What is an item finder and how does it work?
An item finder is a small Bluetooth tracker you attach to keys, a wallet, a bag or a bike so you can find it again from your phone. It doesn't use GPS, a SIM card or a monthly subscription. Instead it works through Apple's Find My network or Google's Find Hub network (Google's new name for Find My Device), which uses the Bluetooth signal of nearby iPhones and Android phones to anonymously report the tag's last known location. Open the Find My or Find Hub app to see that location on a map, play a sound to find the item nearby, or mark it as lost. Because the tracker relies on an existing network of hundreds of millions of phones, it can report a location even without your own Wi-Fi or mobile data, as soon as any other phone passes by.
Brands in this category
A fast-growing brand in Europe. The Life Tag comes as a dedicated Apple version or a dedicated Android version, while the Life Tag Duo works with Apple Find My or Google Find Hub automatically. Matching leather cases are available too.
View Lifemate item finders → MiLiAn international accessory brand. The LiTag is a compact single-network tracker (iOS or Android version), while the MiTag Go and MiTag Duo work with either network. MiLi also builds a tracker into everyday items: the MiBell bike bell, the MiLock luggage lock and the MiCard wallet card.
View MiLi item finders →Apple or Android: which item finder do you need?
Check which network you actually use before ordering. Carrying an iPhone? Choose a version built for Apple Find My, such as the Lifemate Life Tag (Apple) or the MiLi LiTag (iOS). Carrying an Android phone? Choose a version for Google Find Hub, such as the Lifemate Life Tag (Android) or the MiLi LiTag (Android). If you'd rather not think about it, or you're buying one to lend out, the Life Tag Duo and MiTag Duo or Go connect to both networks automatically.
When do you need one
- Keys: clip a Life Tag or LiTag onto your keyring so you stop searching the house.
- Wallet or cards: the MiLi MiCard slides straight into a card slot.
- Bag or backpack: a tag inside tells you the moment you leave it behind.
- Bike: the MiLi MiBell replaces your bell and tracks the bike at the same time, and the MiLock secures a case or pannier with a lock and a tracker in one.
Frequently asked questions
No. You use the free Find My app (Apple) or Find Hub app (Google), which is already on your phone or free to install. There's no monthly fee: you pay once for the tag itself.
Lifemate is a fast-growing brand in Europe, focused on the Life Tag and Life Tag Duo trackers plus matching leather cases. MiLi is a broader international brand that also builds tracking into everyday products, such as a bike bell (MiBell), a luggage lock (MiLock) and a wallet card (MiCard).
Yes, as long as you pick a Duo or Go version, or match a single-network version to your phone. For a bike specifically, the MiLi MiBell and MiLock are built for that job, since the tracker is built into a bell or lock you'd want on the bike anyway.
Yes. It doesn't use your Wi-Fi or mobile data at all. It uses Bluetooth together with Apple's or Google's crowdsourced network, so it can still report a location as soon as any other phone with Bluetooth enabled comes within range.