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 Apple AirTags: Everything You Need to Know

AirTags use ultra-wideband technology and Apple's existing network of devices to help you track down lost or stolen items. Here's what you need to know before you attach them to everything you own.

Apple's latest smart device is the AirTag, a small, puck-shaped tracker that can help you locate misplaced or stolen items with the Find My app. It costs $29 for one or $99 for a pack of four, and can be engraved with letters or an image of your choosing for free. Accessories, like keychains, luggage tags, and loops, which hold the device, are sold separately.

AirTags use ultra-wideband technology and take advantage of Apple's existing network of devices, which work as crowdsourced beacons to ping each other in order to determine your missing item's location. Here's what to know before you slap an AirTag on everything you own.

Which iPhones and OSes Work With AirTags?

Compatible iPhones and iPads can use the Find My app to identify the approximate location of a missing, AirTag-equipped item. However, in order to track an AirTag, you must be running iOS 14.5 or above on your iPhone or iPadOS 14.5+ on your tablet. (That update is compatible with iPhone 6s and up, including the first- and second-gen iPhone SE, and most iPads). Update by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

However, in order to use Precision Finding, which can guide you to your device via on-screen instructions, you need an iPhone 11 or 12. These models use the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope for a more "directionally aware finding experience," according to Apple.

How to Set Up Apple AirTags

Setup is simple. Take the device out of the box and pull out the tab to activate the AirTag. Hold it near your compatible mobile device, which will detect the tracker and prompt you to set it up, similar to AirPods or a HomePod device. You can then name your AirTag after the device it will be in charge of tracking. The AirTag is then registered to your Apple ID—that’s it.

Do I Need to Charge My AirTag?

No. According to Apple, the AirTag battery lasts one year before it will need to be replaced. Surprisingly, the battery isn't some Apple-specific proprietary purchase; AirTags use a basic CR2032 battery, which can be purchased at various online and brick-and-mortar stores. Remove the battery by pushing down and twisting the AirTag's back plate.

Do AirTags Use My Location?

If you're skeptical about Apple tracking your location and have disabled location services on your devices, you won't be able to use AirTags. Apple needs your location in order to tell you where your lost item is located. To enable Find My location tracking, open Settings > Privacy > Location Services, then flip the switch at the top of the screen to On. Scroll down to Find My in your list of apps and make sure it is set to While Using the App.

How Does Apple Find Lost AirTags?

AirTags do not include a GPS chip like your iPhone. Instead, Apple has used its proprietary U1 chip with ultra-wideband technology to create a peer-to-peer network that taps into the 1.65 billion Apple devices out in the wild to nail down the location of an AirTag.

How Do I Find My AirTag?

Open the Find My app on your Apple device to see the tracker's location on a map. You can use the app to play a sound from the AirTag, which will help you locate the item, if you're nearby. If you have an iPhone 11 or 12 model, you can tap Find and turn to Precision Finding. This will tell you how far you are from the object and guide you to it via on-screen directions.

If you can't locate the tracker, there is an option in the Find My app to place it in Lost Mode and create a custom message to be displayed when your AirTag is found by another user. When they hold the AirTag near their phone, your message—like contact details—will appear on their device, and the Good Samaritan will hopefully get in touch. This will work on any device that has NFC enabled, meaning Android owners can help return lost AirTags, too.

Can I See Devices Near My AirTag?

AirTags use the devices connected to Apple's network in order to locate missing devices, but according to Apple, "no location data or location history is physically stored inside AirTag. Communication with the Find My network is end-to-end encrypted so that only the owner of a device has access to its location data, and no one, including Apple, knows the identity or location of any device that helped find it.” In other words, an AirTag owner can only determine the location of their own AirTag, not any other nearby Apple devices.

Can I Share AirTags Via Family Sharing?

Family Sharing allows up to five family members to share purchases from iTunes, the App Store, and Apple Books, as well as an Apple Music family subscription and iCloud storage. You can also share your location via Family Location Sharing and help family members find lost Apple devices with the Find My app. So you might think it would be helpful if your family member could also help you locate an AirTag from their own device. But alas, AirTags are locked to one Apple ID to prevent unwanted tracking, so only you have the power to track down your AirTag.

How Do I Remove an AirTag From My Apple ID?

Since your AirTag is registered to your Apple ID during setup, it can only be removed by you. Open the Find My App, tap the Items tab and select the AirTag from the list. Tap Remove Item to free it up for someone else to use. This means if your AirTag (and the device it's attached to) is ever lost or stolen, the person who finds it cannot simply link it to their device.

Can AirTags Be Used to Track Me?

A prime concern about AirTags and other tiny tracking devices is that they will be used to track people, not devices. AirTags are small so they won't weigh down keyrings or backpacks, but it also means they are easy to slip into someone's bag. In theory, a stalker or abusive partner could then keep tabs on a person's whereabouts from their own Apple device.

To address this, the Find My app will alert you on your Apple device if it detects a AirTag not attached to your Apple ID—and separated from its owner—traveling with you. You're then given the option to disable that AirTag, or to play a sound so you can locate it. Your device will need to be running iOS 14.5+, though.

This, of course, won't be helpful for Android users who have an AirTag slipped into their belongings. Apple says the AirTag will automatically play a sound if it's been separated from its owner "for an extended period of time," which is currently set at three days.

"As far as we can determine, AirTags can be used to unnoticeably track people you live with throughout the day, as long as they return to you at night," we wrote in our AirTag review. "This is also possible with a Samsung tag...and the only reason it's less possible with a Tile is that Tile's network isn't nearly as good. Jiobits and other GPS trackers can be used similarly."

Are AirTags Compatible With Android Devices?

Android users cannot register an AirTag with their device, but as mentioned above, the NFC functionality in Android phones allows them to connect to lost AirTags and display any Lost Mode messages so they can return it.

Here's How AirTags Work — and Why You Should Get One for Travel

How do AirTags work? We have the explanation, plus reasons they're great for travel.

As travelers faced checked-luggage woes over the past year or so, they turned to AirTags to help keep track of their bags. Made by Apple, these handy Bluetooth tracking devices can track any item they're attached to, whether that's your suitcase, your car, or even your pet. Here's everything you need to know about these handy devices, including how AirTags work.

How do AirTags work?

AirTags are small discs that can be tracked via your iPhone or iPad. Their location is not tracked by GPS, but by Bluetooth. An AirTag emits a Bluetooth signal that privately and securely connects to any device in the Find My network (that's Apple's location-tracking feature), and then its location is triangulated by its connections and sent back to your iPhone.

For instance, imagine your checked bag with an AirTag inside is being transported through an airport. The AirTag will connect to any nearby iPhones — say those in the pockets of baggage handlers — and the location will be beamed back to your iPhone in the Find My app. For those worried about privacy, all AirTags are connected to a single Apple ID, so only those logged into an Apple device with that Apple ID can actually see the location of the AirTag.

Keep in mind that AirTags can only be used by Apple device users — they're not compatible with Androids. If you're looking for a similar device for Androids, try Tile trackers.

How to Set AirTags Up and Use Them

When you take a new AirTag out of its packaging, it comes with a tab that keeps it from turning on — pull that tab, and the device will wake up. Hold the AirTag near an iPhone or iPad, and a prompt should appear on the screen. Simply follow the prompts to name the AirTag (this can be changed later) and connect it to your Apple ID. And that's it! If your AirTag is already on when you get it, you can enable setup mode by opening the Find My app and clicking on the plus sign.

Then when you open your Find My app, you'll be able to see the current or last-known location of your AirTag. From the app, you can play a sound on the AirTag, enable Lost Item Mode, set up location notifications, or rename the AirTag. 

Why AirTags Are Helpful for Travel

AirTags allow you to see the location of your luggage at pretty much any time, which is particularly beneficial for checked luggage. (Yes, AirTags can safely be checked into a cargo hold!) You'll quickly be able to tell if your bag made it onto your flight, and if it was left behind somewhere, you may be able to provide your airline information about its location to help them retrieve your bag. You can also track the location of your bag if you have porters transferring it from an airport to a hotel or cruise ship.

Other Uses for AirTags

AirTags can be used for tracking essentially anything you can attach it to. Apple makes AirTag holders that can be clipped onto keys or even your pet's collar. You can also attach an AirTag to your bike or leave one in your car, which can not only help you find your parking spot but also help police locate them if they're ever stolen.

AirTags are being used to track people and cars. Here's what is being done about it

Transcript

Apple's AirTags help you keep track of your things, but concerns have risen over their misuse.

Michael Levitt

Apple's AirTags were billed as a cheap and easy way to track everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack, but in recent months, there have been a number of reports of the small button-sized device being used by stalkers and thieves to track people.

Last December, Canadian law enforcement announced that AirTags were being found in luxury vehicles to later be stolen. Over recent months, numerous stories have surfaced on social media of people finding AirTags hidden in their belongings.

In response, Apple issued a statement last week saying it was working with law enforcement on all requests and is planning to roll out additional software updates to help iPhone users become more aware of and locate unknown AirTags that were following them.

"Based on our knowledge and on discussions with law enforcement, incidents of AirTag misuse are rare; however, each instance is one too many," it said.

Old problem, new tech

The idea behind AirTags is not revolutionary, but there are some notable differences in the technology from older tracking devices.

AirTags do not have a built-in GPS system and instead piggyback off the location data of nearby Apple devices by emitting a continuous Bluetooth signal, which is then viewable by the tag's owner.

Eva Galperin, the director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said she was alarmed even before the product's launch last spring.

"I was concerned ahead of their release as soon as I figured out how they worked. I was concerned very shortly after they were released when I started seeing reports of stalking and being contacted by people who were being stalked using these devices," she told NPR.

"As technology becomes more sophisticated and advanced, as wonderful as that is for society, unfortunately, it also becomes much easier to misuse and abuse," she told NPR. "I wouldn't say that we've necessarily seen an uptick with the use of AirTags any more or less than any cutting edge technology."

"[Apple is] not only listening to the field, but actively reaching out at times to do safety checks. That in and of itself might sound like a very small step, but it's rare," she said.

"The mitigations that Apple had in place at the time that the AirTag came out were woefully insufficient," Galperin said.

"I think that Apple has been very careful and responsive after putting the product out and introducing new mitigations. But the fact that they chose to bring the product to market in the state that it was in last year, is shameful."

How to know if an AirTag is following you

For Apple iPhone users, there are some safeguards in place, but for others, the options are more limited.

IPhone users will receive a notification if an AirTag is separated from its owner and is moving with them over time — if they have an iPhone 11 or later running on iOS 14.5 or later, and they have the correct settings on.

Apple

Currently, iPhone users will receive a notification if an AirTag is separated from its owner and is moving with them over time — if their phone is running on iOS 14.5 or later, and they have the correct settings on.

Android users cannot receive these notifications automatically, but Apple has released an application called Tracker Detect that will allow them to scan for an unknown AirTag nearby. However, Tracker Detect currently only operates when the app is open.

Anyone who is alerted to the presence of an unknown AirTag, either through Apple's notification system or by using Tracker Detect, can trigger an audible chime to help them locate the device.

AirTags will also randomly play this chime automatically when separated from the original owner.

Apple AirTag Chime

Apple notes that receiving a notification of an unknown AirTag does not necessarily mean that you are being followed. The device and the item it's attached to may genuinely be lost.

However, if you do fear you are being maliciously tracked, AirTags can be deactivated by removing the battery. Doing so not only stops it from updating its current location but also alerts the device's owner. However, some law enforcement agencies have pointed out that removing the AirTag's battery could potentially contaminate it as evidence.

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What you can do if you are being maliciously tracked

There are no hard-and-fast rules on what you should do if you suspect you are being tracked, said Jennifer Landhuis, the director of the Stalking Prevention Awareness and Resource Center.

Apple recommends people contact local law enforcement, and Landhuis advises victims to be thoughtful about how to do so in the safest way possible.

"If the offender is monitoring the victim's actions and sees that the AirTag has now gone to the police station, that can escalate the situation and put a victim more in danger," she said, suggesting that finding a public place where you can safely contact police by phone and have an officer meet you might be a safer alternative.

Landhuis also suggested that people document the incident by taking screenshots and photos and keeping a log of notes in order to keep track of the details. But the most important thing for someone to do, she said, was to follow their instincts.

"The first thing that we always say to an individual who thinks they're being stalked is to trust your gut," she said. "Your instincts tell you one way or the other to follow those instincts, because their instincts are usually pretty spot on."

Apple recently launched the latest version of its operating system, iOS 14.5, which features the much-anticipated app tracking transparency function, bolstering the tech giant’s privacy credentials.

But iOS 14.5 also introduced support for the new Apple AirTag, which risks doing the opposite.

For the uninitiated, an AirTag is a small device (similar to a Tile) that can be attached to personal items such as keys, wallets or luggage. The tag periodically sends messages that can be used to track its location, letting you find any lost or missing items with the help of an app.

While clearly useful, AirTags can also potentially be misused. Concerns have been raised they might facilitate stalking, for example.

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And there’s also a more fundamental issue with this technology. Its euphemistic description as a “crowdsourced” way to recover lost items belies the reality of how these items are tracked.

What you won’t find highlighted in the polished marketing statements is the fact that AirTags can only work by tapping into an Apple-operated surveillance network in which millions of us are unwitting participants.

So, how exactly do AirTags work?

AirTags are small, circular metal discs, slightly larger and thicker than an Australian one-dollar coin. Once paired with your Apple ID, the tag’s location will be shown in the “Find My” app, whenever location data are available.

Apple airtag. Apple newsroom

Each tag transmits a unique identifier using Bluetooth. Any compatible Apple device within range (up to 100 metres in ideal conditions) will then relay that identifier to Apple’s servers, along with its own location data. The tag’s owner can then log onto the Find My app and access those location details, and bingo — you now have a pretty good idea of where your lost bag is.

The AirTags themselves have no positional location capability – they do not contain GPS technology. Rather, they merely “ping” the nearest Bluetooth-enabled device and let that device’s location data do the rest.

Besides Bluetooth, AirTags also use a relatively new technology called Ultra Wideband. This new feature is supported only by recent Apple devices such as iPhone 11 and 12, and allows for much more precise location tracking.

This precision extends to directional finding – now, your phone can literally point you towards the missing tag.

Apple iphone precision finding. Apple newsroom

While the actual nature of the data transmitted is not too concerning (tag ID and location), what makes it worrying is the sheer scale and number of devices involved. By using an AirTag, you are effectively availing yourself of a global monitoring network containing millions and millions of devices.

Everyone’s iPhone (assuming Bluetooth is enabled) is listening for AirTags. When it “hears” one, it uploads details of that tag’s identifier and the phone’s location to Apple’s servers.

Besides any privacy concerns, this also likely uses small amounts of your data allowance. That’s probably fine most of the time, but if you are travelling internationally you might be hit with unexpected charges if you’ve forgotten to disable data roaming.

Stalking technology?

Apple says it has implemented a range of safeguards to detect and prevent attempts to use AirTags for stalking, including an alert triggered when an AirTag seems to be accompanying someone who’s not its owner. The alert can appear on the victim’s phone (if they use an iPhone) but can also raise an audible alert on the tag itself. But these measures are relatively easy to circumvent.

One experiment showed a tag can be placed on a person and would not trigger any of the safeguards if reconnected to the stalker’s device regularly enough. This could be done by the victim returning home or within range of their stalker within a three-day window.

More concerningly, the alerts can be turned off – which a victim of domestic violence may be coerced into doing by their aggressor. What’s more, as AirTags and similar devices become more common, we will inevitably encounter more warnings of tags appearing around us. Just like other commonly encountered alerts, many users will tire of seeing them, and dismiss the prompts.

It is also presumably only a matter of time until these devices are hacked and put to other nefarious purposes.

Apple isn’t the only technology company drawing unwitting users into large networks. Amazon’s SideWalk creates a network that allows your neighbours’ doorbell to connect through your Echo device (if their WiFi doesn’t extend to the front door), effectively sharing your internet connection!

All of this functionality (and the inherent privacy risks) are covered in the standard terms and conditions. That lengthy, legalese document we never read allows tech companies to hide behind the claim that we have willingly opted into all this.

Can we opt out?

A simple option to avoid your device acting as a cog in Apple’s machine is to turn off Bluetooth and location services. With Bluetooth disabled, your device won’t “see” the beacons coming from AirTags, and without location services you can’t report the proximity of the tag.

Of course, turning off this functionality means losing useful capabilities such as hands-free kits, Bluetooth speakers and satellite navigation, and of course makes it harder to find your phone if you lose it.

Ultimately, if we want to benefit from the ability to locate missing keys, wallets and luggage through AirTags, we have to accept that this is only possible through a global network of sensors – even if those sensors are our own phones.