5 Best Apps to Track Down Your Stolen Laptop (2023)

Your laptop computer isn’t just a tool; it’s a vault crammed with essential recordsdata, delicate data, and private information. The mere concept of it being stolen is distressing. While backing up important recordsdata to cloud storage and on-line backup companies is feasible, the lack of the bodily device outfitted with devices monitoring continues to be a major blow. Moreover, the information left on a stolen laptop computer will be misused.

Being ready for such unlucky eventualities is sensible. In this text, we present you fice of the very best apps on the market designed to enable you to recuperate your stolen laptop computer. Remember, these apps are best when put in upfront, moderately than after the theft has already occurred.

Overview:

1. Prey

Prey is a sturdy app designed to trace and safe numerous gadgets comparable to laptops, smartphones, and tablets. It employs a number of monitoring strategies like GPS, WiFi triangulation, and GeoIP to make sure exact location monitoring. The app’s “Smart Tracking” function will not be solely correct but additionally battery-efficient. It updates the device’s location each time it detects motion. A worldwide view means that you can monitor the placement of all of your gadgets concurrently.

Additionally, Prey helps you to create “Control Zones,” that are geofenced areas that ship alerts if a tool enters or leaves them. You may also set automated safety actions, comparable to device locking, primarily based on these zones.

The “Location History” function in Prey means that you can backtrack a tool’s actions. This may help you notice any uncommon exercise. The information is organized by date and time and is visually represented via a heatmap. If a tool is misplaced, the “Missing Reports” function collects important information like close by WiFi networks and device photos to help in its recovery.

Cost:

1. Prey Tracking: At $1.1 monthly per device slot, this plan provides fundamental monitoring options. It contains location historical past, lacking stories, exercise logs, and geofencing. The plan additionally permits distant display screen locking. NGOs and academic establishments are eligible for a ten% low cost.

2. Prey Protection: Priced at $1.6 monthly per device slot, this plan contains all of the monitoring options of the primary plan, together with added safety features. You can carry out customized wipes, manufacturing facility resets, and even use a kill swap on Windows gadgets. It additionally helps distant encryption for Windows and file retrieval. A ten% low cost is accessible for NGOs and academic establishments.

3. Prey Full Suite: Costing $1.8 monthly per device slot, this all-inclusive plan provides all of the options from the earlier plans and provides mass actions, audit logs, and device mortgage administration. Automated actions primarily based on particular occasions or time frames are additionally included. Any future options can be added to this plan at no additional cost.

Compatibility:

Prey is appropriate with Mac, Windows, Ubuntu, iOS, and Android.

2. Find My

If you’re part of the Apple ecosystem, the Find My function is a built-in answer for monitoring your Apple gadgets. To allow this function, go to System Preferences > iCloud and examine the Find My field. This means that you can find lacking Apple gadgets like Apple Watch, AirPods, Macs, iPhones, and iPads via iCloud, or by way of your Mac.

Beyond simply monitoring, Find My additionally provides extra safety features. You can remotely lock your device using a customized passcode. In more extreme instances, you’ve the choice to remotely wipe the device to safeguard your private information.

Cost:

The Find My app is free, it comes built-in together with your iOS and iPadOS gadgets.

Compatibility:

Find My is appropriate with Mac and iOS.

3. LockItTight

LockItTight is a multifaceted monitoring and monitoring app appropriate for numerous customers, together with people, mother and father, and IT managers. For private use, it supplies GPS-based location monitoring for all of your computer systems and telephones. Parents can make the most of options like zone alerts, looking historical past monitoring, and app monitoring to make sure their kids’s security. IT managers in academic or company settings can handle a number of gadgets, generate stories, and apply common settings with only one click on.

The app boasts a variety of core options appropriate with totally different gadgets. These embody location monitoring and zone alerts, which notify you when a tool enters or leaves a specified space. Android customers can profit from app monitoring, whereas Windows customers have entry to options like display screen captures, digital camera pictures, key logging, clipboard logging, looking historical past, and web site blocking. This makes LockItTight a complete answer for monitoring your gadgets, whether or not you’re a person, a father or mother, or an IT supervisor.

Cost:

1. Free Plan: This no-cost plan permits monitoring of as much as 5 gadgets and contains 25 saved stories with updates each 5 minutes. All stories are encrypted for safety.

2. Standard Plan: Costs $1.99 per device monthly for month-to-month billing or $0.99 per device monthly for annual billing. It contains 100 saved stories, 5-minute updates, and encrypted stories.

3. Premium Plan: Priced at $4.99 per device monthly for month-to-month billing or $2.99 per device monthly for annual billing. It provides 500 saved stories, updates each 2 minutes, and encrypted stories.

4. Ultimate Plan: Costs $9.99 per device monthly for month-to-month billing or $7.99 per device monthly for annual billing. It supplies 1000 saved stories, updates each minute, and most safety with encrypted stories.

All plans supply on-demand report requests and have encrypted stories for enhanced safety.

Compatibility:

LockItTight is appropriate with Windows, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS.

4. Absolute

Absolute is a complete safety app designed to guard each your property and private gadgets. It provides a wide range of options targeted on safeguarding your delicate data and {hardware}. With enterprise-level information and device safety capabilities, Absolute is especially well-suited for securing laptops and private computer systems.

If a tool goes lacking, you’ll be able to observe it using GPS, Wi-Fi, and IP deal with information. Additionally, you’ll be able to remotely lock the device to forestall unauthorized use and even remotely wipe all delicate information to guard in opposition to fraud.

What units Absolute aside is its distinctive device recovery function, supported by a devoted Investigations Team. This crew assists within the retrieval of stolen gadgets. Moreover, the app provides a assure: in case your stolen device will not be recovered inside 60 days, you might be eligible for as much as $1,000, topic to particular circumstances. This provides an additional layer of assurance, supplying you with each management and a security internet in unlucky conditions.

Cost:

1. Basic Plan: Priced at $19.99 for one yr, this plan provides three core options:

   • Locate your device
   • Lock your device
   • Delete information out of your device

2. Standard Plan: Costs $39.99 for one yr and contains all of the options of the Basic Plan, plus:

   • Recover your stolen device

3. Premium Plan: Priced at $59.99 for one yr, this plan contains all of the options of the Standard Plan and provides an extra assure:

   • Receive as much as $1,000 in case your stolen device will not be recovered inside 60 days (circumstances apply).

Each plan is accessible for both a one-year or a three-year subscription interval.

Compatibility:

Absolute is appropriate with Windows and macOS.

5. Pombo

Pombo is a safety software program designed to help within the recovery of stolen computer systems. Compatible with Windows, GNU/Linux, and macOS, it runs unobtrusively within the background, sending encrypted monitoring information to an internet server of your selecting. If your pc will get stolen, you’ll be able to log into your net server to retrieve the latest file uploaded by Pombo.

Once decrypted, this file will be handed over to legislation enforcement, offering them with important data just like the thief’s IP deal with, timestamps, close by routers, and even a photograph in case your pc has a webcam.

With a deal with consumer privacy and safety, Pombo encrypts all monitoring information using GnuPG, guaranteeing that solely you’ll be able to decrypt it. Unlike different options, Pombo doesn’t rely upon third-party companies, supplying you with full management over each the shopper and server. Being open-source, it permits for personalisation and additional improvement.

Additional options embody the pliability to modify servers, no software program charges or subscriptions, and minimal influence on system sources. The collected information contains system particulars, network interfaces, present connections, and close by Wi-Fi entry factors.

Cost:

Pombo is open-source and free to make use of.

Compatibility:

Pombo is appropriate with GNU/Linux, Mac, and Windows.

Final Thoughts

The adage “prevention is better than cure” holds true, particularly relating to safeguarding your laptop computer. The best method to recuperate a stolen laptop computer is to make sure that it doesn’t get stolen within the first place. While it’s true that unlucky occasions can’t all the time be averted, taking proactive measures can considerably cut back the danger.

Always be vigilant if you’re away out of your laptop computer or different belongings. Keep an additional eye out to make sure their security. Additionally, it’s advisable to not go away your gadgets unattended for prolonged intervals. By taking these precautionary steps, you not solely decrease the probabilities of theft but additionally save your self the trouble and stress of coping with a stolen laptop computer.