10 creative uses for a Bluetooth tracker

Keeping tabs on your keys or your wallet might have been the primary uses for a Bluetooth tracker, but they have the potential to be used in much more imaginative ways. After the news story last month of the woman in Texas using an Apple AirTag to find out where her recycling was going, it got us thinking about other innovative ways to utilize the tracking abilities of the devices. Here are the ten most creative uses for a Bluetooth tracker that we came up with, with some practical and some fun options.

A tracker traditionally only lets you find your stuff if it’s within Bluetooth range of your phone, but many of the top devices now have options to locate the tracker when it’s further afield. That might be GPS capability or the option for the tracker to connect to another device or Wi-Fi network. The AirTag that the Texas woman used didn’t have GPS, but it could connect to a huge network of Apple devices around the world to provide an approximate location.

1. Keep tabs on a relative

These devices don’t have to be placed on inanimate objects. Keeping an eye on your wallet is one thing, but it’s a much bigger emergency if you lose track of a loved one who is meant to be under your care, so it makes sense to use a tracker on your kids when you’re out in a crowded public place. Parents will know that it only takes a moment of inattention for the little ones to disappear into a throng of people or around a corner in a mall. You’d give anything to have a Tile tracker clipped to them at that point.

In the same way, you might be concerned about an elderly relative who’s suffering from dementia and has wandered off in the past. But just be sure to have the permission of your loved one to give them a tracker — stealthily planting one on a new partner to find out where they’re going all of the time is a much more sinister vibe and a violation of privacy.

2. Investigate porch pirates

According to Security.org, package thieves stole more than $8 billion in merchandise last year. If you’ve been a victim of this crime, especially if it’s a recurring nuisance, then it might be tempting to do something about it. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t be taking any sort of vigilante action, but if you want to be able to give the authorities a lot more insight into the movements of the porch pirates that are making life tough for you, a Bluetooth tracker might be an option. You could hide one in a decoy package on your porch and see where it heads if your trap is sprung.

Not only might this provide valuable evidence for law enforcement, but it also adds an element of deterrence. Porch pirates might become more cautious if word gets out that trackers could be hiding in any given package, making your porch less of a target.

3. Find your car

It’s frustrating when you lose your car keys, but it’s even more so when you can’t even find where you parked your car. It’s also a bit embarrassing to forget where you left such a large possession, but you shouldn’t let that stop you from doing something about it. If you frequently find yourself wandering parking lots looking for your vehicle, a Bluetooth tracker is an inexpensive and simple solution.

Some modern trackers even allow you to receive notifications when your car is moved unexpectedly, offering an additional layer of protection against theft.

4. Journey with your message in a bottle

Sticking a message in a bottle and launching it out to sea has been a whimsical bit of fun for centuries, but it was rare that you ever got the payoff of knowing where it ended up. Maybe you prefer not to know, but if you do, this is the first generation that has the ability to find out easily. A Bluetooth tracker with GPS can accompany your intrepid message to give you an idea of how it’s faring, and a more standard model may come back on your app’s radar at some point.

There are several variations of this. You might be tying a note to a balloon that you plan to release into the sky, for example. This fun, modern twist on an age-old adventure can also help to track ocean currents or wind patterns. Just be aware that, as with several of the suggestions in this rundown, this is almost certainly going to be a one-way journey for your tracker. Don’t expect to get it back.

5. Check on checked luggage

This is one of the uses of a Bluetooth tracker that’s becoming increasingly common. That might be due to the increased prevalence of the devices or falling confidence in the airlines to get your checked luggage from A to B — like your suitcase, it’s probably somewhere in between.

Airlines will usually be able to find your luggage if it’s gone astray eventually, but you can be sure that it isn’t as high a priority to the company as it is to you. If your tracker can tell you where it is, this can help the airline get it safely back to you.

6. Use it in a treasure hunt

If you’ve set up a treasure hunt for kids in your garden or the local park, it can be rather embarrassing if you can’t then locate the goodies that you stashed around the place hours earlier. Bluetooth trackers solve this problem and even allow you to bury items with more confidence.

The trackers themselves could also be used as beacons for a modern spin on the classic activity. Many have a solid water-resistance rating, meaning you could attach them to submerged items that the water could move about.

7. Find out what your cat does at night

Trackers on pets are another increasingly popular use for the devices, and it makes sense. It might not be quite as important as keeping tabs on your kids, but it’ll be a higher priority than the keys and wallet for many pet owners. And sure, there are probably more practical uses in clipping a Bluetooth tracker to your canine friend, but aren’t you more curious about what your cat gets up to after you’ve gone to sleep?

With enough time on your hands, you could even plot out your cat’s nightly adventures on a map, giving you insight into its secret life — whether it’s visiting a neighbor, exploring rooftops, or just snoozing in a quiet corner of the yard.

8. Diagnose plumbing problems

You’ve got a blockage in your plumbing somewhere and an old Bluetooth tracker that is surplus to requirements, so there’s only one thing for it. It might not save you from having to call out the plumber eventually, but you can sure get a much better idea of where the problem is occurring in your piping. It might even save you money overall if you can pinpoint the issue for the professional who turns up.

This is another of the uses for a Bluetooth tracker where there’s a strong chance that you’re not getting it back. If you do, give it a good rinse.

9. Hone your commute

Big city dwellers might well have apps that tell them how long it will be before the next bus comes along, but many of us are yet to be bestowed with this luxury. However, if your commute always involves the same bus, tram, or other vehicle, a subtly hidden Bluetooth tracker could buy you a few precious extra minutes each morning before you have to dash for the bus stop.

10. Track an animal migration

It’s not just your pets that you could monitor with a Bluetooth tracker, but it’s very important to know that you should only ever attach one to another animal if it’s both ethical and you have the proper permissions. In almost all cases, it’ll be better to leave it to the professionals, as improper use can harm the animals or disrupt their natural behavior.