Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: The latest key finder is better in every way

There’s an awful lot to keep track of on this persnickety planet, but the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 Bluetooth tracker can keep tabs on the most important ones, all while making your Samsung phone a little smarter. This futuristic-yet-diminutive device is smaller than a pack of gum, yet loaded with useful features to keep anything you want within reach, whether it’s missing keys or even a wandering pet.

As an incremental upgrade to the original Galaxy SmartTag, you’ll find some familiar functionality on the SmartTag 2, along with Ultra Wideband Support, a higher IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, and up to 40% extra juice in power-saving mode. Not too shabby for a fancy key fob. 

In my original Samsung Galaxy SmartTag review, I praised this long-lasting tracker as one of the best key finders on the market thanks to its simple feature set, impressive Bluetooth range and compact design. Can the Galaxy Smart Tag 2 live up to that, let alone push things forward for key trackers? Keep reading to find out.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: Price and availability

At $29, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 costs the same as both its predecessor and the Apple AirTag. This is a few bucks cheaper than the best-in-class Tile Pro ($34), and on par with the Chipolo One ($25). While the tag itself is only available in black or white, you get five elegant color choices with an optional $19 silicone case, which adds a little extra pizazz to this simple accessory.

Some people use trackers like SmartTag 2 for rambunctious pets. If that includes you, maybe spring for  the $15 rugged case instead. Either way, it would have been nice to see the SmartTag2 and accompanying cases bundled together for less than $40.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: Design and features

Measuring just 2 x 1.1 x 0.4 inches and weighing in at 0.5 ounces all by itself, the Galaxy SmartTag 2 resembles an ordinary key fob, as opposed to the skipping stone-style design of the original SmartTag. If you splurge for the silicone case, a built-in carabiner ring makes it easy to clip the tag directly to any keychain, dog collar, luggage strap, or purse handle.   

Like the Tile Pro and Apple AirTag, Samsung’s tracker is powered by a hidden CR2032 battery; Samsung says you can expect up to 500 days of operation per battery, and an additional 40% more juice if you employ the power-saving mode. 

The Galaxy SmartTag 2 has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance (up to 3 feet of water submersion for up to 30 minutes), which is an improvement on the IP53 rating on the original SmartTag. It also makes the SmatTag 2 an excellent Bluetooth tracker for cats, dogs, and any other outdoor pets that can track dirt into the house — especially since you can use the tag to track your pet’s daily walks. 

But wait, there’s more. Misplace your phone? You can use the SmartTag2 to find it with the touch of a button, or activate a home routine via the SmartThings app. As a bonus, the lost mode uses NFC (Near Field Communication) to display your registered contact information and a preselected message on any finder's smartphone, regardless of their OS. In short, there’s an awful lot of functionality packed into this little gadget — if you’re a Samsung Galaxy phone user, that is.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: Setting up

Similar to the original SmartTag, syncing the SmartTag 2 to Samsung’s robust digital ecosystem is a cinch. As a seasoned Samsung owner (starting with the Galaxy S4), it took me less than 5 minutes to unbox the tag and pair it with the SmartThings app on my Galaxy S22 Ultra,

During the setup process, however, I came across a somewhat disconcerting alert: “This device was designed to help users locate and track their personal belongings safely and securely. Please be aware that using a Galaxy SmartTag to track a person or their belongings without their knowledge and consent may violate the law. This device includes technology that allows detection of subjects of unwanted tracking.” 

On the one hand, I suppose Samsung’s straightforwardness is refreshing. On the other hand, this reads like an admission that you could use the SmartTag 2 as a stalking device — but please don’t. (More on that “unwanted tracking” tech below.)

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: SmartThings App

Once you’re finished setting up the SmartTag 2, its extra functionality can be found within the SmartThings app, which has gotten increasingly robust over the years. If you tap the Find section, you’re brought to an interactive map that displays the SmartTag 2’s live location (if available). From here, you can refresh the tag’s location, force your misplaced tag to ring, access its location history, and fiddle around with the main settings. 

It’s easy enough to change the tag’s ringtone and/or volume; check battery status; activate power-saving mode; and set up automations for the smart button. You can rename your SmartTag, too, which is nifty when using several tags for several use cases or pets. 

To test out that automation feature — which is subjectively useful depending on which compatible smart devices you own — I set up one SmartTag to control the Samsung Frame TV in my bedroom. From the app, I could calibrate the SmartTag2 to perform a variety of actions when the smart button was pressed and/or held: change sound mode, change picture mode, change source, mute, or turn the TV on/off. Once I programmed it to control the TV’s power settings, the smart button worked like a charm. (I can see this feature being most useful to control any smart lights you might have as you enter or leave the home.)

If you misplace the SmartTag 2, you can navigate to it via Google Maps on your phone. The “notify when left behind” feature also sends out a push notification if you put too much distance between you and your tag (about 400 feet), but you can set “safe places” to minimize such alerts. The “Search nearby” button is useful if you’ve misplaced your SmartTag2 around the home; a circular gauge lets you know if you're getting warmer or cooler as you hunt around.

In my SmartTag 2 testing, all of these features worked with aplomb, though I would have preferred a louder ring volume on the tag itself. (When I covered the SmartTag with a pillow, audio alerts were muffled to an almost imperceptible level, which doesn’t exactly bode well for losing my keys around the hustle and bustle of NYC noise pollution.) Nevertheless, if your phone is close enough to pick up a decent Bluetooth signal, you’re probably close enough to hear your SmartTag2 — if you know what to listen for.

As an additional layer of security, you have the option of encrypting your phone’s offline location when it’s sent to Find My Mobile on other Samsung Galaxy devices, and only you can decrypt it.

Speaking of security, let’s revisit that potential stalking hazard I mentioned above. Thanks to Samsung’s unknown tag detection feature, the app automatically alerts you if it catches any SmartThings-compatible tags suspiciously piggybacking your location. (You can also perform a manual search at any time, just to be sure.) Granted, this doesn’t mean any non-Samsung tags aren’t tracking your location, so just be vigilant about how you use this little gadget, especially if you live in a major metropolitan area. Safety first! 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: Performance

To fully test out the Galaxy SmartTag 2, I clipped one to my keychain, another to my backpack (I was given a matching pair), and synced both to my S22 Ultra for a couple of weeks. As an always-on-the-move apartment dweller, losing my keys or phone is more than a pet peeve — it’s a potential day-ruiner. Plus, my exceptionally eclectic lifestyle involves an increasing amount of smarter and smarter gear in my backpack that can be easily lost on public transportation or accidentally left behind at a public event. Which I have done many, many times over the years, but no more! 

My apartment has roughly 800 square feet of living space, and my phone never had a problem picking up the tag’s Bluetooth signal as I moved from room to room. Since either device can find the other, I have way more peace of mind knowing those two essentials are both nearby and easy to find, even if they’re technically out of sight. A quick double-squeeze on the SmartTag’s smart button activates the default alarm on your phone until you find it; this feature worked flawlessly in my testing. 

Conversely, the Galaxy SmartTag 2 is great at keeping track of anything it’s tethered to. When I took it to my local park to test the Bluetooth range, I clipped it to a fence with my keys and went for a quick stroll. Sure enough, at around the 400-foot mark I received an alert from my phone to let me know the tag was out of range. 

Samsung has clearly tailored this device for dog owners; you can record Fido’s walking times, routes, and the distance of every trek with the SmartTag2, which is a great way to keep tabs on your dog’s exercise routine alongside your own, no matter which fitness tracker you use.  

I don’t have a dog, but I do have a uromastyx lizard named Maurice, and I occasionally let him wander around in his dragon harness. There are exactly two things that Maurice likes to do when I let him out of his cage: explore and burrow. Granted, I’ve lizard-proofed my home so Maurice can’t get into too much trouble when I turn my back, but every now and then he finds a new hiding spot. The SmartTag 2 eliminates this little game of hide-and-seek while also giving him a light workout to boot. 

To give that rugged rating a run for its money (and to emulate dropping the tag in a mud puddle), I filled up my kitchen sink with lukewarm tap water and tossed the tag in. After 10 minutes of full submersion, I tried pinging the tag from my phone, and it started ringing underwater loud and clear. After 20 minutes, I retrieved the tag, toweled it off, and double-tapped the smart button to ping my phone, which instantly started ringing in the next room without issue. 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 review: Verdict

Samsung Galaxy phone owners who are always losing track of their stuff will find a friend in the Galaxy SmartTag 2, which improves on the previous model in terms of battery life, ruggedness, and overall functionality. While marketed as a key finder, this pet-friendly gadget is also easy to clip to your dog’s collar with the optional silicone case accessory, and even easier to clip to your keychain, purse, or luggage. 

The $29 asking price is a small amount to pay for a little added peace of mind, and if you already have other smart devices connected to your phone, the ability to trigger home routines via the SmartTag 2’s smart button is just icing on the cake. 

In short, I’d say this is the best Bluetooth tracker for Samsung customers — the lack of compatibility with iPhones and other Android devices means owners of those handsets will need to look elsewhere.