Many of us know the worry that comes when we can’t find our phones. Maybe it’s hidden under a pillow, forgotten at a café, or, in the worst case, stolen. For folks with Android phones, Google’s Find My Device is like a detective that can help find your phone from afar.
But sometimes, it hits a bump and says: “Location is unavailable“. Let’s figure out why that happens and how to fix it.
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What “Location is unavailable” means in Find My Device
Google’s Find My Device helps you find your lost Android gadgets like phones, tablets, or watches. It uses the device’s GPS and other clues like Wi-Fi to find its spot. When it says “Location is unavailable”, it means it can’t figure out where your device is.
Also see: Share Files from Android to PC or Vice Versa Wirelessly
Why does this happen?
Location services turned off
The top reason is that the device’s location feature is switched off. Find My Device needs this to be on to work its magic.
How to check and turn it on:
- Go to your Android’s home screen.
- Swipe down to see notifications and click the “Settings” gear.
- Find and click “Location”.
- Make sure it’s set to “On”.
No internet connection
Find My Device needs an internet link to share the location. If the device has no Wi-Fi or data, it won’t update its spot.
What to do: If your device might be in a spot with a poor signal, try to call or text it. This might help it connect briefly and share its location.
Battery is dead
If the battery’s out of juice, Find My Device can’t reach the device.
What to do: Think about the last place you had it. You can’t track it now, but it should show the last spot it was on before shutting down.
Device is turned off
If the device is off, either on purpose or because the battery ran out, it can’t share its location.
What to do: Wait a bit. If someone turns it on and it finds a network, you’ll see its location.
Logged out of Google account
The Find My Device trick works only if your device is signed into a Google account. If it’s logged out, you’re out of luck.
What to do: If you think someone got into your account, change your Google password to keep them out.
Troubleshooting steps
If you see “Location is unavailable”, don’t lose hope. Here are a few things to try:
- Refresh the page or restart the app. It might just be a glitch.
- Check if the device is online. If it’s not, wait a bit and try again.
- Make sure ‘Find My Device’ is on. Check in “Settings” > “Security” > “Find My Device” on another Android device.
- Look in the Google Play devices library. Go to https://play.google.com/library/devices to make sure your device is listed.
Other tracking apps
While Google’s Find My Device is handy, there are other apps you might like:
- Cerberus: It can take photos of the thief, record sounds, and more.
- Life360 – Family Locator, GPS Tracker: Great not just for lost devices but also for keeping track of family and friends.
- Lookout: Tracks your device and also provides security and antivirus.
Having another app can be good for more options or as a backup plan.
A quick recap
Seeing “Location is unavailable” can be a bummer when trying to find your device. But knowing why it happens can help you figure out what to do next. Always keep your location services on, your device charged, and make sure you’re logged into your Google account. Your Android device holds lots of important stuff. Keeping it safe and knowing how to find it is very important.
