I hope you are not going through the most heart-wrenching experience if you are reading this. A misplaced or stolen laptop is upsetting both financially and emotionally. Because c’mon it’s not a cheap device and it has loads of your work on it. Whether a student or a professional a laptop is your go-to device for work research entertainment and more. Losing one is nothing less than a nightmare. So if you are searching for how to track a stolen laptop without tracking software or any other way you have come to the right place.
Usually a serial number can make things easier for you to trail your device as long as some other essential tasks are accomplished. To track a stolen laptop you need to do a few things to make sure that if you do lose your device it is easily traced and restored.
- Make sure you record the serial number of your device.
- Always buy genuine products from registered sellers and manufacturers.
- Install tracking software on all your devices including your laptop.
Trace Laptop by Serial Number or Mac Address
The first and foremost errand should be registering your laptop on a central network. The next thing to do is to access your Mac address which can be achieved in 2 ways:
- Pull down the Go menu and click on Utilities. Start the Terminal app and six sets of two figures each will appear. This is your serial number.
- Or you can use ‘Command + Shift + U’ to gain access to all the Mac Addresses of the network interface.
If your laptop is registered you simply need to contact the network administrator and pass on the serial number. They will be able to detect any change in the IP address of your laptop and you might after all be able to get hold of your lost or stolen laptop.
Tracing a Windows Laptop
To look for a Windows Laptop might be a tad bit easier comparatively. Since 2015 Microsoft has installed a ‘Find My Device’ option in its Windows. On activation it can track the current location of your laptop. To enable this feature to work you will have to:
- Select Settings from the Start menu
- Select the Update and Security tab from the home page of the settings.
- On the left side menu bar you will have many options including Find My Device – click on it
- Select ‘Find My Device’ from the sidebar menu.
- Turn the feature On.
To Recover Your Device
- Log in with your Microsoft Account on any device
- Access the Devices that are registered
- Select the missing or stolen device option
- Click on ‘Find My Device’
- Select your laptop and click Find and your device will be shown on the map.
- Click on Lock to halt the access.
However it is necessary for your laptop to be connected to the internet. In that case the almost exact location can be pinned from the GPS and your laptop can be tracked.
How To Track a Stolen Laptop with IP Address?
Every laptop has a unique IP Address that gives it its identity. The most reliable way to track your device is by tracking the IP Address. Handing this exclusive number to your internet service provider can help him trace the actual location of your laptop.
There may be issues regarding how to access your laptop’s IP Address but that can also be resolved.
How To Track a Stolen Laptop with Dropbox?
If you have an active Dropbox account on your laptop then targeting the violator can be a piece of cake. As soon as any activity starts on your system Dropbox synchronizes it and all the activity is monitored. Here’s how you can use Dropbox to access information about your laptop’s whereabouts:
- Log on to your Dropbox account from any device.
- The top-right menu will have the Settings option. Click on it.
- Next select Security from the displayed options
- This page will have several features displayed including the Web Browser. This will have the name of the Browser the location and the most recent activity listed.
Hence you can get hold of the person trying to use your laptop as his own conveniently.
How To Track Laptop Using Gmail?
If you are wondering how to track a stolen laptop with Gmail then read on. Your Gmail account is also a recognized option that provides high-end Security. The option of verification and allowing access can help you recover your lost laptop. When Gmail sends you alerts of new logins they mention the address as well; hence you have a starting point for your search.
Another way of accessing location information via Gmail is by accessing the account yourself and extracting details. Log on to the web version of your Gmail account and access the Details. This option will have a list of your laptop’s recent activities where your Gmail account is active.
Show Details will list the links and IP Addresses of the place where the laptop is being used. An indefinite yet helpful location can be obtained and you might be able to get back your stolen property.
Can you Track a Stolen Laptop with a Serial Number?
If you own a laptop computer you are vulnerable to theft. A stolen laptop can be used in the commission of other crimes and can contain sensitive information that should never fall into the wrong hands. Some laptops have built-in capabilities that allow their owners to track them if they’re stolen but it’s not always easy to locate the tracking device because it’s not always obvious that one exists. Before purchasing or leasing your next laptop be sure that it has such capabilities and read about how to enable them so you can recover your laptop in the event it’s stolen.
What Is IMEI?
An International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) is a unique code that is used to identify mobile phones and other communications devices. A device’s IMEI number is permanently stored in its hardware and cannot be altered by the software running on it.
All GSM mobile phones have an IMEI. However not all devices that can use GSM (such as satellite phones) have an IMEI since it is not mandatory for such devices to provide unique identification. The purpose of an IMEI is to uniquely identify valid equipment so that any network can determine whether or not to allow it onto its network. It also allows tracking of lost or stolen equipment and can be used for billing purposes. The format of an IMEI is composed of 15 digits: three letters followed by 13 numbers.
Why Do You Need to Keep Track of Your Devices Serial Numbers?
There are many reasons that businesses need to keep track of their devices’ serial numbers which makes knowing if it’s possible to do so important. If your company has multiple clients or projects keeping track of serial numbers can help streamline any issues that arise if items go missing or get damaged. Knowing whether or not it’s possible to find and track devices after they’ve been stolen is also vital information for any business owner who wants to protect themselves from theft in their workplace.
Most importantly however it’s crucial to know how to recover stolen property. You never know when something could be taken without permission from your office or place of work and being able to get back what was lost is essential for every business.
What Happens If I Lose My Phone or Tablet and I Don’t Have GPS Enabled?
Some mobile devices allow you to track their location. If your phone or tablet has GPS enabled you can use an app like Find My iPhone or Find My Android to see its current location. These apps also display additional information such as your device’s battery life and signal strength. However if your device doesn’t have GPS enabled you can still use these apps to find it by enabling Lost Mode.
Lost Mode sends out a notification that lets anyone who finds your lost phone know that it belongs to you and provides them with contact information so they can return it. In addition Lost Mode prevents anyone from using your lost phone without first entering a passcode. This means that if someone steals your device while it is in Lost Mode they won’t be able to access any of its data until they enter that passcode which should give you time to locate it before anything happens!
How to Trace your Device if it Gets Lost Stolen or Destroyed?
If your laptop gets stolen it may be possible to find it even without an IP address. If that’s not enough for you to sleep at night here are several ways to track your laptop if it gets lost or stolen. You don’t have to get caught in complete darkness! The most important thing is to remember that prevention is better than cure so take all measures necessary to prevent theft before anything happens.
For example encrypting data on your computer can deter thieves and make recovering data much easier. And of course back up all your data as often as possible. The more backups you have the less likely you are to lose everything if something goes wrong. However if these things do happen there are some precautions and methods you can use to track down your device and get it back:
How to Trace your Device on iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch?
If your device is stolen there are several ways to attempt to locate it. And even if it’s too late for an online search at least you can use one of these methods to report that your iPhone or iPad has been stolen. Here’s how to trace your device on iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch:
This method only works if you have Find My [device name] enabled in iCloud settings. Here’s how: 1) Open iCloud and sign in using your Apple ID and password; 2) Click on Find My [device name] under Devices; 3) Select All Devices then click on Lost Mode. 4) Fill out all required information including contact information; 5) Click Next and select either Lost Mode or Erase Data (if you want to protect against data theft); 6) Tap Done when finished.
How to Trace your Device on Android Phones/Tablets? (Samsung Galaxy Motorola Droid HTC Thunderbolt)
All cell phones are registered at some level even if it is just to prove that they’re not stolen. This also means that when you report your device as stolen or missing your wireless provider will be able to locate it and give that information to law enforcement officials. Here’s how they do it: By triangulating between multiple cell towers (if your phone has a signal) or by doing GPS tracking if your device can connect to satellites. If you have an Android-based smartphone there are other ways to track your device using Google Maps.
Open up Google Maps on any computer connected to the Internet. If you don’t have access to a computer try calling from another cell phone you can use Google Maps on many smartphones. In either case enter your location (the address of where you last had possession of your phone). Then click My Location in Google Maps and drag it around until it shows your exact location.
How to Trace your Device on Windows Phone 7 Nokia Lumia and BlackBerry devices?
iPhone iPad and Windows Phone 7 devices have built-in features that can be used to track these devices in case they get lost or stolen. However these features are limited and cannot be extended outside of Apple’s or Microsoft’s applications. BlackBerry offers some built-in tracking capabilities but does not offer any third-party apps for tracking devices. Nokia makes its tracking software available to other platforms through an application called Locate My Device but there is no native GPS support. As such if your device gets stolen you will need to buy a phone from Nokia running Symbian.
The only way to track your device would be through Nokia’s software which has been known to cause problems in certain situations. If you want a more reliable way of tracking your device we recommend looking into one of several third-party apps available on both Android and iOS devices such as Lookout Mobile Security Prey Anti Theft or Cerberus which can all provide advanced features such as remote locking/wiping/locating via Google Maps. These types of applications can be found on Google Play Store (Android) and iTunes App Store (iOS).
How to Trace your Apple Computer using its serial number?
A stolen laptop is a very serious matter. Imagine how frustrated you’d be if someone took your computer or worse had your sensitive information. There are steps you can take to make sure that doesn’t happen to you! Here are some tips on what to do if your Apple computer goes missing. The first thing is to contact local law enforcement right away and file a police report. If you can provide them with an itemized list of everything that was on your computer they will be able to help you more efficiently.
Next call up Apple customer service and let them know about your situation. They will give you two important pieces of information: 1) they will tell you where they last saw it (if it was connected to their network) and 2) they will give you its serial number so that they can track it down for themselves. This serial number is also handy because there are many websites out there where people post items for sale—and sometimes these sites have pictures of what people are selling!
How can I track a stolen laptop without tracking software on my device?
A laptop is one of those devices which we can’t do without. So if your laptop gets stolen it can be quite frustrating as there is no way to track it down. The good news is that there is some software available that you can use to track your device once it has been stolen. Also if your laptop comes preinstalled with this tracking software then all you need to do is follow their process and soon your laptop will be tracked down.
What is the serial number of your laptop?
Every laptop has a serial number that can be used to track your device in case it gets stolen. To find out more about your device check out its documentation and search online for guides on how to find your laptop’s serial number. Once you have found it try searching for it on websites like TheSerialNumber or GoStolen (there are many other sites dedicated to tracking missing electronics). You can use these sites to see if there is any information out there regarding where your device might be located.
If someone reports seeing your device you can contact local authorities to help recover it. If no one claims to have seen your laptop yet try contacting local pawn shops and second-hand dealers—these places are often frequented by thieves looking to sell stolen goods. If all else fails visit local police stations and file a report of theft. Keep in mind that filing a police report does not guarantee recovery of your property; however if someone tries selling it at an auction house or flea market before reporting its theft law enforcement can seize it immediately when they spot it as stolen property under federal law.
Where should I report my stolen laptop to the police?
I bought a laptop for $1000 from an online store and within two weeks someone came to my house and stole it. I went to the police station and told them about my problem. The policeman said that I can’t report my case at their station because there are no serial numbers on laptops. Is that true? I want to get back my laptop back so should I go somewhere else or give up reporting it.
In most cases when buying new electronics especially those that contain sensitive information like bank account details or passwords manufacturers will put a serial number in different parts of your product. This helps to prevent thieves from selling stolen goods as legitimate products and is done by most companies these days (if not all). However if your product was second hand then these details may have been removed. This can happen by using rubbing alcohol to remove ink from these parts or sanding down these areas on older devices like laptops etc. You should contact your local police department and ask them what steps they take in investigating reports of stolen property.
The best way to keep it from happening again
Once your laptop has been stolen whether it was swiped from your bag while you were shopping or taken from an unlocked car there’s no reason to sit around and feel sorry for yourself. Instead track it down and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Start by contacting your insurance company to see if there is any coverage for lost or stolen items.
If not take solace in knowing that most laptops are easily trackable with their serial numbers and even easier if they have GPS capability. You can also install software on your computer that will allow you to locate it through a web-based tracking system like Prey. You can also keep tabs on your computer using Google Alerts which will send you email updates when someone searches for keywords related to your computer.
Just be careful when setting up alerts; remember that anyone can set them up so don’t give out personal information. Even if you don’t get your laptop back right away at least these tips will help prevent theft from happening again!
FAQs
- How is it possible to track a stolen laptop?
There are several ways to trace your stolen laptop. One uses the serial numbers to help the network administrator locate your laptop. This method is beneficial for Mac devices. The other method is using the feature ‘Find My Device’ on Windows operating system devices.
- Can I track my stolen laptop if it’s been factory reset?
Yes you can but the condition is that you must have had tracking software installed before the resetting. The software which is up and running on your laptop lets the remote server know the device. When it is turned on and linked to the internet several different actions are taken which helps the software managers locate the area where the laptop is being used from.
- How to find a stolen laptop without a serial number?
Besides the serial number the IP Address can also help you track your device. Moreover some other apps and software and your Microsoft account all work well in locating your device as long as they are still running on your laptop.
To Sum Up
If you want to find out how to track a stolen laptop with the serial number or in any other way we have listed some of the usual possibilities. We hope they are beneficial and help you in every way possible if you find yourself in this not-so-pleasant situation.