Name a Find My item so nobody guesses what it is
If you want to name a Find My item so nobody guesses what it is, the answer takes about thirty seconds and a little thought. The problem is real in December: a tag in the box where presents are hidden shows up in the Items tab, and the Items tab shows in plain sight on any iPad or Mac signed into the same Apple Account. This guide covers the naming steps, what other people can see, and what a sensible dull name looks like.
How do I rename an item in Find My?
Open the Find My app on your iPhone and tap the Items tab at the bottom. Tap the tag you want to change, then scroll to the Rename Item option. A list of preset names appears (Keys, Backpack, Wallet and so on), and you can choose Custom Name at the bottom to type your own. Tap the emoji to choose a symbol, then tap Done.
You will see the change straight away on that iPhone and, within a minute or so, on any other device signed into the same account. If an Orbit Tag has not appeared in the list at all, it has not finished pairing, and that step has to be done first.
What does the name and emoji look like to other people?
Anyone who opens Find My on a device signed into your Apple Account sees the name and emoji in the Items list and on the map. If a child has an old iPad that still uses a parent's login, or a partner uses a shared family Mac, that screen will show the tag with the label you gave it.
The name also appears in notifications. A Left Behind alert, for example, shows the item name, so a lock-screen preview on a shared device can say it too. Choose a name that would not make a nosy reader curious.
What should I call a tag that is hiding presents?
Pick something boring and plausible. "Spare cables", "Garage box" and "Old tax papers" all pass because no child wants to open any of them. Avoid anything that suggests surprise, such as "Gifts", "Stash" or "Do not look".
Choose an emoji that matches. A paperclip, a wrench or a folder blends in with the label, while a present or a tree gives the game away. If the same tag usually lives on a key ring, you can change the name back in January with the same steps.
Can a family member see the tag if I share it?
Yes, and that is what sharing is for. From iOS 17, you can share a Find My item with other people, and they then see its location and can play its sound. The name you set is the name they see, so sharing a hidden-present box with a partner is useful and sharing it with a child is not.
To share, open the item in the Items tab and tap Add Person under Share This Item. To stop, open the same screen and remove the person. A person who is removed loses access to the item.
Which Apple devices show the Items list?
The Items tab appears in Find My on iPhone, iPad and Mac, and the same list is available at iCloud.com. That is the reason a single dull name matters: you may keep your iPhone in your pocket, but the family iPad on the kitchen counter will quite happily display the list.
If you would rather not rely on a name, you can sign the shared devices out of your Apple Account, or create a separate Apple Account for the children. Both options take longer than renaming, and for most households the dull label is enough.
How Orbit Tag helps
An Orbit Tag is a Find My compatible tracker, so the Items tab lists it next to any AirTags in the house, under whatever name and emoji you choose. It rings from up to 60 metres in open space, which is plenty for a house, and past that range the Find My network of passing Apple devices can report where it was last seen. Put one in the box where the presents are hidden, call it something dull, and ring it when you cannot find the box.
It has limits you should know about. It needs an iPhone on iOS 14.5 or later, so an Android phone cannot pair it. There is no U1 chip, so there is no directional arrow, just a sound and a pin. The product page shows what the two-tag box holds.
Frequently asked
Can I change the name of a Find My item later?
Yes. Open the item in the Items tab, choose Rename Item and enter a new name or pick another emoji. The change reaches your other devices on the same Apple Account within a minute or so.
Will my children see the name of a hidden tag?
They will if they can open Find My on a device signed into your Apple Account, so pick a dull name and a plain emoji. A tag in someone else's account is a separate matter and shows only in theirs.
Does the name show on the map?
Yes. The map pin carries the item's name and emoji, and Left Behind alerts include the name as well. Choose it with a stranger's glance in mind.
Can I rename a shared Find My item for just one person?
No. There is one name per item, and everyone you share it with sees that same name. If you need two names, you need two tags.
By the team at iOS Tracker Revised
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