Dropbox has been used as a digital locker for all of your files you deem important enough to upload, but one thing we never consider it could be used for is to help find your stolen computer. The folks at Hack College has come up with a way to do just that, making it completely OK for you to make a trip to the bathroom at Starbucks without packing everything up.
The process to use Dropbox to retrieve your stolen goods first requires you to not only have a Dropbox account, but to have its program continually running on your computer at all times. We recommend you take care of both of those right now just in case you haven’t already.
Once your computer is stolen, you can log into your Dropbox account and navigate your way to the Settings > Security tab. Once you’re there, the devices associated with your account will be visible from this menu. Find your missing device within this list and hover over the blue info icon. You’ll be given the IP address of your computer, which can help in identifying where the thief is using your stolen property.