Losing your mobile phone can seriously disrupt both your personal life and your business. Whether you’re using a dedicated work phone or a personal device on a business contract, it’s essential to be prepared and know exactly what to do if your phone is lost or stolen. In this guide, we’ll show you how to protect your data, and highlight the most secure business phones available.
Important Note - Whatever phone you choose remember that business phone security relies heavily on how you set it up.
Ensure that key security features are enabled:
- Screen lock — ideally Face ID or fingerprint unlock, with an alphanumeric passcode as a fallback
- Encrypted cloud backups (such as iCloud or Google Drive)
- Device tracking tools, such as Find My iPhone (Apple) or Find My Device (Android)
- Enable ‘Stolen Device Protection’ on iPhone – we wrote an article about it here
- Even though it may seem like a chore, enable 2 factor authentication on critical accounts, trying to ensure the second factor does not go directly to your phone!
Just as important, make sure you know your Apple ID or Google account password — or have it securely stored. These credentials are essential if you need to lock, locate, or erase your phone remotely. Without them, many recovery options won’t be possible.
1. Lock and Track Your Phone - Essential Business Phone Security Tip
Use your phone’s built-in tracking tools to locate and lock it remotely.
- iPhone: Go to iCloud.com, log in, and use Find My iPhone to mark the device as lost. You can display a custom message on the screen, like:
“This phone is lost. Please call 01234 567890.” or if you don’t want to display your phone number, maybe “this IMEI is marked as stolen. Police have been notified” - Android: Use Find My Device to track the phone, lock it, and, if needed, erase its data.
If the phone is switched off, or a thief has disabled location data, you won’t get live location tracking, but these tools will show the last known location and queue your remote commands until the phone comes back online.
2. Change Your Passwords / Suspend accounts
Assume your accounts may be compromised. Immediately change the passwords for (and enable two-factor authentication where possible):
- Online Banking
- Social media
- Cloud storage
- Any sensitive apps (e.g., shopping, work platforms, health services)
- Email accounts
As an additional step for email – remove your lost or stolen device from your email account
If you’re concerned about password reset emails reaching your stolen phone, you should also remove the device from your email account. This prevents it from syncing new messages even if it’s still signed in.
- Gmail (Google Account): Go to Google My Account > Security > scroll down to Your Devices, select your phone, and click “Sign out” or “Don’t recognize this device?” to remove its access.
- Outlook (Microsoft Account): Go to Microsoft Account Devices, find your phone, and remove it from the list.
This step won’t delete already-downloaded emails, but it does cut off new sync access.
3. Report the Theft to Your Provider
Contact your mobile service provider to:
- Suspend or disconnect your SIM card
- Block the device using its IMEI number (if available) to prevent it from being used on other networks.
- Discuss replacement options if you’re insured
When All Else Fails: Remotely Wipe Your Phone
If recovery seems unlikely, you can erase all data on the phone remotely. This will delete everything — apps, messages, photos, emails — leaving no personal info behind.
iPhone
- Go to iCloud.com/find and log in.
- Select your device from “All Devices.”
- Click “Erase iPhone.”
Your data will be deleted, but Activation Lock will prevent reactivation without your Apple ID.
Android
- Visit Find My Device and sign in.
- Select your device.
- Click “Erase Device.”
This wipes your data and keeps Factory Reset Protection in place, requiring your Google login to set up again.
Important: Once you erase the device, you can no longer track it using Find My or Find My Device.
The Most Secure Phones for Business Users
Not all phones offer the same level of protection. Some are specifically designed with advanced hardware and software security to safeguard your personal data, even if your device falls into the wrong hands.
Here are the top smartphone brands and models known for their security features:
Apple iPhones
iPhones (particularly newer models such as iPhone 15 and iPhone 16) continue to set the standard for mobile security. They feature Apple’s Secure Enclave to protect your biometric data, Activation Lock to prevent reactivation without your Apple ID, and automatic device encryption. iPhones are also difficult to reset or jailbreak without your credentials, making them a poor target for thieves. With Apple’s consistent rollout of fast, direct software updates, these devices remain secure long after purchase.
Samsung Flagship Models
The S22, S23, S24, S25 and the Z Fold/Flip series, offer built-in business-level security via the Samsung Knox platform. Knox Vault safeguards biometric and password data, while features like Secure Folder allow you to isolate sensitive files and apps. Samsung also includes Reactivation Lock and commits to long-term security updates on its premium phones, making them a trusted option for both personal and business use.
Google Pixel Phones
Google Pixel phones, especially the Pixel 6 and newer, are also excellent from a security standpoint. Their custom-built Titan M2 chip handles encrypted storage and verified boot protection, and newer models (like the Pixel 9) offer up to seven years of guaranteed updates. Pixel devices receive Android’s latest security patches before any other brand and are built with privacy-first architecture to limit data exposure.
Important things to remember – always use biometric authentication, enable remote tracking, keep your device updated, and protect your account with a strong password.
