What you’re dealing with
Bluetooth answers a narrow but genuinely useful question: is it still within radio range of where I am standing? On a floor-by-floor sweep of a building, that is exactly the question.
| Broadcasts as | One-Key, Tool Connect, or a generic tag attached to the tool |
|---|---|
| Typical battery | Tool batteries last a working day; tags last a year |
| Findable by scan | Yes, while powered on |
| Search window | Days to weeks |
Once the battery is gone: Tag-based tracking outlives the tool battery, which is why stick-on tags are worth more on site than built-in systems.
Where it usually is
A different floor
Carried up or down and left with another trade's kit.
Someone else's van
The most common permanent loss on any site.
A locked room
Still on site, still broadcasting, behind a door.
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 power tools and site kit
- Sweep floor by floor from the stairwell rather than walking each floor. Concrete blocks Bluetooth well, which makes the elimination fast.
- Stick-on tags beat built-in systems for this because they keep working when the tool battery is out.
- Bluetooth is not an anti-theft measure. A tool that has left the site is out of range within seconds.
Other things people lose
The same method applies to these, with different battery windows and different hiding places.
- How to find a Windows laptop by Bluetooth, Up to a working day in use
- How to find an Android phone from an iPhone, A day typically
- How to find a lost bike computer or sensor, 15 to 20 hours on a head unit
- How to find a lost Bluetooth headset, 6 to 12 hours talk time
- How to find a lost VR headset or controller, 2 to 3 hours on a headset
- Save the devices you care about, My Devices tab
- How to check whether someone is tracking you, Safety
- All device guides, the complete list
Common questions
Can Bluetooth recover a stolen tool?
No. The range is tens of metres. For theft you need a GPS tracker with its own cellular connection.