Best Phone Tracker Apps
for Android in India (2026)
Most tracking apps fail on Xiaomi and Motorola because Indian OEMs aggressively kill background apps. Here's an honest comparison of what actually works — for lost phones, family safety, and child monitoring.
Last updated: June 2026 · 8 min read
The OEM battery problem
Xiaomi, Realme, Motorola, and Vivo restrict background apps to save battery. An app that works perfectly on stock Android may stop updating location entirely on these phones unless you configure it correctly. We tested all apps on these devices.
Quick Comparison
Raksha
Best for Families₹75/month or free tier
Pros
- Family circle with live location sharing
- Remote ring (even on silent), flash, and lock
- SOS alerts sent to guardians
- Works on Xiaomi/Motorola with battery optimisation fix guide
- Indian-made, Indian-number setup
Cons
- Requires family members to also install the app
- Premium needed for real-time tracking
Best for: Indian families who want safety + recovery in one app
Google Find My Device
Best for Solo UsersFree (built-in)
Pros
- Pre-installed on all Android phones
- Remote ring, lock, and erase
- No app install needed by finder
- Works even with a different Google account on find.google.com
Cons
- Only works while phone is online
- No live family sharing
- No SOS or guardian alerts
- Can be disabled if phone is factory reset
Best for: Quick solo recovery for a lost or stolen phone
Life360
Family TrackingFree / ₹1,200/year for premium
Pros
- Real-time location sharing
- Crash detection feature
- Location history
Cons
- US-centric app — no Hindi or regional language support
- Data stored on US servers
- No remote ring, lock, or SOS for India scenarios
- Background tracking unreliable on Xiaomi/Realme
Best for: Families already in the Google/US ecosystem
Google Family Link
Parental ControlsFree
Pros
- Screen time controls
- App approval for children under 13
- Location sharing
- Works well on stock Android
Cons
- Child must have their own Google account
- No SOS or emergency alerts
- No remote ring or lock beyond what Find My Device offers
- Less reliable on Xiaomi/Motorola
Best for: Parents managing screen time for children under 13
The OEM Battery Problem (And How to Fix It)
Most tracking apps stop working on Indian phones within 30 minutes of the screen turning off. This is because Xiaomi, Motorola, Realme, and Vivo all have aggressive battery optimisation that kills background processes.
Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO
Settings → Battery → Battery Saver → No restrictions for the tracking app. Also: Settings → Apps → App info → Battery → No restrictions.
💡 MIUI also has "Autostart" — enable it for the app under Settings → Apps → Manage apps → [App] → Autostart.
Motorola
Settings → Battery → Adaptive Battery → turn off. Then Settings → Apps → [App] → Battery → Unrestricted.
💡 Motorola's battery management is milder than Xiaomi's — one setting usually fixes it.
Realme / OPPO / OnePlus
Settings → Battery → Battery Optimisation → [App] → Don't optimise. Also enable Auto Launch under Settings → App Management.
💡 ColorOS has both app launch restriction and background app restriction — check both.
Samsung
Settings → Device Care → Battery → Background usage limits → Never sleeping apps → Add tracking app.
💡 Samsung's One UI is the most permissive of Indian OEMs — tracking usually works without extra config.
Vivo
iQOO/Vivo settings: i-Manager → App management → Background apps → Add the tracking app to whitelist.
💡 Vivo's restrictions are aggressive. Also check: Settings → Privacy → Permission Manager → Location → Always allow.
Which App Should You Use?
"I just want to find my phone if I lose it"
→ Google Find My Device (it's already installed — no action needed)
"I want my family to know where I am and vice versa"
→ Raksha — family circle with live location, SOS, and guardian alerts
"I want to monitor my child's phone"
→ Raksha + Google Family Link together — Raksha for SOS/location, Family Link for screen time
"I want to track if my elderly parent is safe"
→ Raksha — set them as a member, you get their live location and can ring or lock their phone remotely if needed