What you’re dealing with
Whether it can be scanned for depends on the model. App-connected monitors use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and appear; older dedicated-radio units use a proprietary link on a different band and do not.
| Broadcasts as | Brand name, on models that pair with a phone app |
|---|---|
| Typical battery | 8 to 20 hours on the parent unit; weeks on a coin-cell sensor |
| Findable by scan | Yes, while powered on |
| Search window | Days to weeks |
Once the battery is gone: Monitors are usually on charge, which means battery is rarely the reason one cannot be found.
Where it usually is
The room you were last in with the baby
Carried in, set down, left.
Kitchen counters
Put down while doing something with two hands.
Under a muslin or a blanket
Covered by whatever was put on top of it.
How to search for it
- Check the last-seen map firstBefore you search a room, find out which building. A pin saves you from searching the right way in the wrong place.
- Scan from the middle of the roomNote everything that appears, then select the device you want so the rest of the list drops away.
- Walk and watch the signalSweep in a straight line, give each position a few seconds, and turn 90 degrees when the reading stops rising.
- Search inside things, not across themA strong signal with nothing visible means it is underneath or inside something. Fabric and metal block Bluetooth badly.
Tips specific to baby monitor
- Check whether your model pairs with a phone app. If it does, it broadcasts and can be found; if it does not, it will never appear in a scan.
- Sensor pads and clip-on movement monitors are small and easily lost with bedding, those are worth saving under My Devices.
Other things people lose
The same method applies to these, with different battery windows and different hiding places.
- How to find a lost glucose monitor or sensor, Readers last days
- How to find where you parked, Vehicle battery
- How to identify a soundbar on Bluetooth, Mains powered, always on
- How to find tagged power tools on site, Tool batteries last a working day
- How to find a lost bike computer or sensor, 15 to 20 hours on a head unit
- See battery on nearby devices, Inside Scan
- How to scan a room for hidden Bluetooth devices, Method
- All device guides, the complete list
Common questions
Why does my baby monitor not appear in a Bluetooth scan?
Many monitors use a dedicated proprietary radio rather than Bluetooth, specifically so the link stays reliable. Those cannot be detected by any Bluetooth scanner.