Losing a smartphone is always stressful, especially when it comes to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro with its unique MediaTek Helio processor. G90T, The good news is that even if the phone is turned off or without a SIM card, the chances of returning it are higher than you think. In this article, all the working ways of searching, including little-known chips, are the best ways to find it. MIUI 14 and workarounds for older firmware versions.
First rule: don't panic. Redmi Note 8 Pro is equipped with a hardware module GPS + GLONASS + BeiDou, which continues to transmit coordinates even when the battery is dead (up to 12 hours in power saving mode). And if you have ever turned on Xiaomi Cloud services, then the phone can be tracked through the web interface β more about this in the next section.
But what if the account was not tied and the phone is silent? Here will help alternative methods: from sending SMS-It's important to understand that the effectiveness of each method depends on the current state of the phone (on/off, whether the Internet is available, whether the screen is unlocked.
1 Search through the official service Xiaomi Cloud
The most reliable way is to use the built-in Find Device feature in Xiaomi's ecosystem, which works even if the phone is turned off (the last known location is saved on the servers).
1. Go to i.mi.com and log in to the same account that was linked to the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
2. In the menu, select the Find Device tab.
3. The map will show the last known location of the phone with accuracy 5-20 Meters (depending on the density of urban development).
If your phone is connected and connected to the Internet, you can:
- π Turn on the sound signal (works even in silent mode, volume - 100%).
- π Lock the device with the message on the screen (for example, "Reward for returns: +79XX...").
- π§Ή Delete all data (last resort if sensitive information is on your phone).
β οΈ
Note: If the phone was reset to factory settings via Recovery, the Xiaomi account is still tied! the attacker will not be able to activate the device without your username/password (Mi Account Lock feature).
π‘
If you donβt remember the password from your Xiaomi account, restore it through your linked email or phone number before you start searching, otherwise, access to Find Device will be blocked.
2.Alternative ways: Google Find My Device and Samsung SmartThings
If your Xiaomi account wasnβt tied, try Google or other vendors, and they often work on Xiaomi phones:
Method 1: Google Find My Device
1. Go to the google.com/android/find Sign in to the Google account that was added to the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
2. The service will show the last location of the phone (updated each time). 5-15 Minutes with active internet).
3. The options available:
- π View on the map (more accurate than Xiaomi, thanks to the integration with Google Maps).
- π Play the sound (5 minutes without stopping, even if the phone is in Do Not Disturb mode").
- π Block and show a message (works even if the screen is locked with a password).
Method 2: Through Samsung SmartThings (non-obvious life hack)
Few people know, but the Redmi Note 8 Pro supports Samsung's SmartThings Find protocol, as long as it has SmartThings (even a one-time app) installed on it.
1. Install SmartThings app on another phone (Android/iOS).
2. log in to the same Samsung account that was on the lost device.
3. The Devices section can display your Redmi Note 8 Pro with the latest coordinates.
Why does it work?
3. Search by IMEI: Myths and Reality
Many users believe that the number IMEI You can easily find the phone through the police or the carrier, and in practice, this only works in 3 cases:
1. the phone is connected to the operatorβs network (even without the Internet).
2. you submit an official statement to the police (an independent request to the operator will not help - this is a violation of the law on confidentiality).
3. Redmi Note 8 Pro has not been replayed (IMEI stored in a protected area NVRAM, It can be reset if it is not updated properly).
How to find out the IMEI of a lost phone?
- π Check out the Redmi Note 8 Pro box (IMEI marked).
- π± If your phone is synced to your Google Account, IMEI You can find it in your Google personal account. β Devices.
- π Check checks or warranty coupons (IMEI frequently duplicated).
β οΈ
Attention: Services like imei.info or imei-tracker.com are frauds, they don't have access to carrier databases and they only collect your data. IMEI β through law enforcement.
Previous Post:Redmi Note 8 Pro IMEI If the phone has been disassembled and the board has been replaced (for example, after repair), the old one is attached to the motherboard. IMEI become irrelevant.
4. SMS-commands and hidden functions MIUI
If your phone is on but you donβt have access to your accounts Xiaomi/Google, I can try to send it. SMS-This method only works if you have a lost number:
- The phone hasn't reset to factory settings.
- Installed standard Messages application from Xiaomi (side messengers do not support these commands).
List of working teams for Redmi Note 8 Pro:
##1234## β Checking the connection with Xiaomi servers (answer: "Connected" or "Error")
##4636## - Sign in to the engineering menu (can show location via GPS)
##36446337## - battery and temperature information (indirectly to help you know if the phone is on)For remote locking, send SMS textual:
lock 123456Where 123456 is the new password to unlock the screen, and the phone locks when you next connect to the Internet.
β οΈ
Warning: Commands only work if the "Prohibit Engineering Codes" feature on the phone is disabled (in the developer settings). MIUI 12.5+ This option is on by default.
Make sure that SIM-card on the phone active|
Try calling if the phone is on but not answering, SMS may work|
Use the number from which you previously called your lost phone (to avoid getting spam)|
Do not send commands more than 1 time in 5 minutes (flood protection may work)
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5 Search through the operator: what really works
Contract operators (MTS, Beeline, Tele2, MegaFon) have tools to search for phones on their network, but they never provide this information directly to the customer.
Step 1: Block the door SIM-map
Call the operator and ask for a lock. SIM-It's a card by phone number:
- π³ Use of mobile banking or payments.
- π Calls/SMS on your behalf (scammers often use lost phones to send spam).
- π Tracking through GPS (If the attacker puts in his SIM, geolocation may be lost).
Step 2: Request a call log
The operator can provide details of calls for the last 3 days (passport required).
- Find out who called from your number after the loss.
Track the approximate location by base stations (accuracy - to the area of the city).
Step 3: Find out if the phone is connected to another SIM
If the Redmi Note 8 Pro supports 2 SIM-The card operator can check if the second SIM is activated:
1. Name the operator IMEI telephone (indicated on the box).
2. ask to check whether this is not registered IMEI networked.
π‘
Telecom operators do not search for phones, but can help indirectly: block SIM, Provide log calls or confirm activity IMEI It won't give you the exact coordinates, but it will narrow down the search.
6. If the phone is turned off: what to do?
The most difficult scenario is when the Redmi Note 8 Pro is discharged or manually turned off, and a combination of three methods will help.
Method 1: Tracking by Bluetooth beacons
If Bluetooth is on, you can find it through:
- π Device Locator (from Google) β shows the latest devices that were near your phone.
- π± AirTags or Tile β if a Bluetooth tracker was attached to the phone.
- π Car multimedia systems (e.g., Android Auto in the car can save the last connection).
Method 2: Checking Wi-Fi Connections
If your phone has ever connected to a home or work Wi-Fi network, check:
1. Router: In the routerβs web interface (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1), see the list of connected devices.
2. Applications like Fing or WiFi Analyzer β they show all devices on the network, including those that are turned off but previously connected.
Method 3: Physical search on the last route
Think about the last time you were on your phone, and:
Check the security cameras in the shops/cafes (they are legally required to provide a recording at the request of the police).
- Ask the taxi services (if you went to Yandex.Taxi or Uber, they have a history of routes).
- See the history of geolocation in Google Maps (Chronology tab).
π‘
If the phone is turned off but you are sure it is at home/work, use a metal detector. Redmi Note 8 Pro contains enough metal parts (battery, camera, radiator) to detect it at depths of up to 30 cm (for example, if you fell under the sofa).
7.Extreme measures: remote erasure and lockdown
If you can't get your phone back, but it's storing important data (photos, passwords, banking apps), you need to remotely erase the information.
Method 1: Through Xiaomi Cloud
1. Go to i.mi.com. β Find the device.
2. Select the Redmi Note 8 Pro from the list.
3.Push Delete Data β confirm.
β οΈ Important: After this operation, the phone will be reset to factory settings, but the binding to the Xiaomi account will remain (Mi Account Lock function.
Method 2: Google Find My Device
1. Go to the google.com/android/find.
2. Select the device β Erase the data.
3. Confirm the action (you will need to enter a password from your Google account).
β οΈ Limitation: This method only works if the phone is on and connected to the Internet. If it's off, the command will run the next time it's turned on.
Method 3: Through TWRP (for advanced users)
If the Redmi Note 8 Pro was installed custom recovery TWRP, You can try remotely flashing a zip archive with a data cleanup command:
1. Download. TWRP For the Redmi Note 8 Pro.
2. Create a file. wipe_data.zip team:
ui_print("Cleaning data...");
wipe_data();3. Upload the file to SD-the card or internal memory through ADB sideload (if the phone is connected to the PC).