Lost your phone on a trip? Here's what to do, in order.
Losing a phone at home is bad. Losing it in another country is worse. No maps, no boarding pass, no way to call the hotel. These steps work from any borrowed screen, and the order matters.
Find Wi-Fi and a screen you can use
A hotel lobby computer, a travel partner's phone, or a laptop at a café all work. Everything below can be done in a web browser. If you're with someone, use their phone for calls.
Check the obvious places, then locate it
Call the hotel, the taxi or ride company, and the last restaurant. Lost items often turn up within hours. Then open icloud.com/find for an iPhone or google.com/android/find for an Android to see where it is.
Mark it as lost
Both tools let you lock the phone and put a message on the screen. Use an email address or your travel partner's number, not your own. If it looks stolen, don't go after it yourself. Tell the local police where it is.
Call your carrier and suspend the line
Look up your carrier's international support number on its website and call from a borrowed phone or an internet calling app. Suspending the line stops roaming charges and stops anyone else getting your texts. You can undo it later. Your number stays yours.
Protect your email and your bank
From the browser, change your email password and sign out of other devices. Then call your bank. Tell them your phone is gone and that you're abroad, so they watch for fraud but don't freeze your card while you still need it. Marking the phone lost usually suspends the cards in its wallet too.
Get a stopgap phone for the rest of the trip
A cheap local phone or a prepaid SIM gets you maps and data. It won't have your US number, so text your key people the temporary number. You get your own number back at home with a replacement SIM or eSIM from your carrier.
Get a police report for insurance
Most phone insurance and travel insurance claims need a local police report. Ask for a copy or a report number before you leave the country, and keep your receipts for anything you had to buy.
Your contacts shouldn't be stuck on a phone in another country.
Most of us don't know anyone's number by heart anymore. MobileyMe keeps your contacts, messages, and call history in a private, encrypted account. If your phone goes missing, sign in on a laptop, a tablet, or a travel partner's phone, and they're all there. You can also sign the lost phone out remotely, so nothing on it can be reached.
Set it up before you leave. It only helps if it's already on your account when the phone goes missing.
Set it up now →Questions people ask
Can I keep my US number if I lose my phone abroad?
Yes. The number belongs to your account with your carrier, not to the phone. Suspending the line doesn't cancel it. You get it back on a replacement SIM or eSIM.
Should I suspend my line if I might still find the phone?
Yes. A suspension is quick to undo if the phone turns up. Leaving the line active while the phone is missing is the bigger risk.
Will I pay for calls someone makes on my stolen phone?
You might, if the line stays active. Suspend it as soon as you can, then ask your carrier about any charges made after the phone went missing.
Get the next guide before you need it
One email when we publish something new. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
You're on the list.