Samsung’s Offline finding feature is probably worth leaving on if you want another way to locate a Galaxy device that loses its network connection. One Galaxy Z Fold 8 test found only a small battery difference with it enabled, but that was a short, uneven personal comparison—not proof of what every phone will use.
What Offline finding does
Samsung says Offline finding lets its Galaxy network help locate supported devices that are not connected to a network. Nearby participating Galaxy devices can detect a supported offline device and relay location information. Samsung says users must consent to their devices acting as find nodes, and those nodes do not show the lost device’s exact location. This is an additional recovery option, not a guarantee that a device will be found. Samsung’s Samsung Find documentation describes the feature and its limitations.
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Samsung’s documentation covers supported phones, tablets, wearables and SmartTags, but compatibility and availability vary by product and region. A Galaxy SmartTag can help track belongings such as keys or a bag; you do not need a tag to enable Offline finding on a phone. Samsung Gulf’s support page explains SmartTag offline finding and nearby Galaxy devices.
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A Linx Tech News article published August 29, 2026, reported the author’s comparison on a Galaxy Z Fold 8. With Offline finding enabled, the phone went from 100% to 92% over eight hours (about 1.0% per hour), then from 92% to 83% over 10 hours and 20 minutes (about 0.87% per hour). The article averaged those two enabled runs at about 0.94% per hour. In one disabled overnight run, the phone went from 100% to 90% over 11 hours and 33 minutes, or about 0.87% per hour. The reported gap was roughly 0.07 percentage points per hour. Read the Linx Tech News comparison.
#1 Best Overall
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only
That difference is too limited to treat as a general battery estimate. There were two enabled runs and only one disabled run; one enabled run was during the day while the other two were overnight. The author also noted that the phone’s battery was only a few weeks old. The variation between the two enabled runs was larger than the reported difference between the enabled average and the disabled run. The test suggests little difference in those observations, but it does not establish that Offline finding caused all the measured drain or that other Galaxy models and users will see the same result.
Samsung does not publish a battery-cost figure for Offline finding in the cited documentation. The measured numbers above are the article author’s results, not a Samsung specification or an independent, broad test.
Rank #2
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only.
What you give up by turning it off
Turning off Offline finding removes the assistance of participating nearby Galaxy devices when your supported device is offline. Keep it enabled if that added chance of recovery matters more to you than minimizing background activity. If you disable it, do not assume that you have also disabled every other way to find the phone: Samsung lists the relevant controls separately.
How to check the setting
- On a Samsung phone or tablet, open Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection. Samsung’s US instructions use this path; labels may differ by software version, device or region. If you cannot find it, search Settings for “Offline finding.” Samsung’s US setup instructions list the controls.
- Check Allow this phone to be found, Send last location and Offline finding individually. They are separate switches, so enabling Offline finding alone is not the same as enabling every lost-device option.
- For Samsung’s stated phone or tablet recovery setup, the target device needs to be turned on, have a Samsung account added and have remote controls enabled. If it is powered off, Samsung says only its last known location is available. Offline finding does not locate a powered-down phone.
Samsung’s UK documentation also describes enabling Offline finding through the Samsung Find app or device settings. The precise route can vary; use Settings search if the path above does not match your device.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- REDESIGNED TO DO MORE: The redesigned Galaxy SmartTag2 is made so you can keep calm and keep track¹; Its design makes it easy for you to tag and carry your belongings
- EASY TO USE: It's IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant², activates your compatible IoT devices³ and stays powered for up to 500 days⁴ or even up to 40% more on Power Saving Mode⁵
- RELAX, YOU'VE GOT IT TAGGED: Simply register a new Galaxy SmartTag2 and get started right away with SmartThings Find; With its intuitive tracking experience, you now have a way to keep track of things you love right in the palm of your hand¹
- SEARCH NEAR WHEN IT'S NOT FAR: Lose something? Switch on Search Nearby⁶ and get instructions to your item's location via Compass View⁷; If you still don't see it, just ring your Galaxy SmartTag2 to have it send out an audible signal
- TAGGED & TRENDY: Cover your Galaxy SmartTag2 with a colorful Silicone Case for protection and a smooth touch – or a Rugged Case with a non-slip pattern on the side and additional bumper on the bottom⁸; Both have a carabiner ring attachment
Rank #3
- Find your things with ease: The SmartThings Find app uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to locate and keep track of your stuff
- Water and Dust Resistant: IP67 rating offers protection against dust and water immersion between 15 cm and 1 meter for up to 30 minutes
- Compatible with Galaxy Devices Only.
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