Ever walked away from a café table and left your keys behind? Google’s Find Hub app can now warn you when that happens. A new Notify when left behind setting is rolling out for Bluetooth trackers in Find Hub. The Pixel Tag that went on sale in the US on November 11 supports it too.
This guide covers how to switch the alerts on, how the built-in Home exception works, and how to add your own quiet zones. Quiet zones matter, because without them a busy day can turn into a stream of notifications.
What Find Hub left behind alerts do
Once the setting is on, your phone sends a notification when a supported tracker gets separated from it. 9to5Google first spotted the option on November 5 in Find Hub version 3.1.787-06. It showed up for users in the US and Europe. Android Authority confirmed the rollout a day later.
Google had already promised the feature for its own tracker. Its Pixel Tag announcement on The Keyword put it this way:
“Left Behind alerts can be enabled to proactively help prevent leaving your items behind.”
Which trackers support it
- Google Pixel Tag: supported, according to Google. It sells in eight markets: the US, UK, Canada, Australia, India, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan. It isn’t sold in the EU.
- Chipolo trackers: spotted by 9to5Google and tested by Android Police.
- Moto Tag (original): spotted with the toggle by 9to5Google and Android Police. Support for the Moto Tag 2 hasn’t been confirmed.
- Headphones and earbuds: the option doesn’t appear for them yet, and there’s no timeline.
European users have seen the toggle on Chipolo and Moto Tag trackers, not on a Pixel Tag. Support for other tracker brands is unconfirmed for now.
How to turn on left behind alerts in Find Hub
The reporters’ screenshots came from Chipolo and Moto Tag trackers. Google says the Pixel Tag supports the same alerts, which live in the same per-tracker Find Hub setting.
- Open the Find Hub app and select your tracker.
- Tap the settings (gear) icon in the bottom sheet below the map.
- Turn on Notify when left behind.
- Repeat for each tracker you own, since the setting is per tag.
Turning it on while pairing a new tracker
Setting up a tracker for the first time is quicker. Android Police found that Find Hub’s “What next?” page, shown after pairing, includes Notify when left behind. Tap Turn on there and you’re done. That matches what Google described in its October Play services release notes about configuring reminders during registration.
How Home and quiet zones work
Find Hub won’t alert you at home by default. It uses the Home address saved in your Google Account, the same one Google Maps uses. That makes the feature depend on location data Google already holds about you, so check that the saved address is correct.
You can also add quiet zones of your own, such as your office, gym or a relative’s home. Android Police walked through the steps:
- Open the tracker’s settings in Find Hub.
- Tap the button to the left of the Notify when left behind toggle.
- Tap Add location and set the spot.
- Size the circle anywhere from 98 yards to 3.1 miles in diameter.
- Apply it to that one tracker or to all compatible trackers.
If you don’t see the toggle
The rollout is gradual, so not everyone has it yet. Update Find Hub from the Play Store first. If the option still doesn’t appear, your tracker may not support it yet. As of November 12, Google hasn’t published a support page covering these steps.
The catch: the alerts aren’t instant
Android Police compared Find Hub with Chipolo’s own app and found Find Hub’s alert arrived up to two minutes later. Google’s own Pixel Tag footnote warns that alert timing depends on network connectivity and device settings. Two minutes is long enough to drive off without your bag.
It’s also overdue. Apple’s Find My has offered left-behind warnings for years, while Find Hub trackers launched without them. If you’re weighing a Google Pixel Tag for this feature, treat the alert as a backup rather than a guarantee.
Sources: Google, 9to5Google, Android Police, Android Authority
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