How to use a Wear OS smartwatch to find your phone

Locate your missing smartphone directly from your wrist
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Finding your lost phone with a smartwatch is one of its simplest and most useful elements - and all Wear OS smartwatches have the capability to do this.

The feature isn't quite as helpful as Apple's Find My app, which pinpoints would-be lost devices on a map, but you can still use your Wear device to buzz your smartphone if the pair are connected over Bluetooth.

Whether you use Android or iPhone, find out exactly what you need for this feature to work and how to get started.

Check out our full guide to Wear OS.

How to use 'Find my phone' on Wear OS

How to use a Wear OS smartwatch to find your phone

In order to access this feature, there are naturally a few requirements. Firstly - and a bit of an obvious one - your phone will have to be powered on.

It'll also have to be connected to your smartwatch over Bluetooth, and therefore still close enough so that you can hear it when it rings.

Handily, your phone will actually ring even if the settings have it set to silent or vibrate.

Make your phone ring through Wear OS

1. From the home screen, press the crown to bring up the list of apps.

2. Scroll through the menu and reach 'Find my phone'.

3. Select it, and then follow the prompt to ring your phone.

4. Once you've found your phone, you can tap the screen on your smartwatch to end the ring.


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Conor Allison

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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.

Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides. 

He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror. 


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