Google Inc. has announced that users of Android smartphones can now simply type 'Find My Phone' in the search box to find their lost or missing device. Using the feature, Google will pinpoint the location of the missing device on a map and also make the phone ring.

In August 2013, Google had introduced the Android Device Manager tool, which included the ability to locate a missing handset on a map, and make it ring on top volume. In March this year, Google had released an update to Android Device Manager to help users find their lost device using an Android Wear device. The feature works with the voice command "Ok Google. Start. Find my phone" or by selecting the 'Find my phone' option from the start menu. If the device is mapped with Android Device Manager, then it begins ringing at full volume until the Android Wear device/smartwatch remains in Bluetooth range.

Google has now integrated Google Search to make it easier for users to find their phone without navigating to a separate interface. According to the new Google post, users can now find the location of their missing device on a map and also make the phone ring by just typing 'find my phone' in the Google search bar after logging in with the same Google account registered on their smartphone. The search results will show when the handset was last used and Google Maps will show the handset's location. The feature also allows users to ring the smartphone on full volume for five minutes and then stop the ringing by pressing the handset's power button.

However, in order to access this feature, users need to install the latest version of the Google Search app on their smartphone so that the 'find my phone' command will work. Moreover, the smartphone's GPS must also be active without which it is not possible to locate the handset.