Google’s answer to the Apple AirTag had a rocky start. Months after launch, most people find that Android’s Find My Device network works well enough to justify trying out an Android-compatible Bluetooth tracker. It’s a no-brainer to use them on items like keys, luggage, and pets. However, partly because they depend on Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi or cell signal, Android Bluetooth trackers can serve other, more novel purposes. Here are the less obvious ways to get utility or a little fun out of a smart tag.

Our latest testing showed the Pebblebee Clip and Pebblebee Tag Universal working well, as long as you’re not somewhere rural or similarly remote. Not everybody has found the same. If you bought a Find My Device tracker, but it doesn’t update frequently enough to make any difference, consider switching it to the Samsung SmartTag network.

The app you need, uTag, comes from independent developer Kieron Quinn. Samsung hasn’t approved or acknowledged it (and probably won’t). It’s a neat piece of software Mr. Quinn put together and has already issued bug fixes since discovering how simple the hack could be.

uTag imports every last bit of functionality from the SmartThings app behind Samsung’s tracker network. Nearby Galaxy devices will think it’s one of them, and you can integrate your phone with the network to help other users.

Tracker sharing, location history, enabling encryption, and lost mode work the same as with Samsung Galaxy SmartTags. The app implements left behind notifications, safe areas, and reverse device finding separately as the developer found a way around the lockout. It also adds features other trackers lack, like location history exporting, automations via the tag’s button or NFC chip, and ultra-wideband for precise locating.

The only Android users who can’t take advantage of uTag are people with Galaxy devices unless they’re willing to root their phone and install an advanced tool called Xposed.

First things first: do not, under any circumstances, engage in vigilante justice to get your Amazon packages back. If you want to know where they went, and you think a group of serial thieves is behind their theft, pop a Bluetooth tracker in a dummy package and set it out as bait.

It’s not foolproof because the culprits might get unknown tracker warnings that tip them off to your scheme. Still, criminals aren’t the brightest, and you might get your local police department to do something if you have the exact location of a stash of stolen goods.

This one’s far from a guarantee, and works best with an Apple AirTag. If you own or manage property in a remote area, such as a cabin deep in the woods, a Bluetooth tracker can alert you to unexpected visitors. Leave it inside where it’s not closed off from wireless signals and tell the app it’s lost. If anybody comes near with a smartphone and hasn’t disabled the Find My Device network, you might get an alert.

Bluetooth trackers aren’t intended for following stolen items, and an unknown tracker warning might inspire a bike thief to find the Bluetooth tracker, rip it off, and continue riding away. The trick is to hide or permanently attach the smart tag somewhere on the vehicle.

Moto Tags work with most AirTag accessories, so you can stash one in a bike reflector with a hidden AirTag compartment, for example. Others, like the Pebblebee Tag, are small enough that you can glue them underneath a bike seat to make them nearly impossible to see. Refrain from dangerous or illegal behavior if you find your stolen wheels.

Children are especially good at losing trinkets like keychains and bracelets. Take fidgeting and forgetfulness out of the equation by stitching a Bluetooth tracker into the tongue of a shoe or the padding of a backpack. You can share the tag with kids who carry smartphones to avoid bombarding them with unknown tracker alerts. If they get lost, you can share the tag’s location with teachers or authorities helping you find them.

Bluetooth trackers aren’t cellular-enabled LoJack systems and don’t track fast-moving items like cars well in real time. However, if you parked on one of several indistinguishable floors of a parking garage, a tracker stashed in your car’s visor can shorten your search.

You probably won’t hear the tracker’s notification sound if it’s in your car, but it’ll show up as the last known location in the Find My Device app. If you use a Samsung tag (or one you’ve hacked to use the same network) and carry a smartphone with UWB connectivity, it can give you clear, visual instructions from up to 50m away.

The terms of service (and laws, depending on jurisdiction) prevent the use of Find My Device trackers to follow people or things without their permission. However, if someone under your care tends to wander off and potentially put themselves in danger, a Bluetooth tracker could save a life. If somebody is liable to walk off without a care in the world, they probably won’t remember to take a smartphone with them. Like with keeping tabs on kids for their safety, put the tracker somewhere the wanderer can’t find and get rid of it.

While limited in functionality, this is one of the more ingenious use cases. Some Bluetooth trackers support NFC connectivity, so anybody who finds one can quickly access the owner’s contact information and return the lost item. Others accomplish the same thing using a QR code.

Instead of contact details, you can set the tracker to display a secret message when someone activates its NFC module or QR code. If you need to contact someone without sending them a message, they can carry it with them and check it periodically.

Some implementations manage contact details via an external database, which lets you update the message without being near the tracker. Others require you to have the tracker present while updating, but can still work as a type of dead drop messaging tool.

We don’t recommend this one because littering is bad, and littering electronics and batteries is worse. Still, it’s fun to think about. You could toss a Bluetooth tracker in a bottle and hope it floats to a populated beach. Maybe a smart tag tied to a balloon or model rocket would land somewhere interesting. You could add a digital element to a geocache. Whichever way you decide to send a Bluetooth tag exploring, update your associated contact details so whoever finds it can keep you posted on its travels.

Users and experts across the industry are cautiously optimistic that Android’s Find My Device network will continue improving. The only reason Google has given for the evolving performance is that it’s prioritized informing users about the In all areas, so more people are opting in. There might be more subtle changes under the hood. Either way, it’s working better for us. If Bluetooth trackers are too involved for your tastes, you can do some interesting things with NFC tags.

We also know that additional features are in the works, potentially including UWB-enabled precision finding. The Moto Tag and flagship phones like the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL support UWB connectivity, but Android FMD and most Android phones don’t. An expanded feature set can only open the door to more interesting, unconventional ways to use these helpful gadgets.