Apple’s Find My network uses a crowdsourced coalition of over a billion active devices to help you find your lost or stolen items. It’s no wonder why the Apple AirTag — a Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) tracking puck that costs just $29 — is incredibly popular, selling millions of units. Android users didn’t have a true competitor until Google overhauled its Find My Device network in 2024, now called Google Find Hub. The new network supports crowdsourcing and a slew of device types. The days of only being able to track your Android phone are long behind us.
If you haven’t given the refreshed Google Find Hub a shot, it’s worth downloading the new app from the Play Store or trying out the Find Hub web client. The service can help you locate items far beyond your phone, including headphones, earbuds, speakers, and smartwatches. And with the help of tiny Bluetooth trackers, you can make anything trackable with Find Hub.
Headphones and earbuds
Keep track of your buds with Google’s Find Hub
Truly wireless earbuds solved the problem phone brands created when they axed the 3.5mm headphone jack from most flagship models. They also created a new one. Wired earbuds are tricky to lose, and if you end up misplacing them, the entire set is missing. Wireless earbuds are a completely different story, as it’s easy to misplace the tiny buds independently of the case. The solution here is to use tracking networks like Google’s Find Hub to locate the earbuds or charging cases.
The experience will vary depending on the type of earbuds you own. Google’s latest Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Pixel Buds 2a provide the best experience, as you can locate and ring the charging case, left earbud, and right earbud independently. Older and third-party models, such as the Sony WF-1000XM6, skip the case speaker but are compatible with other Google Find Hub features. And some earbuds, such as Apple’s AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds, are missing Find Hub support entirely — those models work with their respective finder ecosystems instead.
While over-ear headphones are easier to find, they are still trackable with Find Hub. Beats, Sony, and JBL are just a few mainstream audio brands that sell wireless headphones with Google Find Hub support.
Bluetooth speakers
Find Hub can locate your wireless speakers, too
Google Find Hub surprisingly supports speaker tracking, and an unlikely company makes a speaker compatible with the Find Hub network: Apple. Well, it’s really Beats, the audio company that has operated under Apple for more than a decade. The Beats Pill is a sporty Bluetooth speaker with USB-C charging, IP67 protection, and up to 24 hours of battery life. When connected to Apple devices, the Beats Pill can be tracked using Apple’s own Find My network. The interesting bit is that Android users can also track their Beats Pill using Google’s Find Hub, which might come in handy if the speaker gets left behind at a beach or park.
Admittedly, there are few Bluetooth speakers on the market with Find Hub compatibility. They do exist, however, and the offerings should expand as more users and brands buy into the overhauled Find Hub ecosystem.
Item trackers and cards
Track anything with Find Hub using one of these gadgets
Apple’s AirTag is the most popular Bluetooth tracker on the market today, but the Google Find Hub has its own alternatives. Frankly, they’re better. I’m actually not talking about the soon-to-be-released Google Pixel Tag, which will be the closest direct competitor to the AirTag. The Pixel Tag has Bluetooth, UWB, and it’s powered by CR2032 coin-cell batteries. The collection of third-party Find Hub trackers includes models with rechargeable batteries and USB-C or wireless charging support, and this proves to be more convenient than disposable coin-cell batteries.
They’re available in a variety of different form factors, including cards, keychain clips, and pucks. My personal favorite is the Pebblebee Clip 5, as it’s small, sleek, charges via USB-C, and works with both the Apple Find My and Google Find Hub networks.
Smartwatches
Find where your watch is when it’s not on your wrist
Usually, smartwatches help you find your lost items. A Google Pixel Watch can ring your smartphone when it’s nearby and track items using the Find Hub app for Wear OS. You can locate, ring, mark as lost, and erase a device straight from your wrist. But what happens when your smartwatch is the thing that’s lost? Luckily, smartwatches themselves can be tracked using Find Hub from a smartphone or the web client. Supported devices include smartwatch models from Google, Samsung, and OnePlus.
Tablets
Just like your phone, you can track the big screens with Find Hub
Finally, you can track Android tablets with Google Find Hub. If you’re using a Google Pixel Tablet as a smart home hub that never leaves the house, you might not need the tablet’s Find Hub compatibility. That said, those with a pricey Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra being used as a laptop alternative might need to track their tablet in the event it is lost or stolen. Android tablets show up in the Find Hub app alongside all your other devices, where you can view their location, play a sound to help find them, or factory reset them.
With Find Hub, the possibilities are endless
Google’s Find Hub lets you keep tabs on your tech and personal items using a growing crowdsourced network. To use it on an Android or Wear OS device, open the Settings app on that device and tap the Google tab. Then, locate Find Hub in the list (you may have to tap All Services to reveal it) and press it. Finally, tap the toggle beside Allow device to be located. Follow the instructions provided in the quick start guide or use the companion app for other devices, like earbuds, headphones, speakers, and trackers.