Apple launched its AirTag accessory designed for finding misplaced or lost belongings in 2021. There are speculations about a forthcoming AirTag 2 version anticipated in late 2025, but the initial AirTag continues to be an exceptional tool. You can attach it to items such as keys, a purse, luggage, or a wallet, or you may place it in your car, on a pet collar, or in a child’s backpack.
When the item is within reach, like keys in an unexamined pocket or a wallet tucked under the car seat, you can utilize Siri or the Find My app to trigger the AirTag to play a sound. With Precision Finding, you can obtain navigational guidance directly to it via the app.
AirTags can function from even greater distances, for instance, if you left your keys on a patio table at the local coffee shop or in a gym locker. By utilizing the expansive Find My network globally, you could even track your luggage if it accidentally ended up in another country. Essentially, you can locate AirTags up to roughly 30 feet away using Bluetooth (potentially more outdoors), but virtually limitless distances leveraging the network of Apple device users.
Using an AirTag to locate nearby items
It’s crucial to set up Apple’s Find My network when you acquire an iPhone so you can track both the phone and potentially dozens of items by signing into the app on any other Apple device. Ringtone a misplaced iPhone, show a message on the screen for it to be returned, or even remotely lock or erase a lost or stolen iPhone through Find My.
Connect items to the Find My app, including AirTags and third-party accessories utilizing the Find My network. For instance, I have a Satechi Passport Cover linked to my Find My network, ensuring I never misplace that vital document. I once inadvertently left it at an airport counter and managed to recover it!
If the item is within the 30-foot Bluetooth range, you can view its location and use sounds for assistance. While using an iPhone 11 or later, Precision Finding (which employs Ultra Wideband technology from the U1 chip) can direct you right to it, offering turn-by-turn navigation. It utilizes the phone’s camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope to guide you to the AirTag’s location like a treasure hunt.
Apple AirTag’s nearly infinite range
How does it function if the AirTag is located miles away? Apple’s Find My network, consisting of over 2.35 billion active Apple devices globally, collaborates with those devices to locate yours. When someone with an iPhone or other Apple device (with Bluetooth enabled) comes within at least 30 feet of your AirTag, it will “ping” the device with its location. You can then view its approximate position via the app’s map.
The individual who encounters the AirTag can tap their iPhone or any NFC-enabled device against the AirTag, and it will open a webpage displaying your contact phone number if you included it during Lost Mode setup. From there, the good Samaritan can call or text you to inform you they have found your item and make plans for its safe return. The process is secured by end-to-end encryption, ensuring it remains private and protected.
The anticipated AirTag 2 is expected to feature enhancements such as a sleeker design, an improved Ultra-wideband chip for increased Precision Finding range, and better privacy. Thus, you might want to hold off to see what the new iteration brings.
