If you left something in an Uber, open the trip and report it as soon as you notice. The usual route is to contact the driver through Uber, describe the item, and arrange a return. Recovery isn't guaranteed: Uber says it can't guarantee that the driver has the item or can deliver it. While you wait, protect payment cards, accounts, and any missing device.
Do these things now
- Confirm the trip. Check the receipt, date, time, pickup point, and destination. This helps you report the correct vehicle.
- Protect sensitive items. Lock or locate a missing phone or laptop, freeze payment cards, and change important passwords if the device was unlocked or could expose account access.
- Record useful details. Write down the item's brand, model, color, case, serial number, distinctive marks, and where you think you left it.
- Report the loss through Uber. Use the trip's Help or lost-item option instead of trying to find the driver through a public phone directory.
- Provide another phone number if necessary. Uber may ask for a number where you can actually be reached.
See Uber's official lost-item Help instructions for the current contact process.
How to report a lost item in the Uber app
Button names can vary by app version, but the steps generally look like this:
- Open Uber and go to Trips or Activity.
- Select the ride.
- Open Help, Get help, or the lost-item option.
- Choose the option to contact the driver.
- Describe the item and enter the best number for reaching you.
- Use the call or message option Uber provides.
- If the driver doesn't answer, leave a voicemail with the item's description and your callback details.
Uber says the number used to contact the driver is masked. You can communicate without giving the driver your personal phone number directly.
Make the description specific. "Black bag" doesn't tell the driver much. "Black nylon laptop bag with a red luggage tag, left on the rear passenger-side floor" gives the driver something to look for. Include the ride date and approximate time, but don't include unnecessary personal information such as your home address.
You lost your phone and can't use the app
You can start the report from another device. Sign in to help.uber.com on a computer or another phone, select the relevant trip, and follow the web instructions to contact the driver.
A friend or family member can let you use a reachable phone number if you need one. You can also:
- Use Apple Find My or Google's device-finding tools to locate or lock the phone.
- Put a short lock-screen message on it without displaying your home address.
- Ask your mobile carrier to suspend the SIM or service if necessary.
- Change passwords for email, banking, social media, and other accounts if the phone wasn't secured.
- Tell an employer or school administrator if the device provides access to work or school systems.
Don't share an Uber password or verification code with anyone who claims to have found the phone. Keep the conversation connected to your Uber account whenever possible.
When the driver responds
Uber recommends meeting in a safe, public place. A police station, busy business, hotel lobby, or another well-lit location is safer than a private residence. Confirm the time and place through Uber's contact method, and don't give the driver your home address unless there's no safer alternative.
A return fee may apply. Uber's lost-item guidance says that when you or the driver reports the item as returned, Uber may charge a fee to your account. The amount varies by country, and Uber says it will send a receipt.
Don't rely on a fixed amount quoted in an old article, forum, or social-media post. Check the amount connected to your account or trip. Some figures found online may refer to a different market or to a payment for drivers, rather than the charge on a rider's account. Don't send an unverified off-platform payment.
Uber describes drivers as independent contractors and says it can't guarantee that a driver has your item or can deliver it. A driver who doesn't respond immediately may be driving or otherwise unavailable, so a delayed reply doesn't prove that the item is gone. It also doesn't guarantee that the item will be recovered.
If the driver doesn't answer
Drivers may be on the road and unable to respond right away. Take the following steps:
- Call through Uber.
- Leave a voicemail describing the item and the best way to contact you.
- Submit the lost-item request through the trip or Uber Help on the web.
- Include the registered account contact details and an alternate number.
- Save the trip receipt, claim details, and any messages or voicemails.
- Keep protecting your accounts, cards, and device while you wait.
Uber says its team will usually provide an update within 24 hours after the request is completed. That is a typical support update, not a promise that the item will be found or returned within that period.
If you need to follow up, use the same trip's Help options where available and include the original case details. Keeping the reports together is clearer than submitting several unrelated claims.
Protect different types of lost property
Phone, tablet, or laptop
Lock the device remotely and keep its serial number or other identifying information for your records. If the device belongs to an employer or school, notify the administrator so access can be revoked or the device can be erased remotely. Change passwords if the device was unlocked or could display account credentials.
Wallet, bank card, or identification
Freeze or replace payment cards through the issuer. Review recent transactions and report unauthorized activity promptly. If the wallet contained a driver's license, passport, work badge, or other identification, follow the issuing agency's replacement and security instructions.
Keys
If the key ring identifies your home, apartment, office, or vehicle, consider whether a lock or access code should be changed. Notify a landlord, building manager, employer, or fleet administrator when appropriate.
Medication
Contact the pharmacy or prescribing clinician about a replacement. Don't wait for the Uber claim to resolve if missing medication could interrupt treatment.
Packages or other belongings
Use the trip's lost-item route if you left your own package or property in the vehicle. Describe its size, packaging, labels, and distinctive features.
An Uber Eats order that was never delivered, arrived incomplete, or went to the wrong place is a different problem. Use the Help option for that specific order rather than reporting it as property left in a car.
Lost item or suspected theft?
The lost-item process is meant to help locate and return property. Filing a claim doesn't determine whether the item was stolen, and it doesn't replace a police or fraud report when one is appropriate.
If you believe someone took the item:
- Preserve the trip receipt, messages, driver information, and item details.
- Contact local law enforcement if you want to report suspected theft.
- Notify your bank or card issuer about unauthorized transactions.
- Ask your employer or school to protect accounts linked to a missing device.
- Check any renters, homeowners, travel, or device coverage for its documentation requirements.
Uber's published Help guidance describes assistance with locating and returning an item. It doesn't promise automatic replacement or reimbursement. Keep proof of ownership and the item's value in case an insurer, card issuer, employer, or agency requests it.
What Uber's lost-item policy actually establishes
| Question | What the published Help guidance establishes |
|---|---|
| Who should you contact? | The driver, through Uber's masked contact process |
| Does Uber guarantee recovery? | No. Uber says it can't guarantee that the driver has the item or can return it |
| Can a return fee apply? | Yes. Uber may charge a fee when the item is reported returned, and the amount varies by country |
| Is there one fixed U.S. fee? | Don't assume so. A number quoted elsewhere may not apply to your trip or may describe a different payment |
| How quickly will support respond? | Uber says an update is usually provided within 24 hours after a completed request |
| Can you report the loss without the phone? | Yes. Sign in to Uber Help on the web from another device |
| Where should you collect the item? | Uber recommends a safe, public location |
| Does the guidance promise reimbursement? | No automatic replacement or reimbursement is promised in the lost-item guidance |
For a ride outside the United States, check the local account instructions and any fee associated with the trip. Uber says the amount varies by country, so a U.S. figure or a post from another market may not apply.
Common questions
How long should I wait before contacting Uber support?
Don't wait. Contact the driver and submit the lost-item request as soon as you notice the loss. If the driver doesn't answer, leave a voicemail and use Uber Help. Uber says support usually provides an update within 24 hours after the request is completed.
Can I recover a lost phone without the Uber app?
Yes. Sign in to Uber Help from a computer or another phone, select the trip, and follow the web instructions. Use a trusted person's number if Uber needs an alternate way to reach you.
How much does Uber charge to return a lost item?
Uber says a fee may be charged when the item is reported returned, and the amount varies by country. Check the amount associated with your account or the receipt instead of relying on a fixed figure quoted elsewhere.
Does Uber reimburse an item that isn't returned?
The published lost-item guidance doesn't promise automatic replacement or reimbursement. It describes an effort to contact the driver and arrange a return. If the item isn't recovered, protect your accounts and check any separate insurance or card benefits that might apply.
What's the safest way to collect the item?
Arrange the exchange in a public, well-lit place and keep communication connected to Uber. If the item is high-value or you suspect theft, consider involving local law enforcement instead of arranging a private meeting.
Before ending your next Uber ride, check the seat, floor, door pocket, and trunk. For the item that's already missing, open the correct trip and file the report now.