Phone or laptop trouble while visiting Prague? Start here.
A few days away is exactly when tech fails at the worst moment: codes going to a SIM that isn't working, a phone left on a tram, a laptop that won't start the night before a meeting. Here is what to do first in each case, and when it's worth getting help.
By Josh, Reboot Prague · Last updated October 2026
Login codes going to your home number
Banks and email providers often send a code by text, and abroad that text may not arrive: roaming is off, the SIM is out of the phone, or you're on a travel eSIM.
- Keep the home SIM in the phone. Most phones from the last few years take a physical SIM and an eSIM at the same time. Leave your home SIM active for texts and use the travel eSIM for data.
- Roaming: a SIM from another EU country works here at home prices for normal use. From outside the EU, check your provider's daily roaming charge before switching it on.
- Other ways in: backup codes, an authenticator app, or the "try another way" option most big services offer.
Fully locked out of an important account? That's what account recovery is for, and it works remotely too.
Lost or stolen phone
- Locate and lock it from another device: Find My on iPhone, Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) on Android. Put a message with a contact number on the lock screen. Only erase it once you've given up on getting it back.
- Block the SIM with your mobile provider, so nobody receives your codes.
- Change your email password first, from a device you trust. Email resets everything else.
- Report a theft to the police if your insurer will want proof, and ask for written confirmation of the report.
Left it on a tram, bus or the metro? Items found on Prague public transport go to the city's lost-and-found office (Ztráty a nálezy, Karoliny Světlé 5, Prague 1), usually within about a week. The PID transport website lists the current opening hours.
Laptop won't start, or crashed before you leave
- Don't keep forcing restarts on a laptop stuck in a repair loop, and don't accept a "reset this PC" offer if your files aren't backed up. Both can make data harder to get back.
- If it still turns on, a remote session is often the quickest route. If it doesn't, drop it off: most software jobs are done the same day. Tell me when you fly and I'll say honestly whether that's realistic.
- Water, a cracked screen, or no power at all is hardware. I'm software-only, so I'll point you to a good repair shop instead.
Chargers, plugs and adapters
Czech sockets are type E at 230 V. Plugs from most of mainland Europe fit; UK, Irish, US and Australian plugs need an adapter. Nearly all phone and laptop chargers handle 230 V. Check the label for 100–240V before plugging in anything with a motor or heating element.
Forgot the charger? The big electronics chains, Alza, Datart and Electro World, sell chargers and adapters, and Alza has pick-up points and parcel boxes all over the city. Most laptops that charge over USB-C work with any decent USB-C charger that has enough watts.
Wi-Fi in hotels, cafés and rentals
Public Wi-Fi is fine for most things now that nearly every site is encrypted. Don't install anything a login page asks you to, and if you work with sensitive data, see the guide to VPNs. Slow Wi-Fi in a rented flat usually comes down to a router in the hallway behind thick walls; for a short stay, your phone's hotspot is often the better connection.
Getting help as a visitor
Same-day help is often possible within normal hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 19:00. Evenings and weekends work too for urgent cases, with a +50% priority fee that's confirmed with you first. You can pay in euros, pounds, dollars and most other currencies; see pricing.
Frequently asked
Will my phone work in Prague?
A SIM from another EU country works here at home prices for normal use. From outside the EU, check your provider's roaming charges, or use a travel eSIM for data and keep your home SIM in for texts.
Can you help at short notice?
Often the same day within normal hours. Evenings, early mornings and weekends are possible for urgent cases with a +50% priority fee, confirmed before anything starts.
Do you repair cracked screens?
No. Reboot Prague is software-only. For screens, batteries and water damage I'll point you to a good hardware repair shop in Prague.
Can I pay in euros or dollars?
Yes. Card or bank transfer works in more than 40 currencies, and cash in crowns, euros, dollars or pounds. Paying in Czech crowns has no conversion fee.
Stuck right now?
Send a photo of the screen or a sentence about what's happening, and when you leave Prague. You'll hear back with what it takes and roughly what it costs.
Mon–Fri, 9:00–19:00 · usually a reply within a few hours