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When a Chromebook is in Theft Recovery mode, GoGuardian Admin collects data to help administrators locate and recover the device. Understanding what Theft Recovery collects, and under what conditions, helps administrators set expectations and respond to stakeholder questions about privacy.

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Learn When Data Collection Begins

Theft Recovery does not collect data immediately after a device is moved to the Theft Recovery OU. Three conditions must be met before the report populates:
  1. The missing device must connect to the internet.
  2. The device must reboot at least once after being moved to the Theft Recovery OU.
  3. The Theft Recovery extension must load successfully.
If the device remains offline, no data is collected.

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Review What Theft Recovery Records

When all three conditions are met, Theft Recovery captures the following data: Screenshots A screenshot is taken each time a user navigates to a new page. The Theft Recovery report displays the last 100 screenshots captured. Geolocation Theft Recovery uses the Google Location Services database to determine the device’s location, combining WLAN AP-based location, IP location, and HTML5 geolocation APIs to achieve the highest accuracy available. Under some conditions—such as certain firewall configurations—high-accuracy geolocation may not be available. In those cases, the reported accuracy indicator remains reliable even when coordinates are approximate. User information If a user signs in to a Gmail account on the device, their name and email address are recorded in the Theft Recovery report under User.

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Confirm What Theft Recovery Does Not Record

Theft Recovery does not use keylogger software, the webcam, or the microphone. These data types are never collected, regardless of device configuration.

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Resources

Last modified on June 5, 2026