# uTag for Samsung SmartTags on Non-Samsung Android > uTag is an Android app and SmartThings modification that brings Samsung SmartTag support to Android 11 and later devices. It avoids root and Shizuku requirements, but its core value depends on Samsung account access, patched SmartThings components, and specific native libraries. **KieronQuinn/uTag** — Use Samsung Galaxy SmartTags on any Android device - Repository: https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag - Stars: 1,610 · Forks: 64 - Language: Kotlin - License: GPL-3.0 - Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/kieronquinn-utag ## Why uTag Exists Beyond Samsung Devices uTag addresses a hardware and software mismatch. Samsung SmartTags can be useful physical trackers, but Samsung's normal application and account workflow is tied to the SmartThings ecosystem. uTag is intended for people who own those tags but want to manage them from a non-Samsung Android device running Android 11 or later. The repository presents uTag as both an Android app and a SmartThings mod. It does not claim to be a replacement tag or a different tracking network. Instead, it changes how an Android device connects to and uses Samsung's SmartTag service. The target audience is therefore narrower than the phrase "any Android device" may initially suggest. The device needs Android 11 or newer, access to a Samsung account, and a patching or module installation path that works for that device. uTag also says that no root and no Shizuku are required, which removes two common barriers for Android customization. That does not mean setup is ordinary app installation. The documentation describes an application that downloads a SmartThings mod and guides setup, while the source build instructions involve a modified or patched SmartThings APK. The project is especially relevant to users who want SmartTag functions outside Samsung's regular device family, including location history, ring actions, left-behind alerts, and UWB-based finding where the Android device supports UWB. The README also lists widgets, safe areas based on Wi-Fi networks, and location-history export as features not presented as Samsung app features. The documentation qualifies the feature list as "almost all" SmartTag features, so feature availability should be checked rather than inferred from the headline description. ## The uTag and SmartThings Data Path The documented architecture has two cooperating parts. The first is the uTag Android application. The second is a modified SmartThings component that lets uTag interact with Samsung SmartTags and Samsung's Find APIs. The README points developers to a uTag Wiki for details about SmartThings, Find APIs, and some Bluetooth interactions. That separation matters because uTag is not simply a standalone tracker interface. It relies on Samsung services and a compatible SmartThings environment. During normal installation, uTag downloads the latest SmartThings mod, installs it, and guides the user through setup. Samsung account sign-in is required because the account is needed to access Samsung APIs. A later network operation depends on `libfmm_ct.so`, a native library that the build documentation identifies as necessary for sending locations to Samsung's Find my Everything network. The source build specifically requires the Samsung Find my Mobile Lite 7.3.18.2 APK because that version is documented as the last release supporting both `armv7` and `v8`. UWB is not a general requirement. The README says precise finding with UWB requires a UWB-capable device. Bluetooth communication, Samsung network requests, account state, and device hardware therefore work together. A successful app installation does not by itself guarantee that precise finding, all notification flows, or all background behavior will work. The documentation does not provide a compatibility matrix for particular manufacturers or Android versions, so that remains an explicit uncertainty for an adopter. ## Downloading uTag and Completing Initial Setup The README gives an APK-oriented installation path rather than a package-manager command. It says to download the latest release APK from the repository releases page, install it, and follow the setup instructions. uTag then downloads the latest SmartThings mod, installs it, and guides setup. The user must sign into a Samsung Account because Samsung APIs require it. The README does not give a command for downloading or installing the release APK, so this article does not invent one. After installation, the user should complete the guided setup and sign in. The first useful result should be a connected SmartTag available for tracking in the app. The documentation lists setting up, connecting, and tracking tags, as well as ringing a tag and viewing location history. Exact button names and screen transitions are not included in the README, so they cannot be stated as confirmed instructions. A new user should follow the prompts in the installed application rather than expect a documented command-line workflow. For users compiling the project themselves, the build also needs signing and Maps configuration. The documented `local.properties` fields are: ```properties storeFile= storePassword= keyAlias= keyPassword= ``` A Google Maps API key is placed in `secrets.properties`: ```properties MAPS_API_KEY= ``` The README says the Maps key should have certificate configurations for both `com.kieronquinn.app.utag` and `com.samsung.android.oneconnect`, using the same signature fingerprint. Those settings are part of source preparation, not an additional runtime step for users who install the release APK. ## Rootless and Rooted Installation Paths uTag distinguishes devices that already have the required modification environment from those that do not. For a rooted device using LSPosed, the README says to install SmartThings from Google Play, enable uTag in LSPosed, and finish setup normally. In this path, uTag is enabled as an LSPosed module and does not require the lengthy manual APK patching sequence. The non-rooted path is substantially different. The source instructions call for creating an APK from the `xposed-standalone` configuration, pushing it to the device, installing LSPatch, and obtaining a SmartThings APK. The README specifically warns against using the Google Play version for this process because Google Play uses split APKs, which LSPatch does not support. The SmartThings APK must be downloaded, decompiled with APKTool, edited, recompiled, zipaligned, and signed. A temporary key is sufficient according to the instructions because it is used only for this temporary build. The decompiled `AndroidManifest.xml` must have the `com.samsung.android.voc.beta.provider.GET_BETA_CONTACT_US_INFO` permission removed. In `res/values/strings.xml`, the string `google_map_api_prod_key` must be replaced with the Google Maps API key. The resulting APK is selected in LSPatch using the `Integrated` patch mode, with `Embed modules` enabled and signature bypass disabled by setting `lv0: off`. After patching, the README places the result in `/sdcard/LSPatch` and instructs the user to install it. This path is an operational commitment. When SmartThings or uTag is updated, the README says steps 8 to 21 must be repeated. That maintenance cost is a central adoption issue, especially for users who do not already know how to patch and sign Android applications. ## What Works, What Is Conditional, and What Is Missing The strongest parts of the documentation are the explicit feature list and the concrete installation prerequisites. uTag covers the normal tag lifecycle, including connecting, tracking, ringing, location history, and left-behind alerts. It also documents widgets, Wi-Fi-based safe areas, and location-history export. These additions are useful for users who want the physical trackers but do not want to stay within the feature set of Samsung's application. UWB is conditional on device hardware. The README does not say that every Android 11 or later device can perform precise finding. Bluetooth range, background execution, notification behavior, and Samsung account access may also affect what a user experiences, but the README does not document detailed troubleshooting for those cases. The correct interpretation is that uTag supports a broad SmartTag workflow, not that it guarantees identical behavior across every Android manufacturer. The Content Creator Mode deserves attention because it changes screenshots and demonstrations. When enabled in Advanced settings after setup, it uses predefined fake locations while otherwise allowing normal use. The README states that locations sent to the network are not affected. This is a presentation feature for content creators, not a privacy mode and not a way to alter the real tracking record. The documentation also has limits. It does not publish a complete feature matrix, Android device compatibility list, rollback procedure for a patched SmartThings installation, or an explanation of what happens when the required Samsung library or remote mod cannot be downloaded. The uTag Wiki may contain additional API and Bluetooth details, but those pages are not reproduced here. Those omissions make direct verification more important than a broad claim of compatibility. ## Licensing, Maintenance, and a Real Alternative uTag is distributed under the GPL-3.0 license. That identifies the project's licensing terms, but it is not legal advice and does not by itself resolve questions about redistribution, modified Samsung components, account terms, or the licensing of bundled native libraries. Users who distribute a modified build should review the repository license and the relevant component terms separately. The repository is not archived. Its last push was on 2026-10-10, and the recent releases include `1.0.19` on 2026-10-08 and `1.0.18` on 2026-10-02. This indicates recent project activity, but it does not remove the manual maintenance burden described by the project itself. Updating uTag or SmartThings requires repeating the manual patching steps for the non-rooted route. Release activity therefore does not mean that a user's patched installation updates automatically. uTag offers a different setup path for users who want to use SmartTags on non-Samsung Android devices, but its documented setup and update process requires more manual work. ## Conclusion Adopt uTag if you own Samsung SmartTags, use Android 11 or later, and are willing to maintain a patched SmartThings installation. Do not choose it if you need an uncomplicated official Samsung workflow or cannot provide Samsung account access, signing materials, native libraries, or a maintained patching process. The first verification should be whether the prepared SmartThings installation completes setup and whether every feature you require is documented and available on your specific Android device. ## FAQ ### Can uTag use Samsung SmartTags on any Android device? uTag targets non-Samsung Android devices running Android 11 or later. UWB-based precise finding additionally requires a UWB-capable device. ### Does uTag require root or Shizuku? No. The README explicitly states that uTag requires neither root nor Shizuku, although the non-rooted build path still requires a manually patched SmartThings APK and additional tools. ### What must I provide to build uTag from source? The documented build needs the Samsung Find my Mobile Lite 7.3.18.2 APK, extracted `libfmm_ct.so` libraries, signing fields in `local.properties`, and a Google Maps API key in `secrets.properties`. The Maps key needs certificate configurations for `com.kieronquinn.app.utag` and `com.samsung.android.oneconnect`. ### Why does uTag ask me to sign in to a Samsung Account? The README states that Samsung account authentication is required to access Samsung APIs. The account is therefore part of the tag service workflow rather than an optional local-only account. ## Sources - [Issues](https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag/issues) - [KieronQuinn/uTag on GitHub](https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag) - [License: GPL-3.0](https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag/blob/main/LICENSE) - [README](https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag/blob/main/README.md) - [Releases](https://github.com/KieronQuinn/uTag/releases) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/kieronquinn-utag