Digital Matter devices already filter many unwanted Bluetooth® tags from background noise, but in environments with lots of nearby beacons this may not be enough. This is especially common when scanning for iBeacon and Eddystone tags, where tags from other companies may also be detected and logged.

BLE tag filtering helps reduce unnecessary uploads by limiting which tags are accepted by the device. Depending on the tag type, this can be done using iBeacon UUIDs, Eddystone Namespace IDs, or MAC address filters.
 

iBeacon Filtering

Every iBeacon includes a UUID, Major value, and Minor value. The UUID is typically used to identify the company or deployment, while the Major and Minor values differentiate individual tags within that group.

Some manufacturers ship tags with unique values already configured, while others use the same defaults across many tags. Where possible, it is best to configure a UUID that is unique to your business, then assign unique Major and Minor values to each tag.
 

To filter iBeacon tags, add the relevant parameter tab and configure the following settings:

1. Filter by iBeacon UUIDs - When set to Yes, the device will only log iBeacon tags whose UUID matches one of the configured UUID filters.
    
2. Use MAC addresses as tag identifiers - If your iBeacons do not have unique UUID, Major, and Minor values, you can use the MAC address instead to identify individual tags. In most deployments, it is still better to use a shared UUID with unique Major and Minor values for each tag.
    
3. UUID Filter 1, 2, and 3 - The device will only log iBeacon tags whose UUID matches one of these filters. Each UUID must be exactly 32 characters long or it will be rejected.
    

Eddystone Filtering

Eddystone tags use Namespace and Instance IDs. The Namespace is generally used to identify a company or deployment, while the Instance ID is used to identify a specific tag.

As with iBeacon tags, some manufacturers provide unique values by default and others do not. It is a good idea to configure a Namespace that is unique to your business, then assign a unique Instance ID to each tag.
 

To filter Eddystone tags, add the relevant parameter tab and configure the following settings:

1. Filter by Eddystone Namespace - When set to Yes, the device will only log Eddystone tags whose Namespace matches one of the configured Namespace filters.
    
2. Log Telemetry Frames - When set to Yes, telemetry data sent by Eddystone tags will also be logged. Not all Eddystone tags transmit telemetry, and telemetry frames cannot be filtered by Namespace.
    
3. Use MAC addresses as tag identifiers - If your Eddystone tags do not have unique Namespace and Instance IDs, you can use the MAC address instead to identify individual tags. In most cases, a shared Namespace with unique Instance IDs is the better approach.
    
4. Namespace Filter 1, 2, and 3 - The device will only log Eddystone tags whose Namespace matches one of these filters. Each Namespace must be exactly 20 characters long or it will be rejected.
    

MAC Address Filtering

Every Bluetooth® device has a MAC address. MAC filtering can be useful when you want to match only specific devices, especially when using MAC addresses as the identifier for iBeacon or Eddystone tags.
 

To filter by MAC address, add the relevant parameter tab and configure the following settings:

1. Apply to X Tags - When set to Yes for a given tag type, that tag type will only be logged if its MAC address matches one of the configured MAC filters. Other Tag refers to the coarse tag type filters selected in Periodic Bluetooth Scanning or Continuous Bluetooth Scanning.
    
2. MAC Filter 1, 2, and 3 - You can filter on all or part of the MAC address. Enter the MAC address with a colon between each byte, for example FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF. Use an asterisk to ignore bytes. For example, FF:FF:FF:* compares only the first three bytes, while FF:*:FF:*:FF:* compares only the 1st, 3rd, and 5th bytes.
    

When To Use Each Filter Type

• Use iBeacon UUID filtering when your iBeacon tags are configured with a company-specific UUID.
   
• Use Eddystone Namespace filtering when your Eddystone tags share a unique Namespace for your deployment.
   
• Use MAC address filtering when tag payload identifiers are not unique, or when you need a broader device-level filter.
   

Related BLE Configuration

BLE tag filtering is usually configured alongside your scanning method. If you are still setting up scanning, start with Bluetooth® Getting Started - Tags & Scanning.

• Periodic Bluetooth Scanning - best for battery-powered devices and scheduled scans.
   
• Continuous Bluetooth Scanning - best when you need to log when tags are found or lost.
   
• Advanced Scanning Parameters - for scan behaviour such as active scanning and scan technology.
   
• BLE Generic Protocol Tags - for more flexible filtering of niche or unsupported BLE devices.
   

Next Steps

Once filtering is configured, test with a small number of tags first to confirm that only the expected devices are being logged. If you need more flexible filtering for custom BLE payloads, see BLE Generic Protocol Tags. If you are configuring a gateway deployment, Setting up Stationary Bluetooth® Gateways may also be useful.