What TrackerGuard listens for
| Tracker | How it is recognised |
|---|---|
| Apple AirTag and Find My accessories | Find My network broadcasts. Some third-party trackers, including some Chipolo models, use this network and appear here too. |
| Samsung SmartTag | Its Samsung service broadcast. |
| Tile | Tile's service broadcast. |
| Chipolo | Chipolo's service broadcast. |
How a lost-item tracker works
These devices have no GPS and no mobile connection. They send out a short Bluetooth signal every few seconds. Phones belonging to strangers pick it up and quietly report the position to the tracker's owner. That is what makes them useful for finding keys, and also what makes them misusable.
What a scanner can miss
- GPS trackers with a SIM card. These do not use Bluetooth in the same way, so a Bluetooth scanner will not see them. A professional vehicle sweep can.
- A tracker that is switched off or has no battery.
- A tracker hidden far from you, for example in the boot while your phone is in your pocket, can have a weak signal. Scan for long enough and move around.
- Unknown or new models that use different broadcasts.
What to do with the result
If TrackerGuard marks a device Following you, follow the steps in found an AirTag? what to do. Samsung Galaxy phones and the Tile app also have their own alerts, which are worth switching on.
In testing. Detection is a helpful signal, not proof. A clear result does not guarantee that you are not being tracked.