Explained: Here’s How Apple’s AirTags work

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AirTags are Apple’s tracking devices that help you find your items such as keys very easily. What you need to do is to attach one to your keys, then, another in your backpack. In case your keys got lost, you can always find them easily using the “Find My Device” app. Keys are not the only things Apple’s AirTags can track. You can track another Smartphone or anything else so valuable to you. In this article, we shall see how Apple’s AirTags work.

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AirTags work with services turned on. They make use of the Bluetooth application in your phone to pair and be found whenever they get lost from your sight. In case you turn off your Bluetooth, they will never be discoverable. Secondly, without location services, you can’t report the proximity of the tag.

Another thing to note is; since Apple’s AirTags use Bluetooth 5.0, they are capable of keeping in range so long as they don’t exceed 800 feet from your phone. There, they will not be discoverable.

Talking about the accuracy, iPhone 11 and iPhone 12cuse U1 chip which uses Ultra-Wideband frequency, capable of tracking anything within 15 feet away to inches. Outside that range, I doubt there will be any accuracy at all.

Contents

AirTags Charging

There is no need or way to charge an AirTag because Apple designed them with user-replaceable CR2032 batteries.

AirTags Range

Apple has not yet provided details on the range of the AirTag, but the maximum Bluetooth range is around 100 meters, so an AirTag should be trackable at least to that distance. More experimentation will be necessary to find more specific range information.

AirTags Water Resistance

The AirTag features an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, which means it can withstand immersion in water up to one meter (3.3 feet) for 30 minutes in laboratory conditions. That means the AirTag will hold up well to liquid exposure from rain or accidental spills.

AirTags Setup

As with AirPods, setting up an AirTag can be done with a one-tap gesture after it’s unboxed. Each AirTag can be customized with a name and an item description.

AirTags Privacy and Security

Each AirTag you own is linked to your ‌Apple ID‌ and no one else can track it. Location data and location history are not stored on the AirTag, and devices that relay the location of a lost AirTag stay anonymous, and location data is encrypted every step of the way.

You may see where your lost AirTag is on a map if it’s picked up by someone else’s device, but you won’t know the identity of the person that helps find it. Apple also does not see where AirTags are located because of the end-to-end encryption.

AirTags have unique Bluetooth identifiers that rotate frequently, a feature that ensures you’re never tracked from place to place.

Traveling With AirTags

If you’re planning to use an AirTag while traveling, there are certain limitations that you should be aware of. Precision Finding, for example, won’t work in certain countries like Russia, Indonesia, and Argentina, with a list available in our AirTags travel guide.

Tracking Pets and Children

Apple-designed AirTags to track items, and Apple does not recommend that they be used to track pets or children. For keeping tabs on children, Apple recommends an Apple Watch that uses Family Setup.

AirTag NFC Shortcuts

The built-in NFC chip in the AirTag can be used by Apple Shortcuts to trigger automations. Users can create a shortcut that triggers by tapping the top of an NFC-enabled ‌iPhone‌ on the white plastic side of the AirTag.