I was deep into a podcast with my wonderful AirPod Pros (because I love them) in the Houston airport this week. The podcast stopped playing like it does sometimes when I accidentally touch my phone screen, so I started fishing for my phone to resume.

That’s when this message popped up on my wrist:

OMG! Not only was I missing my phone, but I have one of those sticky credit card pockets on the back, and that’s where my ID and cards were.

OMG!

I raced back toward Terminal B, frantically pushing the Find iPhone button on my Apple Watch, hoping to hear the familiar sonar beep on the missing phone. The Find iPhone button was grayed out.

As I’m rushing around, my watch suggested I mark my phone as Lost, which triggered a whole bunch of security measures.

I followed the Watch’s advice, and I found that I could set up a message on my phone’s home screen:

Within about a minute of setting up the device as lost, my watch rang. TSA had my phone at security. Once I had it back in my sweaty little hands, I had to put in my pin code to open the phone. Then I had to re-enter my Apple ID password to activate the Apple Wallet. Then I borrowed some electrical tape from the airport construction guys and strapped that bad boy to my hand so I wouldn’t leave it again!

The whole panic period lasted maybe seven minutes, but it felt like forever. And it probably would have been forever had I not set up my devices to activate the location and security features that Apple builds in.

Are Your Safeguards On?

Both Apple and Android devices have tools to help you find your devices if you lose them or remotely safeguard the data if you can’t. The trick is you have to have everything set up BEFORE you lose your device. These guidelines will help with most Apple or Android phones, but if you don’t see yours on the list, just look up your manufacturer’s site.

Apple Devices

• Set up devices on Find My
• Set up Notify When Left Behind

Android Devices

• Set up Find My Device