your tablet went missing, you can sign into the service on any web browser, see your tablet's location on a map, make it ring at full volume, lock it remotely, or erase it. The service works whether your tablet is on Wi-Fi or cellular data.

Go to findmobile.samsung.com, sign in with your Samsung account, and select your tablet from the list of devices. The map shows its current location. If the tablet is offline, the map shows where it was last seen. You do not need to install anything new — Samsung tablets come with Find Mobile built in, as long as you signed into your Samsung account when you first set up the device.

If you did not set up Find Mobile before the tablet went missing, you cannot use it now. Move to the next section instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Samsung Find Mobile shows your tablet's location on a map if you signed into your Samsung account during setup, and works through findmobile.samsung.com on any computer.
  • If Find Mobile is not set up, contact your mobile carrier (if your tablet has cellular service) or your internet provider to report the device and ask them to flag it.
  • Google Find My Mobile works for tablets signed into a Google account and can lock or erase the device remotely through myaccount.google.com.
  • File a police report if you believe the tablet was stolen rather than lost, and provide the serial number and IMEI if you have it.
  • Check with places you visited recently — coffee shops, transit stations, and stores often hold lost devices for 30 days before discarding them.

Use Google Find My Mobile if your tablet is signed into Google

If you did not set up Samsung Find Mobile, Google Find My Mobile may still work. Any Samsung tablet signed into a Google account can be located through Google's service. Go to myaccount.google.com on any computer, click "Security" in the left menu, scroll to "Your devices," and select your tablet from the list.

Google shows the tablet's last known location, lets you ring it, lock it with a new password, or erase it remotely. The location is less precise than Samsung Find Mobile — it may show only the city or neighborhood rather than the street — but it works on tablets that have been offline for days. Like Samsung Find Mobile, this service only works if the tablet was already signed into your Google account before it went missing.

Contact your carrier if the tablet has cellular service

If your tablet connects to the internet through a phone plan (not just Wi-Fi), call your mobile carrier — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or another provider — and tell them the tablet is missing. Provide your account number and the tablet's phone number or IMEI (a 15-digit code printed on the box or visible in Settings under "About tablet"). The carrier can flag the device so it cannot be activated on another account.

Carriers do not locate devices for you, but flagging it prevents a thief from selling it to another customer. Some carriers also offer their own location services — ask whether yours does when you call. Keep the case number from your report in case you need it later.

Check places you visited in the last few hours

Before assuming the tablet is gone for good, retrace your steps. Call coffee shops, restaurants, stores, transit stations, and other places where you set it down. Most businesses hold lost items for 30 days before donating or discarding them. Ask to speak to a manager rather than a cashier — managers keep the lost-and-found log.

If you remember the last place you had it, start there and work backward. Many people find their devices this way within a day or two. Leave your phone number with each place so they can call you if someone turns it in later.

File a police report if you believe it was stolen

If you saw someone take the tablet or it disappeared under suspicious circumstances, file a report with your local police department. You can often do this online through your city or county website, or by calling the non-emergency number. Provide the serial number (on the box or in Settings under "About tablet"), the IMEI if you have it, and a description of the tablet's case or any distinguishing marks.

A police report creates an official record and may help if the tablet is recovered later. Some insurance policies require a police report before they will cover a stolen device. Keep a copy of the report number for your records.

Check your Samsung account for device history

Sign into your Samsung account at account.samsung.com and look for a section called "Devices" or "My Devices." This page shows every device ever signed into your account, including tablets that are no longer active. If your tablet appears there, you can see when it was last used and from where. This information may help you remember where you left it or confirm that someone else is using it.

If the tablet shows activity after you lost it — logins from a different city, for example — that suggests someone else has it. Report this to Samsung through the Find Mobile page and to your local police.

Prevent this from happening again

If you recover your tablet or get a replacement, set up both Samsung Find Mobile and Google Find My Mobile right away. During initial setup, sign into both your Samsung account and your Google account. Turn on location services in Settings so the services can pinpoint your tablet. Add a strong PIN or password to your lock screen — this makes it harder for someone to erase the device or change the account information.

Consider enabling "Find My Mobile" notifications in Settings so you get alerts when someone tries to access your account from a new device. Take a photo of your tablet's serial number and IMEI and store it in your phone or email — you will need these numbers if you ever have to report it missing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I locate my tablet if it is turned off?

No. Both Samsung Find Mobile and Google Find My Mobile require the tablet to be powered on and connected to the internet. If your tablet is off, the services show only the last location where it was online. Some newer Samsung tablets have a feature called "Find My Mobile when off," but it only works if you enabled it before the device was turned off.

What if someone changed the password on my Samsung account?

Go to account.samsung.com and click "Forgot password?" to reset it using your email address or phone number. Once you regain access, sign into Find Mobile to locate the tablet. If you cannot reset the password, contact Samsung support with proof of purchase — they can help you regain access to your account.

Will the tablet's location be accurate?

Accuracy depends on whether the tablet is using GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular data. GPS is most accurate (within 30 feet), but only works outdoors and drains battery quickly. Wi-Fi and cellular location are less precise — often within a few hundred feet in cities, but wider in rural areas. Both Samsung Find Mobile and Google show you the accuracy level when you check the location.

Can I erase my tablet remotely if I cannot locate it?

Yes. Both Samsung Find Mobile and Google Find My Mobile let you erase the tablet remotely, which deletes all your personal data. Do this only if you are certain the tablet is lost or stolen and you do not plan to recover it, because erasing it makes the device impossible to locate afterward.

What should I do if my tablet was stolen from my car?

File a police report for the theft, provide the serial number and IMEI, and mention that the tablet was in the vehicle. Call your car insurance company to see whether your policy covers theft from a vehicle — some do, some do not. Then use Find Mobile or Find My Mobile to locate or erase the tablet, and contact your carrier if it has cellular service.