What is the Kitetag lifecycle?

Every Kitetag moves through a series of statuses from the moment it leaves the factory to when it is retired. Understanding the lifecycle helps you keep your tags organized and your subscription costs under control.

stateDiagram-v2
    [*] --> Unclaimed
    Unclaimed --> Claimed : Tap with phone
    Claimed --> Configured : Assign KDS + KI
    Configured --> Grounded : Deactivate tag
    Configured --> Frozen : Payment issue
    Grounded --> Configured : Reactivate tag
    Frozen --> [*]

Lifecycle summary: A tag starts as Unclaimed. Tapping it with your phone claims it to your account. Once you assign a data structure and interaction through a group, the tag is Configured. You can Ground a tag to deactivate it temporarily, or a tag may become Frozen due to payment issues.

How to claim a Kitetag

  1. Hold your smartphone close to an unclaimed Kitetag.
  2. Your phone reads the tag via NFC and opens the Kitetags platform.
  3. Sign in to your account, or create a new account if this is your first tag.
  4. The tag is now claimed and linked to your account.

After claiming, the tag automatically joins a generated group that uses the Test Flight App. This lets you verify the tag works before setting it up for its real purpose.

How tags join a generated group

When you claim a tag, the platform creates a generated group for it automatically. Generated groups use Test Flight so you can confirm the tag reads correctly.

You do not need to keep tags in generated groups. Move them to a custom Kitetag Group with the KDS and KI you need for your use case.

How to move tags between groups

  1. Open the group that currently holds the tag.
  2. Select the tag (or tags) you want to move.
  3. Click Move and choose the destination group.

When a tag moves to a new group, it inherits that group’s KDS and KI immediately. The next tap will use the new group’s interaction. See the Kitetag Groups guide for more details.

How to ground a Kitetag

Grounding a tag deactivates it without deleting it. This is useful for tags you are not currently using but may need later.

  1. Open the group containing the tag.
  2. Select the tag and click Ground.
  3. Confirm the action.

Grounded tags do not respond when tapped. You can reactivate a grounded tag at any time from the dashboard, and it will rejoin its group as a Configured tag.

What are frozen Kitetags?

A Frozen tag is one that has been deactivated due to a payment issue on your account. Frozen tags stop responding to taps.

To unfreeze your tags, resolve the billing issue in your account settings. Once your payment is current, your tags will return to their previous status.

Understanding each tag status

Status Responds to taps? Counts toward plan? How to reach this status
Unclaimed Triggers claim flow No Factory default
Claimed Shows Test Flight Yes Tap with phone
Configured Runs assigned KI Yes Assign to group with KDS + KI
Grounded No No Manually ground from dashboard
Frozen No Yes Automatic due to payment issue

Next steps

Last updated 27 Mar 2026, 06:51 +0900 . history