Find my tracker as a gift: how to set it up before wrapping

First, does the recipient have an iPhone?

This is the one thing that sinks gift trackers. Orbit Tag and every Find My compatible tag works through Apple's Find My network, so the person needs an iPhone running iOS 14.5 or later. An Android phone cannot add it. If you are not certain, ask a relative, or look at what they pull out to pay with.

Sharing a tag with other family members is a separate feature that needs iOS 17 on the iPhones involved. It is a nice extra, not a requirement.

What happens if I pair the tag before wrapping?

The tag becomes linked to your Apple Account. The recipient can then not add it until you remove it, which means they will see an "item connected to another Apple Account" message. You can fix that by opening Find My, choosing Items, selecting the tag and removing it, but it is a fiddly job to leave for someone on Christmas morning.

So the clean route is: buy it, leave it in the box, wrap it as it is.

What if you have already paired it?

It happens. You opened the box to check it works, and now the tag sits in your Find My app. The fix is quick. On your iPhone, open Find My, tap Items, choose the tag, scroll down and tap Remove Item. Confirm, and the tag is released from your Apple Account. Put it back in its pack, and the recipient can add it as new.

If the tag was removed while out of Bluetooth range, you may need to hold the battery tab out for a few seconds, put the cell back and try again close to the phone. Do this a day before wrapping, not on Christmas Eve.

Which extras are worth knowing about?

Three features make a gift tag more useful in the weeks after it is opened.

• Left-behind alerts. The Find My app can warn the owner when they walk away from the tag.
• Sharing. From iOS 17, an item can be shared with other people so a partner can ring it too.
• Anti-stalking alerts. Apple's system warns an iPhone user if an unknown tag travels with them, which protects the recipient and everyone else.

None of these needs a subscription. Mention them on the card if you like, but the main job is just to get the tag added.

How does the recipient set it up?

Tell them the steps on a card, or be there when they open it.

1. Pull the plastic tab from the battery compartment, or open the pack as instructed.
2. Hold the tag next to the iPhone, with Bluetooth switched on.
3. When the pop-up appears, tap Connect, then give it a name such as Keys or Gym Bag.
4. Check it appears under Items in the Find My app, and press Play Sound to hear it.

If no pop-up appears, open Find My, tap Items, then Add New Item, and choose Add Other Item. It takes a couple of minutes.

What should I put in the card?

A line or two is enough. Something like: "This works with your iPhone's Find My app. It rings when you press Play Sound, and shows where it was last seen." Do not promise live tracking or an arrow that points to the item. A tag like this has no Ultra Wideband chip, so there is no Precision Finding, and it is not GPS.

Who suits it, and who does not?

How Orbit Tag helps

Orbit Tag is MFi certified for Apple's Find My, so it appears in the Items tab beside any AirTags. A box holds two, which suits a gift: one for keys, one for a bag. Battery is a replaceable CR2032, rated up to two years, with IP67 water resistance, and Apple's anti-stalking alerts are supported. Delivery in the UK is free, and returns run for 30 days, useful if the recipient turns out to use Android.

See Orbit Tag or go straight to the checkout.

Frequently asked

Can I set the tag up for someone and give it to them afterwards?

You can, but they will then need you to remove it from your Apple Account before they can add it. It is simpler to leave it unpaired and let them do it in a few minutes.

Does the person need an Apple Account?

Yes. Find My uses the Apple Account signed in on their iPhone, so anyone with an iPhone already has what they need.

What if they get two tags and want to share one?

Sharing an item with family is possible from iOS 17. The owner opens the item in Find My and chooses Add Person. The other person needs an iPhone on iOS 17 as well.

Can I return a gift tracker if it does not suit?

Orders from this site have a 30-day returns window. Check the shipping and returns page before you wrap it.