Find My Device can locate Pixel 8 for a few hours after it powers off

The Find My Device network can locate the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro even if it’s turned off or the battery is dead. 

After setting up the Find My Device network on the Pixel 8, we received a notification explaining this capability. This will work for “several hours” after the “phone runs out of battery or is powered off.” It’s particularly helpful if your phone is ever stolen, or you lose it overnight.

To make sure this capability is active, set “With network in high-traffic areas only” or “With network in all areas” in FMD settings. The former is the default, while Google says the latter “may help you find your lost items quicker.” Aimed at “lower-traffic areas,” it works even if “your device is the only one that has detected and shared a location for the item.”

The company did not specify what version is needed and only that it was active as of April.

Google also says to “Make sure Bluetooth and Location are turned on when the phone shuts down.” In our usage, you cannot turn off Location — assuming you added the Quick Settings Tile — without unlocking your device, but that’s not the case with Bluetooth.

This is made possible by “specialized Pixel hardware” that Google is working to bring to other OEMs and chipmakers. 

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