To locate or lock your Windows PC online, sign in with a personal Microsoft account that has administrator access, enable device location, and turn on Find my device. Complete setup before the PC goes missing. Your PC needs an internet connection and sufficient power to send its location.
The short version
- Account requirement: Sign in to the PC with a personal Microsoft account that has administrator access.
- Setup: Enable device location, then turn on Find my device before you need it.
- Finding your PC: Sign in to the Microsoft account devices page with the same account and select Find My Device.
- Remote locking: Locate the PC, select Lock, then select Next.
- Location limits: The PC needs power and internet access to send a location, and its position may be approximate.
| Task | Where to start | Requirement or limit |
|---|---|---|
| Connect your personal account | On Windows 11 or Windows 10, open Settings > Accounts > Your info | Personal Microsoft account with administrator access |
| Enable or disable tracking | On Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security, then select Find my device | Enable before the PC goes missing |
| Enable device location | On Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Location | Administrator access required |
| Open settings directly | Enter ms-settings:findmydevice in Run | Windows 11 or Windows 10 where the page is available |
| Enable tracking during setup | Windows 11 personal-device setup | Screen availability depends on setup configuration |
| Locate your PC | On the Microsoft account devices page, select Find My Device | Previously configured Windows 11 or Windows 10 device |
| Lock your PC | After locating it, select Lock | Eligible Windows 11 or Windows 10 device |
| Check registration | Microsoft account devices page | Windows 11 registration can take up to 24 hours |
| Remove a former PC | Microsoft account devices page | Account cleanup after disposal or transfer |
| Control tracking through Group Policy | Policy editor | Applies to editions covered by Microsoft's policy |
| Control tracking through MDM | AllowFindMyDevice policy | Applies to eligible managed Windows editions |
| Control tracking through registry policy | Mapped machine-policy registry location | Same edition limits as the policy |
| Locate an organization-managed PC | Microsoft Intune admin center | Required configuration and administrator role |
| Find a nearby Presenter+ | Microsoft Accessory Center | Presenter+ must be connected to the PC |
| Get the accessory app | Microsoft Store | Microsoft Accessory Center is for compatible accessories |
Connect your personal Microsoft account
You need a personal Microsoft account with administrator access on the PC. A local-only account or organizational account does not meet that requirement. Use the same personal account later when locating the device online.
On Windows 11 or Windows 10, open Settings > Accounts > Your info. If you currently use a local account, select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead and follow the sign-in prompts. You still need to enable device location and tracking separately.
Turn on device location
On Windows 11, select Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Location, then turn on Location services. You need administrator access to change device-level location. Individual app permissions are separate and do not replace this setting.
On Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Privacy > Location, then select Change. Turn on Location for this device to enable device-level location.
On Windows 11 or Windows 10 where the location settings page is available, you can also open it directly. Press Windows + R to open Run, enter the following command, then press Enter.
ms-settings:privacy-locationEnable tracking before you need it
On Windows 11, select Start > Settings > Privacy & security, then select Find my device. Turn on Find my device. This applies to eligible Windows 11 PCs, laptops, tablets, and Surface devices, including consumer Home and Pro installations.
You can also turn on Find my device during eligible Windows 11 personal-device setup, including Surface setup. The screens offered depend on your setup configuration. If the choice does not appear during setup, complete setup and follow the Windows 11 settings path above.
A direct shortcut opens the tracking settings on Windows 11 and Windows 10 where the page is available. Press Windows + R to open Run, enter the following command, then press Enter.
ms-settings:findmydeviceOnce the page opens, turn on Find my device. The shortcut opens the existing settings page and provides no separate tracking service. Keep the PC connected to the internet and sufficiently powered so it can send its location.
Find and lock your PC from another device
Open the Microsoft account devices page (https://account.microsoft.com/devices) in a browser on another device. Sign in with the same Microsoft account you use on the missing PC, then select Find My Device. Choose the PC and select Find to display its location on a map. Sign in only through Microsoft’s own app or website, and never share a code, password, or remote access with someone who contacts you.
This procedure works for previously configured Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices. A location request produces a notification on the target PC. Treat the map position as approximate rather than guaranteed GPS positioning.
After locating the PC, select Lock, then select Next to continue the locking process. Microsoft also recommends considering a password reset after the device is locked.
Fix problems finding your PC
First, confirm that your browser is signed in to the same personal Microsoft account as the PC. Windows 11 PCs are added to your account automatically when you sign in to Windows with that account. Microsoft says registration can take up to 24 hours to appear on the devices page.
You can also register a Surface manually by serial number, but registration does not replace enabling tracking. Organization-owned or managed PCs cannot be registered to a personal account through this procedure.
If you still have the PC, check its account access, device location, and tracking setting. On Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Location and confirm Location services is on. On Windows 11, return to Settings > Privacy & security, select Find my device, and confirm that setting is on too.
Next, check power and internet access, since the PC needs both to send its location. If your connection depends on a phone hotspot, fix a laptop hotspot connection before requesting another location. For a Surface that will not power on, first troubleshoot the Surface power problem.
If the PC is already missing, tracking must have been enabled beforehand. An approximate map position alone does not mean your setup failed.
Turn tracking off and remove a former PC
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Privacy & security, then select Find my device. Turn off Find my device to disable it. If you decide to use tracking again, turn on Find my device before the PC goes missing.
For a PC you have finished using after disposal or transfer, open the Microsoft account devices page and sign in. Select Show details > More actions > Remove, then review the device details. Check I'm ready to remove this device, then select Remove.
Microsoft's device-management instructions also show an entry labeled Remove device, so the starting action can differ. Account removal is a cleanup task for a former PC. For a missing PC, use the locating and locking actions.
Manage tracking through administrative policies
If you administer Windows devices, Microsoft's policy covers Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise families, with applicability beginning at Windows 10 version 1703. Home is not listed for this policy. On an unmanaged consumer PC, use the settings procedure above.
For Group Policy, open the policy editor and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components. Select Find My Device, then select Turn On/Off Find My Device. Configure the policy to allow or disallow the feature; the personal-account and location requirements still apply.
For MDM, configure the following integer policy on an eligible managed Windows device. Use 1 for allowed or 0 for not allowed.
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Experience/AllowFindMyDeviceFor the mapped registry policy, use the following machine-policy location. Configure the value named AllowFindMyDevice with 0 to disallow or 1 to allow the feature. The same policy edition limits apply.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\FindMyDeviceLocate a managed PC with Intune
For an Intune-managed Windows device, an authorized administrator can use Microsoft's organizational location service. You need the required administrator role and device configuration. This service is separate from personal Microsoft-account tracking.
Configure a Windows Settings catalog policy under Privacy > Let Apps Access Location, choose Force allow, then assign it to the device group. In Microsoft Intune admin center, select Devices > All devices and select the PC. Select Locate device in the action row, or select Locate > Locate device in the alternate layout, then view the resulting map.
Find a nearby Microsoft Presenter+
Windows PC tracking requires no separate app download. For a compatible Microsoft Presenter+ accessory, get Microsoft Accessory Center from its official Microsoft Store product page. The accessory feature applies to Windows 11 Home or Pro and Windows 10 with the latest updates.
With Microsoft Presenter+ connected to your PC, open Microsoft Accessory Center. Select Microsoft Presenter+ > Device details, then under Find my device, select Start vibrate. This helps you locate the connected accessory nearby; it does not locate a missing PC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can another user stop tracking by disabling location for their apps?
Microsoft says the device-finding feature can work even when other users disable location for their apps. You still need device-level location enabled, which is separate from those app permissions.
Can Cortana help you find your Windows PC?
Cortana is not a current setup or recovery method. Microsoft retired the standalone Cortana voice-assistance app in Windows in 2023.
Can you track a pen the same way as a PC?
Microsoft describes locally stored last-use locations for compatible active digitizers. Treat that information as a record of where a compatible pen was last used, rather than independent GPS tracking of the pen.
Did Windows 10 support ending also end device tracking?
Microsoft still lists Windows 10 as compatible with the device-finding service. Windows 10's general support ended October 14, 2025, but that lifecycle date does not mean Microsoft discontinued this service.