Eventually the thief will have to plug it in to charge.
Imagine if at that moment, the front camera snaps a photo and sends it to your email along with the exact location?
This isn’t an app.
It’s a built-in phone feature that you can set up in just a few minutes.
Here’s how to do it:
Open the “Shortcuts” app.
Go to the “Automation” tab and tap the plus sign in the upper right corner.
Scroll down the list and find “Charger.”
Select “Run Immediately” and turn on “Run Notifications,”
Go to the next page and create a new shortcut.
Next are the specific operations:
1. Airplane Mode: Search for this setting and turn it off.
2. Cellular Data: Set it to automatically enable network connection when the charging cable is plugged in. If the phone thief turns off all networks, this shortcut will automatically turn it on. Without a network, the photos and location cannot be sent out.
3. Get Current Location: Select the highest available accuracy.
4. Take Photo: Select the front camera and turn off “Show Preview.”
This last step is crucial; the other party won’t see anything on the screen.
5. Store Photos: Photos will also be saved to your photo album at the same time.
6. Send Email: Fill in the subject and the email address where you want to receive the information.
Enter the options for this action and turn off “Show Edit Draft.”
Save this automation, and you’re done.
Since then, every time someone plugs in this Phone to charge it will automatically turn on networking, acquires location, takes a photo with the front camera, and sends all the information to your email.
When I tested it for the first time, I received an email with a photo of my own face, taken in very poor lighting.
It really works.
To sum up: This is a Shortcuts automation, with the trigger condition set to “Charger,” enabling network access, acquiring location, taking a front-facing photo, and sending an email.
Zero App. Zero payment.
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