FAQ: How to Remote Wipe Your Android Phone

If you’re anything like me, you keep a lot of information on your phone. I don’t have any banking apps or anything, just for safety reasons, but I am logged into Google and have documents and things I’d rather other people not snoop through. While wiping the device is the obvious solution, if it’s lost or stolen this can be impossible. Luckily, Google has you covered, and you can remotely wipe your device. However, there are a few things you’ll need to know about remotely erasing your device:

• It cannot be undone. All the info is gone forever.
• You have to activate the Android Device Manager ahead of time to do it
• SD cards are not effected and cannot be remotely wiped.

This is a drastic measure meant to protect you if your phone somehow walks off without you, and it is permanent so don’t do it if there’s a good chance the device is simply lost somewhere in your couch. If that’s the case, you can remotely ring it instead, also using Android Device Manager.

Steps to Remotely Erase a Device

First, you have to turn on Android Device Manager. Depending on how new your device is, it is probably turned on automatically, but it’s still good to check. Activate Android Device Manager Method 1 (for devices running Lollipop or later)

1. Open the “Settings” app
2. Under the Personal section, tap “Google”
3. Scroll down and tap “Security”
4. Under Android Device Manager, check to make sure the switches for “Remotely locate this device” and “Allow remote lock and erase” are on.

Activate Android Device Manager Method 2 (for devices running Kitkat)

1. Open the Google Settings app (located in your app drawer; it should be a gear with a G on it)
2. Tap “Security”
3. Under Android Device Manager, check to make sure the switches for “Remotely locate this device” and “Allow remote lock and erase” are on.

Remotely Erase Your Device Now that you’ve got that set up, you can remotely lock, erase, or ring your device.

1. From a computer, sign into the same Google account that you use with the device
2. Tap the arrow next to the lost device to select it
3. Select an option: Ring, Lock, or Erase

Once you select one of the options, it should happen immediately and will likely take you back to the main screen to select the device.  ]]>