Keep gifts a surprise and reveal them when ready

GiftList hides shoppers' recorded purchases and gift-giver details from the list owner by default. Other shoppers can see what is taken so they can choose something else. The owner can choose to reveal gifts when ready.

Keep the surprise

As the owner, leave Reveal gifts off. You can keep editing your list without opening its purchase details. A purchased gift may look available in your owner view while shoppers see its purchased status; that difference protects the surprise.

As a shopper, use the shared link and mark the gift purchased after buying it. Avoid sending the owner a screenshot that shows claimed items or your confirmation email. Do not use another person's signed-in account to shop.

Reveal purchases and givers

1. Sign in to the account that owns the list and open it.
2. On the website, choose Tracker. In the mobile app, open the list menu and choose Gift tracker.
3. Choose Reveal gifts and confirm the reveal prompt.
4. Review the gifts and the giver details recorded with them. Any order, tracking or receipt information depends on what the giver supplied.

The list's Settings also includes Reveal purchased gifts. You can hide the display again, but that cannot erase what you or someone viewing with you already saw.

Notifications and privacy limits

Purchase emails are off by default. In the list's settings, Email notifications lets you opt in; detailed purchase emails are sent once gifts are revealed. Before reveal, a general first-gift heads-up may still arrive without naming the gift or giver.

Surprise protection is not permanent anonymity. The owner can reveal gifts and see recorded giver details. It also does not control retailer emails, shared inboxes, delivery notifications or what another shopper tells the recipient. Organization giving and Secret Santa have different roles; do not assume this personal-list setting hides every exchange assignment or organizational donation.

If you cannot find Tracker, confirm that you own the list and that you are using the correct account. A shopper's shared view does not include the owner's tracker. Use sign-in help if needed.

Watch the live overview of who sees a purchased gift, at 1:16.

Related: Mark a gift purchased, list privacy, join Secret Santa.