How to Track Someone’s Location By Phone Number

Wait! I know where my stolen phone is. I know how to track my phone’s location. Wouldn’t it be great if everybody knew how to find their phones when they lose them or get robbed?

In the emerging digital world, knowing someone’s location can be more than just a convenience. It can be a critical part of the safety, communication, and accountability. Smartphones now come with built-in features and messaging apps like WhatsApp. Whether you want to check on your child as a concerned parent, manage a remote workforce as a business owner, locate a loved one’s location -while traveling, or someone trying to find their lost phone, the ability to track someone’s location by phone number has become both relevant and achievable.

Whether you’re looking to track your lost phone, locate your loved ones, or manage your business, this guide will help you understand how and why to track someone’s location by phone number in 2025.

In this blog, you will learn how to track someone’s location by phone number, with the legal landscape of phone number location tracking, reliable phone number tracking apps, and tips for safe and ethical use of the tracking technology.

Is It Legal to Track Someone by Their Phone Number?

It may seem normal to track someone by their phone number, but it’s not that simple or straightforward. Before attempting to locate someone using a tracking tool or phone number location service, it is essential to understand the legal and ethical boundaries, as data-driven privacy laws have become stricter in 2025.

When is tracking someone’s phone legal?

Most of the countries provide legal services to track someone’s location under some specific considerations, such as:

• Parental Monitoring for Minors: Parents or legal guardians can monitor their children using tracking applications to know about their whereabouts.
• Lost or stolen phones: You are allowed to use your phone number tracking GPS tools to find your own device.
• Consent-based tracking: If the person gives permission to share their location via FindMy or WhatsApp, it is legal to track their location.
• Employee monitoring: Employees can track the company-issued devices that the company has given consent for.

When is it Illegal?

Tracking someone without their consent or knowledge is considered illegal. Your irresponsible activities may violate the local or international privacy policy. In many regions, it is considered:

• Privacy Invasion
• Violation of communication law
• Grounds for criminal prosecution

Always Verify Local Laws First

Before using any phone number location tracker, always verify the laws of the area in which you are using it. What is considered legal in your area/country may not be legal in another area/country.

Methods to Track Someone’s Location by Phone Number

It looks impossible to track someone with their phone number, but this is 2025. Things that seem impossible to do can be easily accomplished in this modern technological era. You can find numerous apps and tools to track a person. With the right tools and apps, you can see the precise location. Here, you will find the best methods for tracking the location.

Method 1: Built-in features of Android and Iphone

If you have an Android or an iPhone, you can use these features to track your own phone and the location of any shared device. To view another person’s location, follow these steps.

Google Find My Device (Android)

For Android users, Find My Device is the easiest and most effective way to track a phone’s location. If you have another person’s consent to use their Google account, then you can access real-time GPS data through the Google app or website.

• You will see Find My Device on your Android phone.
• Then you will need to add your Google account, which requires a phone number to set up.
• To view another person’s location, you need to have their permission to use their Google account on your phone’s Find My Device.
• Finally, you can view the location of their phone when you select it to see the details.

Apple Find My iPhone(iPhone)

For iPhone users, Find My offers the same functionality as Google but has a connection with the Apple ecosystem. It lets you track the location of any phones, iPads, MacBooks, and AirPods connected to the same iCloud.

Let’s have a look at how it works on your iPhone:

• You will see the FindMy app on your iPhone.
• Then you will have to log in with your iCloud account. You need to put your username, which is usually your phone number.
• To view another person’s phone location, you need to add their username and password to your Find My app on your iPhone.
• After entering all the parameters, you can now view their location until they stop sharing it with you.

While this method can be used for personal purposes, such as finding your lost phone, it can also help track another person’s device in case they lose it if you have added their account.

Method 2: Best Apps To Track Phone Number Location

If the built-in Find My feature is not available on your phone, you can use third-party apps to track its location. There are many best apps available online to track the location of your phone number. And some of the best apps to track your phone numbers are:

1. Life360

Life360 is a popular family-oriented location tracking device where a family shares and updates each other’s locations in real-time. It allows the parents to know where their children are.

Key Features:

• Free and premium versions available
• Real-time GPS tracking
• Location history
• Emergency alerts

2. mSpy

mSpy is one of the best apps to achieve more thorough monitoring capabilities. It tracks locations, also with text messages and calls, also used to handle social media. This app will be ideal for parental control and employee monitoring.

Key Features:

• Geofencing is one of its specialties for detailed locations.
• Handles social media as well.
• Private monitoring
• Installation for the target phone

3. GEOfinder

GEOfinder is a strong phone number tracker that helps you track the location despite of which network you use. It is designed to accurately detect the user location with minimal effort and setup.

Key Features:

• Location sharing in real-time.
• No installation required on the targeted phone.
• Tracking using phone number.

4. FlexiSpy

FlexiSpy is one of the most powerful tracking apps on the market. It provides advanced features like call interception, SMS monitoring, and media file sharing.

Key Features:

• Live location updates.
• Powerful phone tracking features.
• Work secretly without being noticed.

These apps offer different levels of functionality according to their plans and needs, offering advance features including tracking multiple devices.

Method 3: Use of Social Media App for Location Tracking

We use many social media in our daily lives. Did you know we can also share our location with friends and family via them? They can be very useful if we know how to track the location using them.

1. WhatsApp

WhatsApp allows users to share their real-time location with family members and close friends for up to 8 hours.

2. Facebook Messenger

Facebook also has a built-in feature that allows you to share your real-time location with friends and family. This will be helpful in family gatherings and friends’ meetups.

3. Snapchat

Snapchat users also use the Snapchat map features to know their friends’ locations in real life, but you need to enable the location sharing option to use these features.

While these social media apps offer an easy and free way to track someone’s location, remember that they work only when the target person chooses to share their location with you.

Method 4: Web-Based Tools and IMEI Services

If you don’t have access to the built-in service and tracking apps, you may consider looking at online tools or IMEI-based services. IMEI ( International Mobile Equipment Identity) can help you track your phone with a unique mobile identifier even if your SIM card is removed.

1. Web-based tools

Some websites allow tracking using your mobile phone, but you need to verify it first. Before giving all the credentials, always verify first if the website is legitimate or not. You will encounter numerous scam websites; therefore, be cautious and select the right one.

2. IMEI-Based Tracking

IMEI-Based Tracking service offers phone tracking with its phone’s unique identifier. These tools are mainly used to track lost or stolen phones, usually by police and phone companies.

Free vs. Paid Tracking Solutions

When it comes to tracking someone’s location using a phone number, there are numerous options available, ranging from free tracking solutions to premium paid services. Each solution comes with its pros and cons; understanding what type of features will help you fulfill your needs, you need to choose thoroughly. Here, we will discuss the differences between the free and paid versions, comparing their features, accuracy, and costs.

Free Tracking Apps and Tools

Many apps offer free tracking features to locate your loved ones, but these features are often limited in their capabilities. Here are some of the popular free tracking apps:

1. Google Find My Device

This feature is available on your Android Phone. You can easily access it only using your Google account. You can easily track the location of any phone linked to your device.

2. Apple Find My IPhone

If you are an iphone user, Find My iPhone is a built-in feature that is free to use. You can track your phone’s location, you can lock it remotely, and also erase data.

3. Family Locator Apps

Life360 and other family locator apps are free to use for basic location tracking. You need to pay to use the premium features available on their app.

Pros of Free Tracking Apps and Tools

• Easy use and access
• No advance cost
• Good for basic tracking

Cons of Free Tracking Apps and Tools

• No detailed tracking
• Limited Features

Paid Tracking Apps

Paid Tracking App offers more features and tools than its free tools, making it the best choice for parenting monitoring and business for more detailed tracking. Some services may even require a credit card to access advanced features or start a trial.

1. mSpy

mSpy is one of the most detailed phone tracking tools, which offers extensive features such as detailed tracking, SMS monitoring, social media management, and employee monitoring that can be done from this tracking tool.

2. FlexiSpy

For more advanced features, Flexispy is another detailed tracking device that intercepts calls and also has the feature to control the whole phone. It’s highly recommended for discreet phone tracking for legitimate purposes, such as security monitoring

Pros of Paid Tracking Apps

• Access to advanced features like geofencing, real-time alert, and location history.
• It is accurate and reliable
•  Can track more than just a phone number

Cons OF Paid Tracking

• Can be costly for premium plans
• Installation on targeted phones

How to Choose the Right Tracking Method for Your Needs

It is a very tiring thing to choose the right way to track someone’s location by phone number. What to choose and how to choose? It all depends on your intent, who you are trying to track why you are tracking them. With the availability of free and paid apps and tools in 2025, it is not the challenge to analyze the tool but to choose the right app for tracking phone numbers, aligning your needs, ethics, and budget. Choosing the mobile app that aligns with your purpose is key to successful and ethical tracking..

For Parents: Monitoring for children’s safety

If you are a parent, the prime concern of your life is your children’s safety. If they are visiting friends, heading off to school, or wherever, you can track them and be at peace. Using family locator apps will help you to be at ease.

Recommended Tools

• Life360: It’s a great option for real-time location tracking, arrival alerts, and driving behaviour analysis.
• mSpy: Best option for older kids, helps in monitoring social media and text messages.

For Personal Use: Finding a Lost or Stolen Phone

If you are trying to track your phone after losing it or after being robbed, the choice is simple. You can use your phone’s built-in tracking features.

Recommended tools:

• Find My Device (Android)
• Find My Iphone (Iphone)

These are the free tools which is highly reliable and easily accessible for tracking your phone

For employers: Monitoring Company-Issued Devices

If you are a businessman running a company, then you will need a track employee’s phones with their consent.

Recommended Tools:

• Mspy: Multiple device monitoring for teams.
• Flexispy: Great tool for monitoring enterprises.

For Emergencies: Quick tracking

In emergencies like disappearance, natural calamities, and accidents, being able to track someone’s phone number could be a matter of life or death. With emergency phone tracking, we can track someone in danger by phone number.

Recommended Tools:

• GEOfinder or emergency-based IMEI tools
• WhatsApp live location sharing
• Find My iphone

What to Consider Before Choosing a Tool?

Ask yourself, what you want and what you want?

• Why am I doing this? ( This helps to clear your vision.)
• Do I have another person’s consent? ( This determines legality)
• What is my budget? (Free tools are limited; paid tools offer more)
• Do I need basic or advanced features? (eg, Best GPS tracker, phone tracking)
• Is the tool trustworthy? (Reliable and accurate)

Choosing the right way to track someone by their phone number highly depends on your intent and context. Whether it is for your children, family, or for your business, there are numerous free and paid premium options you can choose to fulfill your needs.

Ethical and Safe Use of Phone Tracking

With the growing accessibility of phone number tracking tools in 2025, it has never been easier to locate someone’s device. Using tracking technology ethically and safely is not just a best practice, it is a legal requirement.

Always ask for Consent

The golden rule of phone tracking is consent. Whether they are your children, your partner, or your employee, it is necessary to ask them and get permission before tracking. Otherwise, it will be considered illegal surveillance.

Avoid Misuse or Overreach

Using a tracking tool to control, manipulate, or spy, especially in a relationship, is a serious violation of trust and privacy. It is better to be transparent with them and let them know how their data will be used and for how long.

Use secure and trusted apps

Using untrusted apps could leak your data. Instant phone location by phone number without installation is not possible without tracking apps. There are many scam tracking apps you need to be aware of.

Be mindful of intent

If your intent is for safety-driven and legitimate, then you are on the right path. Responsible use helps build trust and keeps privacy, security, and ethics at the forefront.

Conclusion

Tracking someone’s location by phone number in 2025 is no longer just for tech personnel or law enforcement. It is now easily accessible to almost every individual who has a smart smartphone and the right app. Whether you are trying to locate your loved ones or manage a remote team, or recover a lost phone, there are many tools available, from a free GPS tracker to advanced phone monitoring apps.

It is equally important to be responsible, legal, and ethical. Always remember to get consent, and use the promising apps if you are trying to track for the right reason. Unauthorized tracking can lead to privacy violations, legal trouble, and broken trust. There are many ways to track phone numbers. Alternatives like location sharing apps and family safety platforms provide a balance between privacy and respect.

You can use phone number location tracking to enhance safety, simplify communication, and protect what matters most, without crossing ethical lines.

FAQS

Can I track someone’s phone just with a phone number?

Technically, yes, but there are some limitations. You can use some trusted apps for reliable and accurate information.

Are there any myths about using common myths about phone tracking?

Yes, there are so many myths about phone tracking. Some of them are:

• You can track anyone’s phone number without consent.
• All tracking apps are accurate
• A free online phone number tracker always works.

Can tracking without others knowing be legal?

In many countries no, tracking someone without their consent is a violation of privacy laws. Legal phone tracking is essential in every tracking process.

Do I need to install the app on the other person’s phone?

Yes, for most advanced features, you need to install the app on the target phone.

Can I track someone in another country?

Yes, as long as the app supports international GPS tracking and the phone is connected to the internet.

What is the best tracking app to track my child’s location?

Life360, Find My Kids, and mSpy are among the best parental tracking apps in 2025.