How to find location from phone number?
Can a person be tracked through their mobile phone? The short answer is yes, although it requires a fair bit of research in most cases. In this article, we will offer you some guidance on how to find out who a number belongs to, the address, and even find the exact location. In some instances, you will need to install or have previously downloaded certain apps to put them into practice, whereas others can be done online.
How to track an unknown number?
First of all, if the problem is that you do not recognize the number in question, you can consult this list of international telephone numbers or each American State to know roughly where they are calling you from. For more information, you can try the following tips:
With Google
It seems like a no-brainer, but sometimes a simple Google search can get you your answer within seconds: just copy and paste the number into the search box and hit ‘Enter’. Depending on if this number has been registered on any sites by the user, you may or may not find more details. If it is a commercial service, it has most likely called other people before you and been reported as spam or a scam.
Tip: write the number differently if you don't get results the first time (with and without the prefix, separating the numbers or putting them together, etc.)
With WhatsApp
Has your Google search been unsuccessful? Then try following these steps:
1) Save the number in your phone with a name that you can easily recognize (for example “Mysterious Number”). Then open WhatsApp and tap on the new chat icon in the bottom right corner.
2) Here you will find that new contact along with their profile picture, status and the last time they were connected. It is not much information, but it may be enough to realize that you already knew that person.
facebook">With Facebook
Another option is to use Facebook. You can search in two different ways:
By number: this method will only provide you with a specific person if that person has registered the number in their account and has allowed this information to be viewed by the public. The good news is that any publications where the number has been mentioned will be shown. This may give more information about the caller’s whereabouts and intentions.
By name: If we were lucky with our Google search and have found a name, we can now search on Facebook to gather much more information about that person (you can also try Twitter, LinkedIn, and any other platform you can think of).
Note: the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that has been applied in Europe since May 2018 makes it impossible to find numbers that belong to this geographical area.
With Instagram
Once we have saved the mystery number in our contacts, we can also try to find the person through Instagram with the ‘Discover People’ feature.
1) Enter your profile and click on the icon with three lines at the top right of the screen. Then select Discover People.
2) Click Connect and grant permission for the app to access your contacts (where the number is now stored). If the number belongs to someone with an Instagram profile, it will appear in the suggestions (update the list to be sure it has been synchronized with your contacts.
With a reverse search page
On the one hand, we have the traditional phone books: the White Pages (USA) or the Yellow Pages UK, where you can search for a phone to obtain the owner's name and address (or search by name or address if you already have this information).
On the other hand, there are also databases where users themselves add information. Arguably this information is more effective if the number you are looking for had previously called others and been reported as spam. They all work similarly: just enter the number in the search engine and press Enter. An excellent example of this is: Who Called for the US or UK.
With Caller ID
All of the options presented so far serve to identify subsequent callers after they have called you. However, it is possible to find out who is calling you at the same time you receive the call - even if you do not already have this number in your phone book. To do this, all you have to do is install a caller ID on your phone.
These apps can detect the origin of the call in ‘real time’, in addition to allowing you to block them if you consider them to be malicious or even record them to have evidence in case you want to provide a report. Here are the best options that you can download from the following links:
Suppose you have come this far and nothing has been able to help you reveal the identity or location of your mystery caller. In that case, you have two options: pick up the phone and simply ask (it may be someone you know or someone who has called by mistake), or block the number if they bother you.
How to track a known number?
With GPS
It is also possible to track the exact GPS location of a known number. The only prerequisites are that you have already installed a locator application on the phone you want to track, for example, iPhone’s ‘Find my phone’, and that the phone is turned on.
These apps will show you in detail the routes and the position of the number you are following; logically, they are intended to be used with the consent of the other person (a relative, a friend, your girlfriend, your children, etc.). Although there are numerous options, below, we will show you how Life360 works, which you can download on your Android here and your iPhone here.
1) Download the app, log in with your phone number, create a password and enter your email and your name (you can also add a photo if you want). Then tap Allow access and Allow when the app asks you to access the location of your device.
2) Tap on Create a New Circle and then on Add a new member. The app will then generate a code. Click Send Code to share it with the person you want to locate on the map.
3) Once that person has also installed the app and entered the code that you have sent them, you will receive a notification and you can start viewing their current position, as well as check their daily routes.
How to track your own number?
If you need to locate your phone in case of theft or loss, see how to locate an Android device or an iPhone (depending on the mobile you are looking for).