Are you constantly misplacing your eyeglass case, TV remote, keys, purse, backpack, or briefcase? Perhaps you have luggage, a bicycle, expensive equipment, or other gear you need to keep track of while almost anywhere in the world. If either of these scenarios apply to you, and you’re already an Apple iPhone user, you need Apple AirTags.
An Apple AirTag is a low-cost Bluetooth tracker that can be connected to almost any object or item. It’s a small, disc-shaped device that’s just slightly larger than a quarter. It works in conjunction with an iPhone and Apple’s Find My app (which comes preinstalled). It can help you quickly locate whatever item the AirTag is attached to or hidden within.
Based on how you set up an AirTag, if you leave an item behind, such as your purse or wallet at a restaurant, an AirTag sends a message to your iPhone to alert you the item was left behind. The best thing about AirTags is that they’re easy to use and work almost anywhere, whether an item accidentally falls between the seat cushions of your couch at home, or a piece of luggage you’ve checked with an airline accidentally winds up in the wrong city.
Apple AirTags have been around since April 2021, and I’ve been relying on them since to keep tabs on my carry-on bag, luggage, messenger bag, camera gear bag, and a few other important personal items – all of which I can track using the Find My app on my iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook, or Apple Watch. Keep reading to learn all about how Apple AirTags work and why I continue to be a loyal user of these tiny Bluetooth tracking devices.
Specifications
- Price: $29 each; $99 (4-Pack).
- Required App: Apple’s Find My.
- Battery Type: CR2032.
- Battery Life: Up to one year.
- Water Resistant: IP67.
- Size: 1.26 inches (diameter); 0.31 inches thick.
- Weight: 0.39 ounces.
- AirTag Accessories and Holders: Optional.
Pros
- Inexpensive.
- It’s easy to hide in or attach to your belongings.
- Very accurate.
- Relies on a vast Apple network.
Cons
- Uses Bluetooth, not satellite-based GPS tracking.
- Genuine Apple AirTag accessories and holders are expensive.
- An Apple iPhone and Apple Account are required to use AirTags.
Apple AirTag (Single Pack)
Apple AirTag (4-Pack)
Who Can Benefit From Using Apple AirTags?
Anyone who has personal items they’re frequently misplacing — travelers with luggage, students who carry a backpack, business people who use a briefcase, women who carry a purse, or people who own larger gear that they need to keep tabs on — can easily benefit from using Apple AirTags. In fact, Apple users have found all kinds of creative and practical uses for these devices, and chances are, you can too.
What Is An Apple AirTag and How Do They Work?
When you’re driving in a car, a satellite-based GPS navigation system (whether it’s built into your vehicle or run using your iPhone with CarPlay) can help you get to your intended destination by precisely tracking your vehicle’s location and providing real-time, turn-by-turn directions displayed on a detailed and colorful map. As a result, most people are familiar with GPS-based navigation and tracking.
An Apple AirTag is a tracker, but it relies on Bluetooth (not GPS) to help pinpoint the exact location of whatever item or gear the device is connected to. While the technology used by an AirTag is vastly different from a GPS tracking device, the end result is somewhat similar, but not exactly the same. Using an AirTag in conjunction with your iPhone and the Find My app can help you locate whatever item that AirTag is attached to or placed within.
How does this work? Well, when the missing item is nearby, say hidden under your bed or beneath the cushion of your couch and you’re at home, a Bluetooth (wireless) connection between the AirTag and your iPhone is established and the Find My app will direct you to the exact location of the item as long as it’s in Bluetooth range (which is around 30 feet).
Beyond that distance, if from within the Find My app you mark an item with an AirTag associated with it as lost, information is sent out to the global network of iPhone users (1.3 billion smartphones). This happens anonymously and using encrypted data. At the same time, the owner of the AirTag can view a map showing the last known location of the AirTag and item.
Then, as soon as any iPhone gets within 30 or so feet of the missing AirTag and the item it’s linked with, the AirTag owner will receive a text on their phone with a message that includes the exact last known location of the AirTag/item. This happens without the user of the nearby iPhone knowing it’s happening. However, the AirTag user can also set it up so if a stranger with an iPhone approaches the missing AirTag, a message can appear on their screen with the owner’s name and phone number.
The AirTag user can also set it up so anytime they move more than 30 feet away from their AirTag/item while out and about, they’ll receive an alert within minutes notifying the user that something was left behind and its last known location.
Unlike a GPS tracking device that requires an ongoing subscription fee to operate and can track anything in real-time to pinpoint an exact location, AirTags rely on the network of iPhone users to find AirTags marked as lost. As a result, the missing AirTag (if it’s more than 30 feet away from the owner) will not notify the user of its location unless another iPhone user happens to come in close proximity to it.
If you live in a heavily populated area or the item is lost in a high traffic location, such as within a city, at an airport or hotel, or in a restaurant, chances are, other iPhone users will wind up being close to the missing AirTag rather quickly. But if the item with the AirTag is marked lost and it’s in a remote location, it could take a while for another iPhone user to encounter it, so tracking is not always in real-time. This is the biggest drawback of AirTags, but what do you expect for less than $20 for the device that has no ongoing subscription or usage fees?
AirTags Work Great with These Commonly Misplaced Items
People have discovered all sorts of items they use AirTags with, such as:
- A child’s favorite teddy bear or toy.
- Backpack.
- Bicycle.
- Briefcase.
- Camera bag.
- Carry-on bag.
- Eyeglass case.
- Jacket.
- Keychain.
- Luggage.
- Purse.
- TV remote.
- Wallet.
Ways to Attach an AirTag with an Item You Don’t Want to Lose
Apple offers a selection of genuine AirTag accessories that an AirTag fits into and that can then be attached to another item. For example, there are several different keychain styles that come in a handful of colors. From third parties, there are also wallet inserts, AirTag holders with a Carabiner attachment that can clip on other items, pet collars with an AirTag insert, and luggage tags that can hold an AirTag.
While all of these can be useful, when using an AirTag to protect an item that could be stolen, such as a piece of luggage, carry-on bag, backpack, messenger bag, or purse, I strongly suggest simply hiding the AirTag somewhere within the bag where its location is not obvious. If the AirTag is easily visible on the outside of an item, it’s all too easy for someone to find and remove it or for it to fall off.
AirTags Can Track Pets, But There Are Better Options
There are pet owners who attach an AirTag to their dog or cat’s collar. Again, if you live in a heavily populated area and the pet gets loose, an AirTag is a viable tracking tool. But if you live in the suburbs, or you take your dog to a large park or hiking in a remote location, the chances of the AirTag coming into contact with another iPhone user is slimmer, so you cannot count on it for real-time tracking.
If you have the budget and a pet that frequently gets loose, consider a GPS tracker designed specifically for pets, such as the Fi Series 3 Smart Dog Collar ($159, with a one year subscription included) instead. This type of device will allow you to determine your pet’s real-time location and allow you to track their whereabouts as they move around. This is done using your smartphone and a proprietary mobile app.
AirTag Batteries Last for About One Year and Are Easy to Replace
When you purchase a new AirTag, it comes with a battery already installed. After about one year, it will need to be replaced by a standard CR2032 battery, which you can purchase anywhere batteries are sold. On Amazon, a four-pack of these batteries costs less than $6.
To replace the battery, press your finger down on the Apple icon located on the back of the AirTag and twist it counterclockwise. When the back tab becomes loose, separate it. You will see the battery and can easily remove it. Insert the new battery and twist the two AirTag pieces back together. This process takes less than two minutes.
Set Up a New Apple AirTag In Less Than Two Minutes
Once you remove the device from its packaging and place it close to your iPhone that’s running the Find My app, you can pair the AirTag with your phone and label it based on the item the AirTag is being attached to or associated with. You can choose from a menu of popular items or create a custom name for the AirTag. iPhone screenshots showcasing this simple, multi-step process are displayed below.
After the one-time pairing process between an AirTag and iPhone is completed, from that point forward, use the Find My app anytime and anywhere to track the location of your item(s) and manage each AirTag. The Find My app can manage any number of AirTags simultaneously.
Use the Find My App to Track Your AirTags
To check on the location of an AirTag/item, launch the Find My app and then tap on the Items icon located near the bottom of the screen. This displays a list of your AirTags and their last known location. The top half of the screen showcases your AirTag locations on a map.
At this point, tap on any listed AirTag under the Items heading. A new screen appears (shown below on the right) that allows you to perform any of four main tasks, including:
- Tap on the Play Sound icon to remotely have the AirTag play a tone so you can listen and find its location (if the AirTag and item it’s associated with are nearby).
- Use the Find command to locate an item that you know is nearby, but has been misplaced, such as your keys, TV remote, or eyeglass case. The screen will then show arrows and lead you directly to the item if it’s in close proximity, but out of sight. It could be under a couch cushion, behind a piece of furniture, or under your bed, for example.
- Tap on the Lost AirTag button to have your iPhone anonymously reach out to the global network of iPhone users. You will be notified when someone’s iPhone locates your missing AirTag. Your iPhone will receive an alert with the AirTag’s location, which can also be seen on a map. Be sure to turn on the Share Item Location option when you use this feature. At the same time the Lost AirTag command is activated, you can opt to show your contact information to the iPhone user who comes across your missing AirTag and item.
- When you set the Notifications option for an AirTag, you will receive an alert if you accidentally leave the AirTag and item it’s associated with behind. You can have this feature work anytime you’re separated from the item, or choose specific locations where it’s okay to have left the item behind, such as your home or office.
Also from the AirTag management screen of the Find My app, you can rename the AirTag or deactivate and remove it from your Find My app.
Apple AirTag (Single Pack)
Apple AirTag (4-Pack)
My Final Thoughts: Are Apple AirTags Worth It?
Apple AirTags are ingenious little devices that are so easy to use and provide many different ways to help you keep track of items you often misplace, leave behind, or that might get lost or stolen. Because these are Bluetooth trackers and not GPS trackers, they’re not foolproof and do not guarantee you will be able to find the exact location of an item in real-time.
All you need to use one or more AirTags is an Apple iPhone with the free Find My app. Once an AirTag is paired with the Find My app running on your iPhone, you can then track its location using the Find My app running on any of your Apple devices, such as your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, iMac, or MacBook.
A GPS tracker can set you back between $30 and $100 for the device, and then between $10 and $30 per month for the required service. For many item tracking tasks, an AirTag is a less expensive and viable option, and one I highly recommend. So yes, based on my hands-on usage of AirTags for several years now, I can say they’re definitely worth the $20 per AirTag investment.
