If I lose my phone then I want it back!

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setspeed

Senior Member
May 4, 2009
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Can anyone give recommendations for anti-theft software, specifically one that will take photos of the thief, give location, and also survive a phone factory reset? I also want some advice on perhaps activating features of the anti-theft software using Tasker, on a timer of sorts if the phone spends >12hrs away from my home wifi network.

Anyone want to tell me about their set-up, positive or negative points about the software that they have used/do use?
 

gee2012

Recognized Contributor
Jul 13, 2010
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Can anyone give recommendations for anti-theft software, specifically one that will take photos of the thief, give location, and also survive a phone factory reset? I also want some advice on perhaps activating features of the anti-theft software using Tasker, on a timer of sorts if the phone spends >12hrs away from my home wifi network.

Anyone want to tell me about their set-up, positive or negative points about the software that they have used/do use?

You could try Cerburus from Play, but if the thief flashes a stock image and erases userdata then no software is installed anymore and the anti-theft software is no longer active. Google has android device manager now where you can track, disable and wipe your phone/tablet. Its in the settings of the Play Store on your PC.
 
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chaco81

Senior Member
Sep 28, 2010
472
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Google Pixel 3 XL
Google Pixel 6 Pro
i think if you loose your phone or gets stolen, you should know fairly quickly
at that point you should get yourself to a web browser ASAP and get to Android Device manager and lock your device.

a "smart" thief will likely get ur phone wiped ASAP and at that point it wont matter what software you have...your SOL
a "dumb" thief will go home and mess with it to see what you got (which will then give you the time you need to lock it and locate it)
 
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setspeed

Senior Member
May 4, 2009
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A friend of mine used Android Device Manager to track his Note 3 down to 11m accuracy, and he did eventually get his phone back by knocking on doors. However when I've tested ADM I've found that it won't work at all unless Location Mode is set to 'High accuracy' - which on my N5 absolutely destroys my battery within 12hrs. If I'm going to have that turned on, then I want pics of the thief as well as a limited time window before the phone dies. Ideally, I'd like some control over when the phone switches into Location 'High accuracy' - such as being away from home too long (or when I finally receive my NFC Ring, a condition of 'no communication with the ring for 2hrs' perhaps).

I'm kind of resigned to the fact that if the thief has the knowledge to flash a stock image then I'm never getting the phone back. I think that's pretty unlikely in the case of most thieves, so is there any software that can survive the basic 'Factory data reset'? Device Manager wouldn't work if the phone is reset I don't think, because my Google account would no longer be associated with the phone. I'd prefer some solution which is tied to the hardware (IMEI?) somehow.
 
D

Darth

Guest
Yup, about anything you try to use will take a chunk of battery life.

Personally, I don't use anything. If I leave it around and it walks away , so be it. Live and learn. Lol. I know the swat team isn't going to surround a location that these apps say my phone is at...and knocking on doors asking people if they took my phone would more than likely result in a lot of no's.....or much worse.

I wouldn't sacrifice my awesome battery life for a very slight chance of recovering my phone....especially since its quite easy for a thief to just turn it off...and wipe it at his leisure. If he knows anything about phones. :)

But, to each their own. It is built in as others have said....and there's many other apps too. I'd Google "best blah blah blah" to see reviews of the good ones. ;)

Sent from my N5, N7, Moto X, G Tab 3 or S2.....
 

setspeed

Senior Member
May 4, 2009
1,026
145
Yup, about anything you try to use will take a chunk of battery life.

Personally, I don't use anything. If I leave it around and it walks away , so be it. Live and learn. Lol. I know the swat team isn't going to surround a location that these apps say my phone is at...and knocking on doors asking people if they took my phone would more than likely result in a lot of no's.....or much worse.

I wouldn't sacrifice my awesome battery life for a very slight chance of recovering my phone....especially since its quite easy for a thief to just turn it off...and wipe it at his leisure.

Luckily I know someone who works for the local police and he certainly would take a couple of colleagues to an address if I asked him to :)

Also, I hope to mitigate the battery impact by only enabling location features in conjunction with Tasker and NFC Ring, so day to day my battery life isn't going to take a hit.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

chaco81

Senior Member
Sep 28, 2010
472
140
OH
Google Pixel 3 XL
Google Pixel 6 Pro
A friend of mine used Android Device Manager to track his Note 3 down to 11m accuracy, and he did eventually get his phone back by knocking on doors. However when I've tested ADM I've found that it won't work at all unless Location Mode is set to 'High accuracy' - which on my N5 absolutely destroys my battery within 12hrs. If I'm going to have that turned on, then I want pics of the thief as well as a limited time window before the phone dies. Ideally, I'd like some control over when the phone switches into Location 'High accuracy' - such as being away from home too long (or when I finally receive my NFC Ring, a condition of 'no communication with the ring for 2hrs' perhaps).

I'm kind of resigned to the fact that if the thief has the knowledge to flash a stock image then I'm never getting the phone back. I think that's pretty unlikely in the case of most thieves, so is there any software that can survive the basic 'Factory data reset'? Device Manager wouldn't work if the phone is reset I don't think, because my Google account would no longer be associated with the phone. I'd prefer some solution which is tied to the hardware (IMEI?) somehow.

install tasker... set a task upon receiving a key word text to change the settings... u can send a text to the phone when u loose it, enable high accuracy and use device manager to find it

i have it on high accuracy all the time and i got to say, that it doesnt impact my battery when on idle... only ingress is the only batt hog
 

bblzd

Senior Member
Nov 6, 2013
2,291
567
Toronto
Your Tasker plan won't work. Airplane mode or simply turning the phone off is all that's needed. Even Cerberus has very little chance at recovering your phone and it sounds like the best option available.

Most would be thieves have heard of stolen devices taking their picture by now.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 

joannn

Senior Member
Feb 5, 2014
135
13
Can anyone give recommendations for anti-theft software, specifically one that will take photos of the thief, give location, and also survive a phone factory reset? I also want some advice on perhaps activating features of the anti-theft software using Tasker, on a timer of sorts if the phone spends >12hrs away from my home wifi network.

Anyone want to tell me about their set-up, positive or negative points about the software that they have used/do use?

I am using the paid version of Cerberus , Its fine, it doesn't take up much of battery. You can try the AndroidLost App as well. Yes but hopefully all this would work if the thief don't have the technical means or knowledge of flashing a device.:good:
 

Lokke9191

Senior Member
Nov 20, 2013
365
133
Glenview, IL
There are apps which prevent your phone from powering off when on the lock screen. They are xposed modules, xgels is one of them. Use that with a pin code, combined with Cerberus and that should give you the time to track your phone if stolen before the thief can flash it. And as for battery my phone is always on high accuracy, and my battery life is amazing. I run stock Rom and kernel, rooted with xposed and lux.
 
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setspeed

Senior Member
May 4, 2009
1,026
145
There are apps which prevent your phone from powering off when on the lock screen. They are xposed modules, xgels is one of them. Use that with a pin code, combined with Cerberus and that should give you the time to track your phone if stolen before the thief can flash it. And as for battery my phone is always on high accuracy, and my battery life is amazing. I run stock Rom and kernel, rooted with xposed and lux.

This sounds quite nice. I'm willing to stop using Nova and go back to Google Now launcher if I can get this working - but I've downloaded XGELS and cannot find the option to prevent phone being powered off? Could you (or anyone) point me to the exact setting?
 

Lokke9191

Senior Member
Nov 20, 2013
365
133
Glenview, IL
This sounds quite nice. I'm willing to stop using Nova and go back to Google Now launcher if I can get this working - but I've downloaded XGELS and cannot find the option to prevent phone being powered off? Could you (or anyone) point me to the exact setting?

Good morning. Sorry about that it's not in xgels, my mistake. That feature is in the xposed module called advanced power menu.

I was a huge nova/apex user on my old devices, but I love the okay Google feature. I use xgels to hide the Google search bar on the home screen. So you can get that screen real estate back and still use okay Google. I hide the dock as well, it's great. Basically with the combination of xgels and gravity box, tinted status bar, and a couple other xposed modules you can have all the features of nova/apex and still use the okay Google feature. Which I find awesome.
 
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    i think if you loose your phone or gets stolen, you should know fairly quickly
    at that point you should get yourself to a web browser ASAP and get to Android Device manager and lock your device.

    a "smart" thief will likely get ur phone wiped ASAP and at that point it wont matter what software you have...your SOL
    a "dumb" thief will go home and mess with it to see what you got (which will then give you the time you need to lock it and locate it)
    1
    There are apps which prevent your phone from powering off when on the lock screen. They are xposed modules, xgels is one of them. Use that with a pin code, combined with Cerberus and that should give you the time to track your phone if stolen before the thief can flash it. And as for battery my phone is always on high accuracy, and my battery life is amazing. I run stock Rom and kernel, rooted with xposed and lux.
    1
    This sounds quite nice. I'm willing to stop using Nova and go back to Google Now launcher if I can get this working - but I've downloaded XGELS and cannot find the option to prevent phone being powered off? Could you (or anyone) point me to the exact setting?

    Good morning. Sorry about that it's not in xgels, my mistake. That feature is in the xposed module called advanced power menu.

    I was a huge nova/apex user on my old devices, but I love the okay Google feature. I use xgels to hide the Google search bar on the home screen. So you can get that screen real estate back and still use okay Google. I hide the dock as well, it's great. Basically with the combination of xgels and gravity box, tinted status bar, and a couple other xposed modules you can have all the features of nova/apex and still use the okay Google feature. Which I find awesome.
    1
    Avast! anti-theft has an option to remain enabled after a hard reset or after flashing a CM rom.