I keep an AirTag on my keychain to monitor my keys, but an AirTag is too large to fit inside a wallet. This is where the SwitchBot Wallet Finder comes into play. (Currently, the Wallet Finder is 30% off for Black Friday, making the deal even more attractive.)
Crafted in a slim, credit-card design, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder pairs seamlessly with the Find My app on your iPhone, allowing you to track its location. It even features a speaker, enabling you to make it emit a sound to help find your wallet when it inevitably disappears within your home. Continue reading for my review …
Setup
The setup process is incredibly straightforward. While it has its own app and supports Android as well, I opted to use it solely through the built-in Apple Find My app on my phone. I didn’t bother downloading the SwitchBot app. To initiate the setup, open Find My, select Add Item, and press and hold the button on the Wallet Finder card for a couple of seconds.
You’ll then choose a name and emoji icon for future reference. By default, it suggested ‘Benjamin’s Keys’, but I changed it to ‘Benjamin’s Wallet’, selected a wallet-related emoji, and hit Continue. Done! It easily fits into one of the spare card slots in my wallet.
Location Tracking
To clarify, Find My accessories do not utilize GPS. Rather, they emit a low-energy Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby Apple devices — including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The location is then securely and privately transmitted to the Find My network, enabling you to hopefully recover your lost item.
Even if you are quite far away, the wallet can still be tracked on the map in the Find My app as long as there’s an Apple device within range. There are no ongoing subscription fees or additional costs to worry about (unlike many competitors).
The Find My network has proven to be effective, just like AirTags, and the SwitchBot Wallet Finder performs equally well. If your item remains stationary and is near one of the billions of iOS devices worldwide, its location will quickly appear in Find My. However, if the item is in motion, location updates may be slightly behind real-time.
You can also use the Find My app to mark your item as lost. This feature allows someone who finds your wallet to use the Identify Found Item option, which will display your contact information for a smooth return. The upcoming iOS 18.2 update will even introduce the ability to generate a shareable link to help others track down lost items.
Finding Nearby with the Speaker
Unlike an AirTag, the Wallet Finder does not utilize ultra-wideband technology, meaning it lacks the Precision Finding feature present in AirTags for close proximity tracking.
However, the Wallet Finder’s integrated speaker does a commendable job of helping you locate your misplaced wallet. Within Bluetooth range, the card emits a sufficiently loud sound. It may be slightly quieter than an AirTag, especially when enclosed in a wallet, but it remains audible enough to hear from a fair distance.
For the (all-too-common) instances when I’ve misplaced my wallet inside my home, I can conveniently open the Find My app, hit ‘Play Sound’, and instantly determine which room it’s in.
Additionally, Find My works with Siri for enhanced convenience. For instance, I can simply ask my HomePod, ‘Where’s my wallet?’ and it will begin pinging it for me.
Safety and Tracking
Similar to AirTags, the Wallet Finder is intended to aid in recovering lost items. It is not designed to handle theft issues or track individuals without their consent. If the card gets separated from its owner for an extended period, the speaker will emit a sound to alert those nearby. It will also generate ‘Unknown Item Moving With You’ notifications on iPhones in the vicinity.
It’s crucial to note that someone else in possession of the card can disable the Find My connection by following a specific shutdown sequence.
Conclusion
When used for its intended purpose, the SwitchBot Wallet Finder proves to be an efficient and cost-effective solution. While it is designed to fit inside a wallet, it even features a built-in hole for attaching it to a lanyard or keychain if desired. I highly recommend it.
The only potential drawback to consider is that the Wallet Finder card does not allow for battery replacement. It is a single-use item, with an estimated lifespan of about three years. However, considering the value of the items in your wallet, it likely makes financial sense to simply replace it when it eventually runs out. You merely need to reconcile yourself with any environmental impact.
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