Feature Request: Offline Search and Ring Override for SmartTag2

General Discussion
1

I recently purchased a 4-pack of Galaxy SmartTag2s and ran into some significant usability limitations regarding Power Saving Mode and Offline Searching while simulating a lost item on a remote hiking trail; i.e. retrace my steps to locate the item.

I would like to submit the following feedback and feature requests to the development team:

1. Power Saving Mode Disables “Ring”

  • The Issue: Enabling Power Saving Mode completely disables the “Ring” feature.

  • The Problem: You only need to ring a tag when it is actually lost. In that critical moment, finding the item is a higher priority than saving battery. Users who want to save power simply won’t press the ring button; it shouldn’t be forced off globally.

  • Recommendation: Allow the “Ring” feature to remain available in Power Saving Mode, or automatically override power savings when the user actively triggers a search.

2. “Search Nearby” Requires Data or Wi-Fi

  • The Issue: I simulated a remote hike by turning off cellular data and Wi-Fi. The SmartThings app refused to even open or initiate the “Search Nearby” feature without an active internet connection.

  • The Problem: Items are frequently lost in remote areas (hiking trails, campsites, beaches) where there is zero cellular service.

  • Recommendation: Support Offline Search. The phone should be able to use its local Bluetooth/UWB radio to detect and track a local tag without needing to ping a Samsung server first.

3. Cannot Change Tag Settings Offline (The Workaround Failure)

  • The Issue: As a workaround simulation, I opened “Search Nearby” while connected to Wi-Fi, forced the app to Keep Open, and then disconnected from the network. While the local Bluetooth search worked, I ran into a wall: because I was offline, the app would not let me turn off Power Saving Mode to ring the tag.

  • The Problem: Even if you successfully track a tag down to a 5-foot radius using UWB offline, you cannot toggle the ring feature to find it in deep brush because the setting change requires an internet connection.

Summary Request for Samsung Developers:

Please implement “Offline Search with Ring Override.”

  1. Users must be able to initiate a local Bluetooth/UWB search entirely offline.

  2. The local “Ring” command should instantly override Power Saving Mode during an active search.

Is anyone else concerned with these limitations?

2

Hi, @robert85f
We suggest you send this request to the Samsung support team, since they’re the owners of the SmartTag integration.

3

Hmm, Samsung says to contact the SmartThings team. If you know of the correct link, that would help.

4

I finally spoke with Samsung, and they said this forum is the correct place to discuss SmartTags.

5

Hi, @robert85f. Can you share the numbers of the support tickets you opened to see if we can track them, please?

If they sent you to SmartThings Support first, I think you can use the form from the SmartThings app:

  1. Open the SmartThings app
  2. Go to the menu tab at the bottom-right corner.
  3. On this page, select the option “Contact Us” and then go to “Error reports”
  4. Select the topic related to your issue and follow the steps to submit your support request
6

They didn’t open a support ticket. They simply said they would submit my feature request.

When I get a chance, I’ll submit a support request too. Maybe it will give me an update if they decide to fix the issue.

7

I have no real issue with 1) or 3), I think they are a bit of a sideshow.

To my mind the power saving mode is intended to be used when you intentionally separate from your tags for extended periods. So perhaps on luggage or in cars. You might forget where you parked your car, or your luggage may have been mishandled and be where it shouldn’t be, but the bog standard location probably suffices. Most of my tags are the original version which don’t have power saving mode and I don’t miss it at all. It’s also not like you aren’t explicitly told of the limitations of power saving mode when you enable it.

I also don’t have any issue with having to be online to change the settings. Those settings may have to be reported to others. That said …

I do think with 2) you have raised an extremely strong point. Once you go into Search Nearby the SmartThings/Samsung Find stuff has no further part to play, it’s all about your phone and the tag now. I can’t see any obvious need to be online and I think Search Nearby should have it’s own independent settings which should include ring always being on.