Late last year, Google launched an unknown tracker alert system that detects if an unknown object tracking device is moving with them. There have been numerous reports so far, where devices like AirTags have been used for stalking, theft, and other such illicit acts. To combat the threat, Google and Apple also joined hands to create a cross-platform tracker alert system. Now, Google is reinforcing the safety system with two new features that are heading to Android phones.
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The first one is the ability to turn off location updates. In scenarios where users see an unknown tracker alert on their phone, they can choose to disable their phone’s location logs on Google’s Find My Device network. Once enabled, their location updates will be paused for a duration of 24 hours. To do so, open the tracker alert notification and follow this path: I can’t find the tracker > Temporarily pause.
However, keep in mind this won’t stop the tracker’s owner from detecting the tracking device remotely via its own dashboard. In case you can’t access the unknown tracker notification anymore, you can launch a manual scan to look for any unknown tracking device by following these steps:
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- Open the Settings apps on your phone.
- Scroll down and tap on Safety & Emergency.
- Tap on the “Unknown tracker alerts” option.
When you tap the Scan Now option, your phone will begin looking for any possible compatible Bluetooth trackers following you.
Visual cues for nearby trackers
The second safety feature introduced by Google is called Find Nearby. “Your Android device will guide you to the tag, to help you find it if it’s hidden,” says the company. The idea here is that if you see an unknown tracker alert on your phone, but can’t quite hear the audio cues after using the “Play Sound” feature, the phone will offer on-screen directional guidance to help spot it.
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This is a crucial safety measure, especially in cases where a tracking device has been concealed in such a fashion that you can’t hear the audio pings, or if the speaker hardware has been deliberately damaged. Not too long ago, “silent AirTags” with their speaker disabled appeared on a few online marketplaces, so there’s certainly a precedent to take proactive measures. Find Nearby could help fill that safety gap. To use this feature, trace these steps:
- Tap on the tracker alert notification to launch the map view.
- Tap on the Next steps button and follow that up by tapping on Find Nearby.
- You will see a connection status on the screen, and the shape of the tracker fills up as you get closer to it.
- At this stage, you can also choose to play sound via the tracker’s speaker to assist with the hunt, using the Play Sound button.
Keep in mind that this feature only works with trackers that support the Find My Device ecosystem
