How To Locate a Phone Number by Satellite

As a parent, few things are more unsettling than not knowing where your child is. When calls and texts go unanswered, worry can quickly set in. Fortunately, modern technology offers a solution: satellite phone tracking. This can provide peace of mind and help you ensure your child’s safety.

You have several options for locating a phone number by satellite, from parental control apps to GPS phone trackers. Let’s explore how this technology can be used effectively and responsibly to track your child’s device.

Key Takeaways

Satellite tracking uses GPS technology in phones to provide precise location data for child safety monitoring.
Android users can utilize Google’s Find My Device for free, real-time tracking and remote device control.
iPhone owners have access to Apple’s Find My app, offering the ability to share a location with friends and set customizable location-based alerts.
Third-party apps like mSpy provide advanced features such as geofencing, location history, and social media monitoring for more comprehensive tracking.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
How To Locate a Phone Number by Satellite
How To Track an Android Phone With Google Find My Device
How To Track an iPhone With Apple’s Find My
Third-Party Location Tracking Apps
Conclusion
FAQs

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
How To Locate a Phone Number by Satellite
How To Track an Android Phone With Google Find My Device

Show Full Guide

How To Track an iPhone With Apple’s Find My
Third-Party Location Tracking Apps
Conclusion
FAQs

How To Locate a Phone Number by Satellite

Modern smartphones come equipped with GPS technology, allowing for precise location tracking. For satellite phone tracking, there are two primary methods used:

Built-in tools provided by Android and iOS.
Third-party applications, such as spy apps.

Built-in tools offer a straightforward, cost-free solution for basic tracking needs. Third-party apps, while typically requiring a subscription, provide more comprehensive monitoring features and helpful support from a customer service team. In areas with poor reception, where satellite tracking may become less accurate, some apps offer offline tracking, storing location data when the signal returns.

It’s important to note that continuous location tracking can drain a phone’s battery faster. To mitigate this, encourage your child to keep their phone charged regularly. You should also know the legal implications of tracking someone’s phone. In most cases, you need the device owner’s consent. For minors, parental consent is typically sufficient, but laws vary by location.

Let’s examine the tracking methods in detail to help you choose the most suitable one for your family’s needs.

How To Track an Android Phone With Google Find My Device

Screenshot of Google’s Find My Device app from the Google Play Store (Image credit: Google)

Google’s Find My Device is a robust, free tool for tracking Android phones. It uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell networks to pinpoint your child’s device location.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to set it up:

On your child’s Android phone, navigate to Settings > Google > Security.
Go to “Find My Device” and ensure it’s activated.
Verify that location permissions are enabled (Settings > Location).
On your own device, visit android.com/find and sign in using the Google account linked to your child’s phone.
Once logged in, you’ll see a map displaying the current location of the tracked device.

Additional features include the ability to play a sound on the target device, lock it remotely, or erase its data if necessary. This method requires the device to be powered on and connected to the internet.

For more comprehensive tracking, consider enabling Google Location History on your child’s phone. This feature stores location history data over time, allowing you to view patterns and get a detailed location report on your device or computer.

Here’s how to set up Google Location History:

On your child’s Android device, go to Settings > Google > Location.
Tap on “Google Location History” or “Location Services.”
Toggle on “Location History” and “Location Reporting.”

To view the location history:

Open Google Maps on your device or computer.
Sign in with the Google account linked to your child’s device.
Click on the menu icon and select “Your timeline.” You can now view location history by date, including places visited and routes taken.

This feature provides a comprehensive view of your child’s movements over time, which can be valuable for understanding their routines and ensuring their safety.

How To Track an iPhone With Apple’s Find My

Screenshot of Apple’s Find My app from the Apple website (Image credit: Apple)

Apple’s Find My app is an integrated solution for tracking iOS devices. It uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular data to locate your child’s iPhone. Additional options include playing a sound on the target device, marking it as lost, or erasing its data remotely if needed.

For continuous location sharing, there are a few steps to follow. It’s important to note that the steps for setting up family groups and sharing locations change depending on the iOS versions your devices are running. Check Apple Support for older versions of iOS. Here’s how to do it on iOS 18:

First, set up a family group:

On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.
Tap on your name.
Tap on “Family,” then “Set Up Your Family.”
Choose “Add Member.”
Add their account:
1. If your child doesn’t have an Apple account already, choose “Create an Account for a Child” and follow the instructions to create an Apple account for them.
2. If your child already has an Apple account, choose “Invite People.” Enter their Apple ID email and password to add them.

Then, set up location sharing:

On your child’s device, open the Settings app.
Tap on their name.
Tap on “Family.”
Select your name from the list at the bottom.
Set “Automatically Share Location” to on.

The current location of your child’s phone is now available to you at all times through the Find My app. This method allows you to see your child’s exact location anywhere in the world in real time, provided their device is online and has location permissions enabled.

Third-Party Location Tracking Apps

While built-in tools offer basic tracking capabilities, third-party apps can provide more comprehensive monitoring solutions. Some popular GPS phone trackers include mSpy, uMobix and Spynger.

These applications often include additional features such as geofencing (alerts when your child leaves or enters a geographic area), social media monitoring, and detailed activity reports.

The primary advantages of using third-party apps include:

More detailed location tracking, including historical data.
Additional monitoring features beyond location—all available through user-friendly interfaces.
Cross-platform compatibility (often able to track both Android and iOS devices from a single dashboard).
More frequent location updates and better signal strength detection.
Often more discreet than built-in solutions.

These apps typically require a subscription and may involve complex setup procedures. For instance, some features might require “rooting” an Android device or “jailbreaking” an iPhone. Rooting or jailbreaking is a process that gives you administrative access to the device’s operating system, allowing the tracking app to access more data and functions.

While rooting or jailbreaking can enable more comprehensive tracking, it can void the device’s warranty and potentially make it more vulnerable to security risks. So, look for apps that can track location without requiring the phone to be rooted or jailbroken.

Let’s look at how to set up one of the most popular options, mSpy.

How To Set up mSpy on Android

Screenshot of geofencing being used in the mSpy control panel (Image credit: mSpy)

mSpy is a comprehensive tracking app that offers extensive monitoring features. It provides real-time location tracking, geofencing alerts, and access to call logs, text messages, and social media activity. The app runs discreetly in the background, allowing undetectable monitoring of your child’s device.

Here’s how to set it up on an Android device:

Purchase an mSpy subscription from the official website.
You’ll receive an email with login credentials for your control panel.
Access the target device and open Settings > Security.
Enable “Unknown Sources.” This allows the installation of apps from outside the Play Store.
Open a web browser on the target device and enter the link provided in your mSpy welcome email.
Download and install the mSpy app.
Open the app and grant all required permissions when prompted.
Enter the registration code provided in your welcome email.
The app will start running in the background. You can now monitor the device from your mSpy control panel.

For full functionality (particularly social media monitoring), you may need to root the Android device, but basic GPS location tracking works without rooting.

How To Set up mSpy on iPhone

Setting up mSpy on an iPhone is more straightforward since it uses iCloud synchronization.

Here’s the process:

Purchase an mSpy subscription and access your Control Panel.
Select “Set up new device” and choose iOS as the operating system.
You’ll need your child’s iCloud credentials (Apple ID and password).
Enter these credentials in your mSpy Control Panel.
If two-factor authentication is enabled on the iPhone, you’ll need to enter the verification code sent to the target device.
Once verified, select the device you want to monitor from the list of available devices.
mSpy will begin syncing data from the iPhone to your Control Panel.

You don’t need to install an app on the user’s phone using this method. You don’t even need physical access to their iPhone unless they have two-factor authentication enabled. However, it does require knowing the user’s iCloud credentials.

With mSpy, you can track your family’s GPS location, set up geofencing alerts, and view their location history. Geofencing allows you to define virtual boundaries on a map and receive notifications when the tracked device enters or leaves these areas.

To set up geofencing:

Log in to your mSpy Control Panel.
Navigate to the “Geofencing” section.
Click “Add Zone” and define an area on the map.
Set the zone name and choose whether to be alerted when the device enters or leaves this zone.
Save your settings.

The app also offers additional features like social media monitoring and text message tracking, providing a comprehensive overview of your child’s digital activities.

Conclusion

Locating a phone number by satellite offers parents a powerful tool for ensuring their children’s safety. Whether you opt for built-in solutions like Find My Device or Find My iPhone or choose more comprehensive third-party apps like mSpy, the key is to use these tools responsibly and in conjunction with open communication with your child.

While these technologies can provide peace of mind, they should complement, not replace, trust and dialogue in your relationship with your child. As you implement these tracking solutions, consider discussing online safety, setting clear boundaries, and explaining the reasons behind your decision to track their location.

For more information on keeping your children safe online, consider exploring other parental control apps or learning about spy apps for iPhone and spy apps for Android.