Stealing your laptop is not only stressful because you have to replace expensive hardware, it also poses a threat to your digital security. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself before and after your laptop goes missing.
Read on to learn how to prepare for the possibility of laptop theft, how to report the theft if your laptop is stolen, and how to protect your data after it’s in the hands of thieves.
How to prepare for a possible laptop theft
Obviously, no one expects their laptop to be stolen, but it can happen to anyone. It’s important to take steps to protect yourself while your computer (and sensitive data) is still in your possession, as this greatly facilitates recovery from laptop theft. In particular, you must make sure to:
Encrypt your data
You can encrypt your hard drive so that no one can access your sensitive information (like saved passwords and credit card information) even if they have physical access to your laptop.
If your computer is running Windows, take a few minutes to configure BitLocker, which can encrypt your drive. You will need to choose a password to access your data, so be sure to follow all common password best practices. (Above all, don’t write it on a sticky note and stick it on your laptop.)
If you are ready to use third party software, you can also download Absolute Home & Office (formerly LoJack for laptops). Besides encrypting your drive, it also makes it easier to take other actions described in this article, such as locating your laptop’s location and remotely deleting your data.
Keep current backup
You should regularly back up your data so that if someone steals your laptop, your files are not lost forever. You should do this even if you are not concerned about laptop theft, as data can be lost or damaged in dozens of different ways.
To learn how to back up your data more efficiently, check out our guides to the best backup software for Windows and the best online backup services.
Activate your laptop’s tracking function
Finally, you need to turn on your laptop’s tracking feature. If it is stolen, you can use it to locate and lock it. In Windows 10, this feature is called Find My Device; in macOS it’s just called Find my.
To use the Find My Device feature in Windows, your laptop must be signed in to a Microsoft account and Location Services must be turned on.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGTo activate this feature – which, to be clear, you need to do before your laptop is stolen — click the Start menu in the lower left corner of your desktop, then click Settings.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGIn the Settings screen, click the button that says Update & security.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGThen click on Find my device in the sidebar. Click on the button on the next screen that says “Edit” and finally place the cursor on the “Enabled” position under “Periodically save my device location”.
What to do if your laptop is stolen
If someone steals your laptop, you need to act quickly. Follow these steps:
- Locate and lock your laptop
- Notify the authorities
- Protect your personal information
1. Locate and lock your laptop
You can only do this if you have activated the “Find my device” function, as described above.
To locate your laptop after it has been stolen, visit devices page for your account on the Microsoft website. Click on the tab that says “Find my device” and select your laptop (look for the name it appeared under when you connected it to your local network). Click on “Search”.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGIf all goes according to plan, Microsoft will display a map showing the location of your laptop. Take a screenshot. You will need to provide it when you report the theft to authorities, which you should do next.
To protect your data, click your laptop on the map and click Lock> Next. This will prevent anyone from using your laptop until you unlock it. This includes you, so if your laptop is returned to you (fingers crossed) you’ll need to sign back into your Microsoft account before you can sign in.
2. Report the theft to the authorities
Once you’ve taken steps to track your laptop, it’s time to let the authorities know what has happened.
File a police report
It goes without saying that you must report the theft to the police. You can do this by calling or going to your local police department office, but you will also likely be able to file a theft report through their website.
Once the police have approved your report, request a copy. Take note of the file number, the officer assigned to your report, and the telephone number of the police station. You will need to provide this information to other authorities, such as your insurance company and the laptop manufacturer.
Inform your bank
If you shop online, your credit card information may be saved on your laptop. Contact your bank immediately to freeze your cards and prevent people from accessing your accounts online.
You should do this even if you have encrypted your hard drive. There’s a good chance this will prevent thieves from stealing your data, but it’s always better to be safe.
Once you notify your bank, they will help you monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity. You should also keep a close eye on your bank statements for the next several months, just in case.
Skynesher / Getty ImagesFile a claim with your insurer
If you have home or tenant insurance, you can file an insurance claim for your stolen laptop. Be prepared to provide this copy of your police report – your insurance company will likely ask to see it.
Home and tenant insurance cover the theft of personal property, which includes your laptop. This means that if it was a work laptop, you might not be able to file a claim because your employer’s property does not technically count as your “personal” property. If your work laptop is stolen, contact your employer instead and see if they can provide you with a new one.
Contact your computer manufacturer
Check your manufacturer’s website and see if they have a hotline you can call to report stolen devices. If they do, give them a call and tell them your laptop serial number.
The manufacturer will flag your laptop in their system and notify the police if the thief contacts technical support or tries to file a warranty claim for your stolen laptop.
3. Protect your personal information
As you have probably understood, when your laptop is stolen, all of your data is at risk. Take the following steps to protect yourself:
Wipe your data
If your lost device is connected to the internet, you may be able to wipe your data remotely.
If you’re using macOS and have “Find My” turned on, you can mark your device as lost and erase it remotely using a process similar to “Find My Device,” described above. This will also lock your device and turn off Apple Pay.
Apple If you are on Windows and have installed the Absolute Home & Office software suite previously suggested, you can also use it to erase your data.
If you are lucky enough to get your laptop back, you should consider erasing it again, in case someone has installed spyware that will allow them to access your data remotely. Make sure you’re really deleting the data – it’s not enough to just drag a few files to the Trash.
Change your passwords
Log into your online accounts and change your passwords. You should do this for each account that you can remember accessing from your laptop, but pay close attention to your email, bank details, and social media profiles.
When you do this, make sure do not to update the autofill feature so that your missing laptop passwords are not synced and updated.
If you are using a password manager like LastPass, 1Password, or Dashlane, you can clear and uninstall all your passwords synced with your lost laptop. (Installation is something else that needs to be done in advance).
Turn off autofill and clear your browsing data
After changing your passwords, delete your browser data, such as your autofill settings and your browsing history.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGIf you are using Chrome, you can do this remotely by opening the browser menu (click the three dots in the upper right corner of the window) and clicking Settings.
Marshall Gunnell / IDGThen click on Autofill> Passwords then toggle the slider next to “Automatic connection” to the off position.
Deauthorize your account and devices
If you’re using a Google Account, sign out of Chrome remotely to unauthorize your device. Firefox and Safari also allow remote disconnections.
If you’re using an Apple laptop, you can remotely sign out of any device that’s signed in with your Apple ID. Also, be sure to turn off automatic syncing between your linked devices to prevent your sensitive information from syncing on your missing laptop.
It’s scary to realize your laptop has been stolen, but don’t panic. While there is no way to know if you will see it again, if you stay calm and act quickly, there is a very good chance that you can protect your data and protect yourself from consequences beyond immediate loss. . And if you’re unable to physically recover your stolen laptop, our guide to the best laptops can help you find your next one.
