How to find your phone if its on silent

There's nothing worse than losing your phone—except losing your phone when the ringer is silent. If you're alone, it can be excruciatingly hard to find your lost device even if the ringer is on, considering most of us don't have landlines anymore. So, the next time you find yourself hunting for your phone, don't tear your house apart until you've tried some of these quick tips.

I Can't Find My Phone

Don't have a phone to call your missing phone from? You can use a site like I Can't Find My Phone to ring it for you. All you have to do is type in your number and hit "Hello?".

How to find your phone if its on silent

Google Voice

Don't trust sites like the one above? You can also use the Google Voice call feature. If you have an account, enter any phone number and Google Voice will call your phone first before calling the number you entered. As Lifehacker pointed out, it will still call the other number if you don't find your phone and answer before voicemail takes over, so be sure to choose wisely.

How to find your phone if its on silent

Play Really Loud Music

This sounds a little counterintuitive until you learn how it works.

All you need is a set of speakers. Call your phone, then walk around with music blaring from the speakers. That annoying white noise you sometimes hear when you make a phone call works to your benefit here. If you can get close to where the phone is hiding, the speakers can pick up the interference. If you hear a crackling sound, you know you're close. The closer you get, the louder it will sound. You can be a real-life Hansel or Gretel—just follow the breadcrumbs.

How to find your phone if its on silent

Want to know more? Here's a more detailed guide by Apartment Therapy.

Smartphone Apps

If you have a smartphone, there are a number of apps you can use to find it. McAfee's WaveSecure app lets you to track your device online via GPS or text message, and allows you to remote lock or wipe your phone, even if the SIM card is changed. But it's not free, costing $19.99 annually. It works with Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Phone, and Symbian and Java Platforms.

How to find your phone if its on silent

Image via wonderhowto.com

If you don't want to spend the money, there are plenty of other apps for Android devices, and PCWorld tested and reviewed three tracking apps specifically for iPhones, including Apple's own Find My iPhone app.

How to find your phone if its on silent

Know of any other clever ways to find a lost phone? Share them in the comments!

Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill. Get a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited for all your devices with a one-time purchase from the new Gadget Hacks Shop, and watch Hulu or Netflix without regional restrictions, increase security when browsing on public networks, and more.

Buy Now (80% off) >

Other worthwhile deals to check out:

  • 41% off a home Wi-Fi analyzer
  • 98% off a learn to code bundle
  • 98% off an accounting bootcamp
  • 59% off the XSplit VCam video background editor
Photos by jonrawlinson, Lost Phone, Manish Kumar

How do you find my phone if it's on silent?

If you lose your device and you think it's nearby, you can use Find My iPhone on iCloud.com to play a sound on it to help you find it. The sound plays even if the device is in silent mode or the volume is muted. If you have Family Sharing set up, you can also play a sound on a family member's device.

Can you ping a phone on silent?

Find My iPhone Feature And if you already know its somewhere in your home itself, then all you need to do is tap on the dot on your iPhone. A box will then come up on your screen with three options—click on the 'play sound' option. This will enable your phone to ping loudly, even if its on vibrate or silent.

How do I make someone's phone ring when it's on silent?

Select “Do Not Disturb.” Select “People." Find it under the “Allowed Notifications” tab. Add yourself to the “Allow Calls From” list. Now, you'll be able to call them at any time—even when their phone is on silent.

Can you make an iPhone ring on silent?

In Ring mode, you hear ringtones and alerts. In Silent mode, you don't, but your iPhone can still play sounds, like when you play music or videos.