How To Track Car With A Phone

Need to track your vehicle using your phone? Learn how to do it by following the procedures below.

The following methods will allow you to (1) find or (2) track in real-time a car’s location using the phone as a GPS tracking device.

1. Find Phone and Car Location

For this procedure, you must know the Google or Apple username and password for the phone (car) you are trying to locate.

Android Users

locate phone car using smartphone andorid

Go to Find your phone (Provided by Google) and log in with the account of the phone you are trying to locate. Here, you see the phone’s location and, therefore, the car.

Pay attention to the location update. In this case, the phone/car was just updated. If the option was updated, let’s say 15 min ago, press the refresh button next to “Last seen _ min ago.”

In addition to locating the phone and car, you have a few other options.

Play Sound – This lets you ring the phone even if it is in vibrate mode.
Secure Device – This will lock the phone and sign you out of Google.
Erase Device – This allows you to erase all your data.

iPhone Users

If you are trying to find the location of a car with an iPhone, go to Find iPhone by Apple. Sign in with the Apple ID and credentials used by the phone that you are tracking. Once you log in, you can see a map and the location of the phone and the car.

2. Track Vehicle in Real-Time with Phone

Do you have a vehicle that you want to track in real time? One way is to use popular GPS tracking devices such as VYNCS GPS Tracker or MOTO Safety Tracking Device for Kids.

Another way to track a car in real time is to use an old phone. Follow the instructions below to turn an old phone into a car tracking device.

What you will need:

Tracking Device (old phone): Put that spare phone to work by turning it into a GPS tracking device. If you don’t have one, you can buy a used older smartphone online for less than $30.
Free GPS Tracking Software / App A GPS tracking software will be used to see the current vehicle location using the GPS in the old phone. Depending on the app, you can also see the history and places visited over the last 24 hours.
Smartphone or Computer: You must use your smartphone or a computer to monitor the Tracking Device (old phone) and, therefore, the car.

Instructions

Choosing a car tracking device (old phone)

We will set up an old smartphone as a GPS tracker. You most likely have an old phone lying around.

If you don’t have an old phone, here is a list of inexpensive phones that will get the job done.

Samsung Galaxy S3
Motorola E
HTC Evo 4G
Apple iPhone

You need a phone that has a clean IMEI / ESN and is not locked.

Activate phone

acti9vate use phone as gps tracking device

For the phone to report the location to you, it must have data enabled.

You can sign up for a cheap $15/month plan with 500MB of data on any of the following service providers.

If you have a family plan, activating the phone on the family plan may be cheaper.

To activate the phone, you will need the IMEI number. You will find the IMEI number in the settings. You will also find the IMEI by removing the phone battery. Or dial *#06# from the phone.

Install a GPS tracking app.

The last step is to install a GPS tracking app on both phones. You will use your phone to track the location of the old phone which you will have in the car.

Many apps allow you to track the phone using a web browser, in case you don’t want to use your smartphone.

There are countless free GPS tracking software available, but one of our favorites is the Life 360 GPS Tracker. It is free to use, and the app works on Android and Apple phones.

Android Phones

iPhone

GPS Location Tracker. GPS Location Tracker by FollowMee
MapMyRun GPS Running
LocaToWeb – Real-time GPS tracking.

Conclusion

Tracking your car location history and current position is simple as long as you have a phone with data enabled in the car. Only use these methods to track your car. Do not follow your teenagers, spouse, or elderly parents without permission.

We hope you find the How to Track Car with a Phone guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your vehicle.

Author

Rushit Hila • ASE Certified

Rushit Hila, an ASE-certified engineer (G1 Automotive Maintenance and Repair), brings over two decades of hands-on experience in the automotive world to his writing. With a strong educational background, including a Master of Science in Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, he has honed his skills and expertise through years of practical work. As a respected authority in the field, Mr. Hila is dedicated to offering insightful and valuable content that resonates with both vehicle owners and mechanics.

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