Frequently asked questions
Last updated 5 July 2026.
Before tagging their things, people ask practical questions about privacy, cost, and how the service actually works. Every answer reflects how ifyoufind.me behaves today.
Does the person who finds my item see my phone number or email?
No. The finder never sees your email address or phone number, and you never see theirs unless they choose to share a way to reach them. Messages travel through ifyoufind.me rather than directly between you, so a lost-and-found moment doesn't mean handing a stranger your contact details. Our notification logs even record recipients only as a keyed hash, never in the clear.
Is ifyoufind.me free to use?
Yes, personal use is free. You get an allowance of codes that starts at ten and grows the longer you've had your account, and you're never charged for going over it. The only paid option planned is bulk codes for future business accounts, where high-volume issuance carries a real cost; individual, everyday use stays free.
What happens if no one ever scans my code?
Nothing is lost. Codes never expire, so a printed tag stays valid for as long as you keep it (however long it sits dormant) and it's ready the day you actually need it. You're only notified when someone reaches out; until then there's nothing to do.
How long are messages kept?
Conversations expire automatically after a period of inactivity, and a scheduled purge then removes the old messages and clears the hashed identifiers tied to them. Your account and your codes stay until you delete them: only the conversations are time-limited.
Can I use this without installing an app?
Yes. There's no app to install. A finder just scans the tag or types the code in a web browser and sends you a message: no app and no account needed on their side. As an owner you sign in with your email; we're passwordless, so there's no password to remember either.
Do you sell my data or show ads?
No. We never sell your data, and we don't run third-party advertising or tracking. We collect only what's needed to run the service and stop abuse: your email is encrypted at rest, and where we need to recognise a request source (for example, to block code-guessing), we store a keyed hash, not your raw IP address.
Still curious? See About for how it works, the Privacy policy for the specifics on data, or get in touch if your question isn't here.