Works alongside your phone's built-in tracking
Find My finds the phone. Trace&Trap makes it not worth keeping.
If you searched for Find My Device or Find My iPhone, start there — those tools are built into Android and iOS, work at operating-system level, and should always be switched on. Trace&Trap is not an alternative to them. It is a second, deliberately visible layer that turns a stolen handset into an obvious liability for whoever is holding it.
Set up the built-in tool first
On Android, open Settings and confirm Find My Device is on, with Location switched on. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then Find My, and confirm Find My iPhone is on with Send Last Location enabled. Both are free, survive the app being closed, and let you erase the device remotely.
What each layer actually does
| Capability | Find My Device / iPhone | Trace&Trap |
|---|---|---|
| Locate the phone on a map | Yes | Yes |
| Works when the app has been deleted | Yes | No |
| Remote erase and OS-level activation lock | Yes | No |
| Full-screen stolen-property notice with your contact details | No | Yes |
| Looping alarm that needs your account password to stop | No | Yes |
| Location check-in every time the app is opened | No | Yes |
Honest limits
Trace&Trap only acts while the companion app is installed on the phone's home screen, has been granted location permission, and the handset has connectivity. It cannot run if the app is deleted, the phone is offline or switched off, or the device has been wiped. It does not block a handset on mobile networks — report the theft to the police and ask your network to blacklist the IMEI.
Questions
- Does Trace&Trap replace Find My Device or Find My iPhone?
- No. Keep Google's Find My Device or Apple's Find My iPhone switched on as your primary recovery tool. Trace&Trap is a separate deterrence layer that runs as an app on the phone and only acts when that app is opened.
- Why use both instead of just Find My?
- Find My is built to locate and erase a handset quietly. Trace&Trap is built to be seen and heard: it locks the screen to a stolen-property notice with your contact details and loops a loud alarm, which makes the phone awkward to use or resell in public.
- What happens if the thief deletes the app or the phone is offline?
- Trace&Trap stops working. It needs the app installed, location permission granted and connectivity to report a fix. That is exactly why it sits beside Find My rather than instead of it.
- Should I still blacklist the phone in South Africa?
- Yes. Report the theft to the police for a case number and ask your network to blacklist the IMEI so the handset cannot be used on local networks. Trace&Trap does not block a device at network level.
Add the deterrence layer
Create an account, install Trace&Trap on your phone's home screen, and keep your built-in Find My tool switched on beside it.
Create an account