The main benefit of Apple’s AirTag that they help you find your things, whether you’re looking for lost keys or tracking your luggage while traveling. But AirTags can also be used for tracking you without your knowledge.
AirTags work by combining built-in sensors, wireless signals and Apple’s extensive Find My network allowing you to keep track of your valuables. If you ever lose your wallet with an AirTag inside, for example, you can use the Find My app to map it, play a sound to help you find it closer, or mark it as “lost,” allowing other Find My users to help you find it.
One of the biggest complaints about AirTags, however, is that someone with the wrong intentions can easily slip one of the small tags into your bag and track your movements without your permission. Many people have reported hacking incidents related to AirTag where the deceased did not know that the trackers were placed on them until a long time had passed.
Apple and Google (Android users have their own choice of Bluetooth trackers, such as Moto Tag, which works with Google’s Find Hub) have since shared an industry standard that warns the user if the device is being used to track them without their knowledge. Because of this partnership, Android users will know when AirTag is used to track them, too.
Apple, on the other hand, has made some changes over the past few years that improve the ability to detect unwanted AirTags. In the first release, the AirTag will make a sound three days after it is separated from its paired device. Now, that time is 8 to 24 hours. If you have unwanted tracking notifications enabled (which we’ll get to below), you’ll get an audible warning.
We should note here that the new AirTag is 50% louder than the first generation model, so it will be better if it informs you about the unwanted AirTag. Apple also said that the speaker on the second-generation AirTag is harder to remove than on the first-generation model, in case bad actors try to remove it.
Apple’s Find My helps you set up and track AirTag. It can also help notify you when an unwanted tracker is detected.
It detects unwanted trackers
To be able to detect unwanted trackers, first enable notifications for unwanted tracking. For AirTags or other Find My devices, these pop-up notifications (eg, “AirTag found with you”) are available on devices with iOS 14.5 or later. For some Bluetooth tracking devices, these notifications are enabled in iOS 17.5 or later.
You must enable Location Services, Find My iPhone, Bluetooth and Allow Notifications. Here’s how:
- Go to Settingsthen Privacy and Securitythen Location Services and open it.
- After that, go to Settingsthen Apple Accountchoose Find My and turn around Find my iPhone to.
- To enable Bluetooth, go to Settingsthen Bluetooth and open that.
- Then go to Settingsthen Noticesscroll down to Tracking Notifications and open Allow Notifications. Make sure airplane mode is turned off, or you won’t get tracking notifications.
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What to do if you receive a follow-up notice
If you get a notification like “Unknown tracker alert” or “An object detected near you,” you can try to find the unwanted AirTag by tapping it. Tap continue and press Play Sound or press Get Closer to find the AirTag in question.
If it doesn’t play a sound or you can’t find it, the item may no longer be on your person. Apple suggests checking your other items or your surroundings, just in case. If you want to update the notification later, you can open the Find My app, tap Things and touch Things Found With You.
Note that there are often “false positives,” when notifications are triggered when someone nearby has a tracker on them. If you’re traveling by train, plane or bus, waiting in line or sitting in a public place, a false tracking alert may be caused by errors or overcrowded Bluetooth areas.
If you get a warning, though, it’s a good idea to take it seriously and investigate what might be causing it.
If you find an AirTag that doesn’t belong to you, hold the top of your iPhone near the tracker until you see a notification. Tap it, and this will launch a website that provides information such as its serial number, the last four digits of a phone number or an obscured email address of its owner. If an AirTag is marked as “lost,” you may see a message with instructions on how to contact it.
If you are concerned that the tracker is being used to monitor your movements and location, Apple advises you to take a screenshot of the above information in your records. You can then disable the AirTag by pressing down on the back of the AirTag, turning it counterclockwise to remove the cover and remove the battery.
Of course, before making any of these changes, it’s important to come up with a safety plan, especially if you fear being tracked by your current or former abusive partner. Contact local law enforcement if you feel your safety is at risk, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233).
