What the Settings list actually shows
iOS Settings shows devices you have paired, plus devices currently advertising in a pairable state. That is a deliberately filtered view designed for connecting to accessories, not for surveying a room.
A tracker, a beacon, a smart bulb or somebody else's headphones will typically not appear there at all, because none of them is offering to pair with you.
What a scanner shows
- Every device broadcasting a Low Energy advertisement in range, pairable or not.
- Live signal strength, which Settings never exposes.
- Battery level where the device publishes it.
- Devices you do not own, which is the entire basis of identifying an unknown tracker.
Why this matters
If you are checking whether something unfamiliar is broadcasting near you, the Settings list will reassure you incorrectly. It was never designed to answer that question.
Other comparisons
How this sits against the rest of what is available.
- Free or paid: what actually differs
- Chipolo and other tags: where the app fits
- How to choose a Bluetooth finder app for iPhone
- Do you need an AirTag, an app, or both?
- SmartThings Find and iPhone: the gap
- Last-seen map for your devices, Map tab
- How to find something you lost at the beach
- All comparisons, the complete list
Common questions
Why does a device not show in my iPhone Bluetooth settings?
Because it is not offering to pair. Settings shows paired and pairable devices; it does not show everything that is broadcasting.
Can iOS Settings show signal strength?
No. It shows connection status only. Signal strength requires an app that reads the advertisement directly.
In the app: This is what the app does. Read about Bluetooth Scanner.