Tile launches 'Scan & Secure' feature on its mobile app to detect unwanted tracking devices nearby

Tile updated its mobile app this week to add the new feature called Scan & Secure that started rolling out on Thursday. As the name suggests, it is designed to help people detect an unwanted Tile tracking device that could be covertly following them.

The increasing popularity of tracking devices in tiny form factors that use wide-reaching connectivity networks have recently brought to light the issue of unwanted tracking of unsuspecting victims. Most tracking devices like Tile are accompanied by mobile apps that help users find lost items. The problem in many cases of illicit tracking is that the victim might not even have the same tracking device so they likely do not have the said mobile apps, leaving them defenseless when an unknown device is following them.

“Using a Tile to track someone’s location without their knowledge is not only against our terms of service, it is also against the law in many regions, and we do not condone the use of our technology in this manner,” Tile said. And in the company’s announcement post, Tile confirmed that the Scan & Secure feature will work for anyone who has the Tile mobile app on their Android and iOS devices.

People can use the Scan & Secure feature by installing the latest version of the Tile app. The company also emphasized that anyone can use the new scanning function even if they are not part of the Tile network (meaning they do not own a Tile tracker). On a support page, the company confirms people do not have to sign in with a Tile account to use the feature. A Scan icon can be seen on the top-right corner of the app’s Sign In screen.

The new feature can also be accessed by going to the Tile app Settings and then the Scan & Secure tab. Tile notes that mobile app users will have to walk or drive some distance away from their original location (like homes or workplaces) for the scan to work. It will also take a maximum of 10 minutes of uninterrupted scanning “to run completely and achieve the most accurate results.” While users need to move, Tile does not advise doing a scan while riding public transportation to avoid detecting other Tile products carried by legitimate users.