Is it possible to track a stolen laptop with a serial number? Or is there any software or program that can help us get back the stolen laptop? Yes, Windows and Mac have introduced many new methods that can easily help you track the stolen laptops other than tracking serial numbers.
Besides tracking the laptop using the serial number you should be careful about your laptop from the time of its purchase. Install tracking software or register your model on your central network so that the network manager could track the model instantly after the steal.
How is it possible to track a stolen laptop with a serial number?
It is possible to track a stolen laptop if you have its serial number. I assume you have the serial number of your laptop; because most of us record the serial number of the laptop. I record serial numbers of all devices I own, you never know when some bad incident could happen.
Tracking the laptop with a serial number is quite a familiar method. The providers can easily track the laptop’s serial number as it constantly shows on their database. Your laptop transmits the serial number to the laptop manufacture that makes them recognize the model.
If you have the serial number, and you complain about proof that the particular model is yours and someone has stolen that, probably the manufactures or brands can help you locate the model.
Brands or manufacturers are not bound to help you recover the model though. In its terms and services, it is mentioned that the company does not guarantee recovery. Still, customer support helps you and sometimes if you present the case in a better way, could instantly get the location of the model.
Most effective methods of tracking a stolen laptop by serial number:
In this long guide, we will be covering the most effective methods you can follow to track your laptop. Just follow the guide as mentioned, and we are pretty sure you will have maximized chances of getting your laptop back.
How to track a stolen laptop using the software?
In my view, this is the most helpful and effective method of tracking a stolen laptop is using the software. The problem with this method is that we usually are not prepared for misplacing or losing our gadgets
. But we should be prepared for that and install the tracking software from the time you purchase a laptop or mobile phone.
The beauty of this software is that thieves will never know that someone is tracking them. Even if he/she uninstall the tracking software, your laptop still is accessible via those tracking application.
I am not talking about the iCloud or Android device manager, they are not useful for laptops but smartphones.
Absolute Home and Office software:
Absolute is one of the most followed and used tracking software that lets you track your stolen laptop.
The software tracks the last location of the laptop connected to Wi-Fi. It actually works using the Wi-Fi positioning system and discovers the last location of the laptop connected to the internet.
Its basic version can help you locate the laptop and lock or delete the laptop storage or important sensitive information.
Its absolute premium version guaranteed your laptop recovery, and if you do not get the laptop back, they compensate you give the laptop price.
Prey
Prey is another important and leading software to track a stolen device. The software can be installed on Windows, Mac, or Ubuntu and help you track the location of the device without paying anything.
Its free version help to track the model, their personal individual plan helps you track a total of 3 devices and their total security protection.
The good thing about these programs is you can track your laptop without purchasing their subscription. Just create your account, put your laptop’s serial number and they will be tracking your laptop. If you like their services might buy their individual or education plan that offers extensive security and around-the-clock protection.
There are much other software in the market that let you track the stolen laptop, free and paid. You can also see EXO5, FrontDoor, LockitTight, and Lojack. We have mentioned the top software that helps revert your premium laptop.
Also Read: Best Laptops for Webcamming in 2021
Tracking a stolen laptop using Social media Apps, Gmail and DropBox
If you are not a tech-savvy person you might not be aware of the fact that you can track your stolen laptop IP Address following the most popular apps you would use on your laptop. It can be Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, Dropbox, and others.
To get this done, to hunt your laptop IP address you just have to access one of the most popular apps or programs you use and log in. Just check the latest login sessions, if the thief is an idiot or not a tech-savvy person, he would not know that your DropBox will make automatic sync and that sync will be shown on the DropBox account.
The same goes with Gmail, the email providing service refreshes to check the latest emails. You can log in to your Facebook account on another laptop, and check the latest login sessions and their locations easily.
If you have a Macbook, then you can use iCloud to track your laptop location. It is similar to finding my iPhone.
How to find a stolen MacBook using the Mac Address:
If you had registered your Macbook on the central network, there are good chances that you could find your Macbook using the Mac Address. I am assuming that you have saved your laptop Mac address before it was misplaced or stolen.
In that case, you should inform the network administrator and let them know about the laptop whose mac address you had registered is lost.
An administrator can use the MacBook filtering method to prevent unknowns from accessing the network or can limit their access.
When a change in IP address happens, the Administrator can learn where the connection is coming from.
Also Read: Best Laptops for college students
Track a stolen Windows Laptop:
If you were using a Windows Laptop, there is good news for you. Windows has the amazing ‘Find My Device’ feature that lets you track your missing Windows Laptop model. This technique uses the Windows operating system to track the location of your lost laptop.
Follow along to track the location of your laptop.
How to track a stolen Windows laptop easily?
Find my device is a Windows feature that lets you locate stolen laptops or Windows devices. To use this feature sign in to your Windows laptop and check if the Find my device feature is turned on.
Turn on Find my device:
When you set up a new device, you can change whether or not to turn on this feature. By default, every device shares turned on this feature.
To check whether your device is turned on ‘Find My Phone’ select Start-> Settings-> Update and Security-> Find my Device. And select the change, you can see your device is turned on or off here.
Keep in mind, that you can find the device only when the Windows device has enabled this feature. By the way, the default settings are always turned on. So, you can now Find your lost laptop.
Find Lost Windows Laptop now:
- log in to your Microsoft Account (https://account.microsoft.com/devices
- Select ‘Find My Device’ Tab
- You will see different devices if you had added more than one, choose the lost laptop and select the find. You will see a map showing the device’s location.
Note: If the device is powered-off the feature would not be working for you. You also need an internet connection working on the lost Laptop, otherwise, there will be no use of this feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to find a stolen laptop using the Serial Number?
Laptop serial number in the form of identity of a laptop. They are used for the immediate recognition of a laptop. They are great to file a report in Police to prove your ownership. So, it is good to save your laptop serial number so that you could prove your ownership in case a physical contact happens and robbers get caught with the material besides your laptop.
It is hard just to rely on a Serial number to track a laptop though. The serial number is useful, this can be used alongside other methods to track your device.
Could a laptop be tracked after factor data reset or a new operating system is installed?
The simplest answer is, that if you have not purchased the premium subscription to the tracing system or software, it will be hard to get that back unless you are very lucky.
These premium subscriptions let you find your device even after a new window is installed.
But you will have to continue paying them from the time of purchase to the time of loss. I have come across a few apps and programs that compensate you if you do not get your stolen device back.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, it is hard to get a lost laptop back with a serial number. And if you were not careful about the security of your laptop in advance, it is almost near impossible to find that stolen laptop.
Most laptops do not get returned and sold on Black Market.
In my view, the only good chance of tracking a stolen laptop using the serial number is using the premium program. In that case, too, you have to bug your laptop in advance; you can’t do anything after it gets stolen.
