Forgotten or stolen? Locate and lock Windows notebook remotely

Mobile phones are easier to lose than notebooks, which is why the question of location is a little more urgent there than with Windows. We have a comprehensive article on this topic ready at this point. But you can also forget a notebook bag on the train or brazen thieves will steal your laptop from the café table if you leave it unattended for a moment.

What many users don’t know: Windows devices can also be located without additional software. We’ll show you how.

Microsoft account is mandatory

Not all users like a Microsoft account, but the ease of locating lost devices is one of its advantages. In addition, Microsoft is pushing in this direction anyway, so that many users have now caved in and use a Microsoft account. If this is the case for you, check the following setting:

Under “Update & Security” in Windows 10 and “Privacy & Security” in Windows 11 there is the item “Find my device”. There you can control the location function. A note will indicate whether this works or not. If the location settings are deactivated, the location will not work, for example. See the Privacy Policy for information on how Microsoft anonymizes and uses the data it collects.

Find and block Windows devices

If the notebook is lost, go to the website https://account.microsoft.com/devices. There you log in with your Microsoft account and click on “Find my device”. Select your notebook in the device list. If the location works, the last known location is displayed on a map.

There is a separate button in the overview to block access. As an additional option, you can then reset your password. Note that there are also other ways to locate Windows devices, for example with Prey. This can also be done without a Microsoft account, but the free version is limited to three devices and basic functions. More features cost a subscription fee depending on how many devices you want to manage.