10 Life Hacks Every AirTag User Should Know
AirTags can be incredibly useful location tracking devices. These tiny devices passively transmit their location to any passing iPhone, iPad, or Find My device, making it possible to track items like keys and bags when they become lost. They’re easy to install and use: once installed, they’re ready to go—until their batteries run out after about a year.
Despite their simplicity, AirTags offer a wide range of capabilities. They can be used to locate lost tags in futuristic ways; use them as NFC tags to trigger automated processes by scanning your iPhone; and share their location with airlines to help find lost luggage. Whether you have one AirTags or several, you need to know these 10 life hacks to get the most out of your trackers.
Use your Apple Watch to find your AirTags.
AirTags are designed to locate lost items, but there are many ways to find them. You can use the “Perfect Find” feature on your iPhone to see step-by-step instructions for finding your lost AirTags, provided they’re within Bluetooth range. However, if you have a compatible Apple Watch and AirTags,you can also use the watch to track the tracker’s location using the “Perfect Find” feature .
To use the pinpoint search feature, you’ll need an Apple Watch Series 9 or later, or Ultra 2 or later, and a second-generation AirTag. To set it up, open Control Center on your watch, scroll down, and select “Edit.” Tap the (+) sign, select “Find Items,” then select “Find AirTag.” Tap “Select,” then select an item from your existing AirTags. Tap “Done.” You can now search for this item in the future. Whenever you need to, return to Control Center and tap “Find AirTag.” If the AirTag is in range, you’ll see step-by-step instructions on your Apple Watch.
Ask Siri where your AirTag is to quickly find it.
Depending on the situation, Siri may be the fastest way to locate your lost AirTag. If you’re sure your lost AirTag is nearby, simply pull out your iPhone (or Apple Watch) and ask Siri where it is (for example, “Hey Siri, where’s my backpack?” or “Where are my keys?”). Siri will do some thinking, and if it finds them, it will begin beeping your AirTag’s location so you can follow the sound and find them.
Whitelist locations to reduce “unattended” item notifications.
Apple’s “Left at Home” notification feature can be useful. For example, if you leave the house without your keys, you might want to receive a notification. But if you have an AirTag in something you don’t take with you every day—like a suitcase or backpack—you don’t want your iPhone vibrating every time you step out the door. On the other hand, if you leave a hotel room without your suitcase, you might want a warning before taking an Uber to the airport.
Therefore, you should whitelist specific locations where your AirTags can remain without triggering these alerts. This way, you can keep notifications enabled in general, but still have peace of mind if you leave things in a known location. Your iPhone can even do this automatically, depending on which locations it deems undesirable. However, you can add or remove locations manually at your discretion.
To set this up, open Find My on your iPhone, tap Items, then select the AirTag you want to change the settings for. Scroll down and select Notify When Abandoned. If this feature is disabled, enable it, then find the option Notify Me Except. Here, you can remove automatically added locations or add new ones by tapping New Location.
Use this life hack to make opening AirTags easier.
When the batteries in your AirTags are dead (or, let’s be honest, completely dead), you can replace them yourself— provided you bought the right batteries . But opening them isn’t easy: you need to press the silver back of the AirTag and twist it counterclockwise until the cover pops off. If you’re having trouble doing this, you’re not alone. But there’s a simple way to make the task a little easier.
I stumbled upon this thanks to the MacGeekGab YouTube channel . The idea is to stick a small piece of tape to the back and use it as a turning stop. MacGeekGab also recommends using rubber thimbles , like the kind used to count money, to achieve the same effect. Next time your AirTag runs low on battery, try this trick.
Provide AirTags to your airline to help find lost luggage.
An AirTag is a great solution for luggage: you can put it in your bag and track it if it gets lost or left unattended. This also applies if the airline loses your luggage. You can not only show them the Find My app on your iPhone, but also share your AirTag directly with the airline so they can help locate it.
To do this, go to the “Items” tab in the Find My Baggage app, then tap the AirTag for your lost baggage. Under “Lost AirTag,” tap “Share Item Location.” (This will only work if the AirTag is out of range.) Next, follow the on-screen instructions to share the AirTag with your airline and hope they can locate it.
Share your AirTag with others to keep track of important things.
Similarly, you can share your AirTag with a contact. This way, they will not only be able to track the AirTag’s location, but they will also not receive tracking notifications. (In other words, their iPhone won’t assume your AirTag is secretly tracking them and won’t alert them.) To share your AirTag, open it in the Find My app, then under “Share AirTag,” select “Add Person.” Tap “Continue,” then select the contact or contacts you want to share your AirTag with. When finished, tap the checkmark in the upper right corner.
Use AirTag as an NFC tag.
Your AirTag isn’t just a tracker; it’s also an NFC tag. This technology powers contactless payments: you hold your iPhone near the tag, which triggers a pre-planned action. In this case, you can configure your AirTag to trigger any automation you want in Apple Shortcuts. For example, this Reddit user uses it to remind himself to take his medication; if he doesn’t scan his AirTag, which he clipped under the cap of his medication bottle, he’ll receive a reminder.
To set up your AirTag as an NFC tag, open Shortcuts on your iPhone, then select the Automation tab. Tap the (+) in the top right corner, then scroll down and select NFC. Tap NFC Tag – Scan, then hold your iPhone near the AirTag. This can be a bit tricky, as can getting contactless payments to work. However, I found that pointing the top of my iPhone at the AirTag works best. Once the scan completes, give the tag a name, then tap OK. You can then choose any app or shortcut to launch when the AirTag scans.
Place your iPhone on the AirTag to find out information about its owner.
As it turns out, your AirTag has NFC functionality by default, allowing you to retrieve the AirTag owner’s contact information if it goes missing. So, you could be on both sides of this dilemma. If your AirTag is missing, you should activate Lost Mode so someone can scan it with their iPhone. But if you find it on the street, don’t just pick it up and ask if it belongs to anyone nearby. You can tap it to your iPhone, just like you would at a POS terminal, and if it’s in Lost Mode, you’ll see the owner’s information.
To set this up yourself, open your AirTag in the Find My Phone app, then under “Lost Mode,” select “Show Contact Information.” Tap “Continue,” then follow the on-screen instructions. (Again, this only works if your AirTag isn’t with you.)
If your AirTag is not working properly, perform a factory reset.
If your AirTag isn’t working properly but the battery still has charge, you can try a factory reset to get things working again. This will restore the AirTag to its original settings, which means it will be unlinked from your Apple account. So, this isn’t just an option if something isn’t working properly, it’s also an easy way to give your AirTag to someone else if you no longer need it.
To reset your AirTag, first determine whether it’s a first- or second-generation AirTag. The instructions vary slightly depending on the model. This can be doneby finding the serial number on the inside of your AirTag . Then,follow Apple’s instructions, which are available here, depending on your AirTag’s generation.
Remove the battery to extend its life when the device is not in use.
The batteries designed for AirTags are rated for about a year of use. This is a decent battery life for such a technological device. However, not all AirTags are used equally. AirTags on keys are used constantly, while AirTags in suitcases are not. If you only carry your luggage for a few months, your AirTags will gradually drain the battery they don’t actually need.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to put the AirTag into standby mode or enable power-saving mode, for example. Instead, for AirTags that aren’t frequent travelers, removing the battery is recommended. This is exactly what YouTuber HotshotTek does with his AirTag, taping the battery to the front of the device so it’s always ready to use when needed.