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How to tell if an AirTag is secretly tracking you – and what to do about it
An Apple AirTag can help you keep track of your most important items like keys, wallets, remotes, and even bicycles. However, bad actors can misuse AirTags to track people without their consent, casting a shadow on their use.
Apple has made significant changes to how AirTags can be used. The company now provides clear disclosures to AirTag owners, reiterating that these trackers are only for tracking belongings and never for unwanted tracking of others. Both iOS and Android devices now alert their users when an unknown Bluetooth tracker is found moving with them, as well.
Also: The best AirTag wallets
In this guide, I’ll explain how to identify unwanted trackers, whether it’s an Apple AirTag or another Bluetooth tracking device. You’ll learn how to receive alerts, locate the trackers, and disable them, with helpful tips for both iOS and Android users.
How to tell if an AirTag is tracking you
What you’ll need: To get help locating an unwanted AirTag, you’ll need an iPhone or an Android phone. I discuss in detail below what it looks like on an iPhone when an AirTag tracks you, but this guide has information for Android users, too.
If you suspect someone is tracking your movements without your permission using an AirTag or Bluetooth tracking device, your iOS or Android phone should automatically alert you. But be sure to contact law enforcement if you feel you are in any danger.
iPhone users:
If you own an iPhone and it detects an AirTag, your phone might alert you with a notification saying “AirTag found moving with you.” This will only occur if the following conditions are met:
- The AirTag is separated from its owner.
- Your iPhone is awake.
This notification can also appear with other Find My Network-enabled accessories, like AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and others. AirTags, second-generation AirPods Pro, and other Find My items can emit a sound when moved and while separated from their owners, helping you to locate them.
Android users:
Android devices running Android 6.0 or newer have built-in unknown tracker alerts that notify you if an AirTag or similar tracker is detected to be moving with you. Older Android device users can download Apple’s free Tracker Detect app from the Play Store to scan for AirTags and play a sound to locate them, too.
iPhone users:
If you don’t receive an alert for an unknown AirTag nearby when you know one is present, follow these steps to make sure tracking notifications are turned on your iPhone:
- Go to Settings and select Privacy & Security.
- Tap on Location Services and turn on Location Services.
- Go to System Services.
- Turn on both Find My iPhone and Significant Locations.
- Go back to Settings and select Bluetooth.
- Turn on Bluetooth.
- Finally, go to the Find My app and tap on yourself, the Me tab.
- Turn on Tracking Notifications.
- Make sure Airplane Mode is off, or you won’t get notifications.
Android users:
Android devices running Android 6.0 or newer must have the “Unknown Tracker Alerts” feature enabled to receive alerts about nearby unknown trackers. To make sure it’s enabled on your Android phone:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Safety & Emergency.
- Find Unknown Tracker Alerts.
- Toggle Allow Alerts on.
iPhone users:
When an AirTag is separated from its owner, it may play a sound to make it easier for others to find. If you hear an AirTag — or an unfamiliar sound — open the Find My app to do a quick scan and see if it has detected an AirTag nearby. Also, manually search your belongings at this point. You should thoroughly check jackets, bags, pockets, purses, and wallets for hidden AirTags.
Find My displays a map showing where an unknown AirTag, AirPods, or compatible Bluetooth tracking device was detected near your iPhone, with red dots indicating detection points and dashed lines showing the sequence. Alerts like “AirTag Detected” or the specific product name appear if these devices are separated from their owner and are moving with you.
Android users:
Android users can scan for trackers with Google’s Unknown Tracker Alerts feature.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Safety & emergency.
- Find Unknown tracker alerts.
- Select Scan Now.
They can also use Apple’s free Tracker Detect app to scan for AirTags separated from their owner for at least 15 minutes. Just enable Bluetooth, open the app, and tap Scan to detect nearby trackers, which will appear as Unknown AirTag.
iPhone users:
If you’re using the Find My app after being alerted that an AirTag is traveling with you, tap “Play Sound” on the device to find it more easily.
- Tap the notification alert on your screen and then tap Continue.
- Tap Find Nearby to locate the AirTag via Precision Finding, available on iPhone 11 or later models with Ultra-Wideband technology. Follow the on-screen instructions as you move around your space.
- Tap Play Sound to help locate the AirTag more easily. This feature will become available if the AirTag owner isn’t nearby or their Apple device isn’t within range.
If you can’t play a sound from the Find My app, there’s a good possibility that the unknown AirTag isn’t with you anymore and your iPhone can’t find it nearby.
Android users:
Android users can play a sound on a detected tracker using Google’s Unknown Tracker Alerts.
- Go to Settings > Safety & emergency > Unknown tracker alerts and tap Scan Now.
- If a tracker is found, tap Play sound to make it emit a noise without notifying the owner.
Alternatively, the Tracker Detect app can play a sound on an AirTag after detecting prolonged tracking, as it’ll send a notification with the option to trigger an audible tone.
iPhone and Android users:
If you locate an AirTag, use your iPhone or any NFC-enabled smartphone to view its details:
- Hold the top of your phone near the white side of the AirTag.
- Tap the notification that appears to access a webpage showing the AirTag’s serial number and the last four digits of the owner’s phone number.
If the AirTag has been marked as lost, you might also see a message with the owner’s contact information.
Tapping an Apple AirTag with an NFC-enabled smartphone will let you see its information.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
You can disable an AirTag to stop its owner from receiving updates about its location. Here’s how to do it:
- Push down on the AirTag.
- Twist the cover counterclockwise.
- Remove the CR2032 battery inside.
Disabling an AirTag prevents tracking, but the owner may still see its last known location before it was disabled. Take screenshots of the AirTag’s details, including its serial number and any displayed owner information, as evidence. Contact local law enforcement if you feel your safety is at risk and provide them with the disabled AirTag.
Can you tell if an AirTag is tracking you on Android?
The guide above details what to do if you’re an iPhone or Android user — but, yes. An unknown AirTag can move with you and send tracking data to the owner, regardless if you have an iPhone or an Android phone.
If you are an Android user, Google offers “unknown tracker alerts” for Android 6.0 and newer. So, if an AirTag is tracking you, your Android phone should let you know. It will let you scan for the tracker and let you play a sound to find it — all without ever letting the owner know it’s been found. This feature is available for Apple tracking devices and other Bluetooth trackers.
If you own an older Android device or want to use a dedicated app to find unknown trackers nearby, you can download Apple’s Tracker Detect app from the Google Play Store. It will let you scan for AirTags and play a sound to locate them.
Do AirTags have GPS?
AirTags don’t have GPS. Instead, they use the Find My network of almost two billion iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs. AirTag tracking works by sending anonymous Bluetooth signals that can be picked up by any of these devices within 30 feet. Then, these devices send the AirTag’s location to iCloud, allowing you to see it in your own Find My app.
Also: Airline lost your luggage? This Apple feature could help find it
With so many Apple devices worldwide, Apple’s Find My network has become very reliable. Each Apple device is a node that grows the network, so a lost AirTag can transmit an accurate location without GPS if it’s near Find My devices.
How long does an AirTag battery last?
AirTag batteries last over a year. These trackers use a CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery that you can replace by twisting open the AirTag. If you’re the owner, your iPhone will notify you when the battery needs replacement.
Can someone use another Bluetooth tracker to track you?
Yes, but other Bluetooth trackers may be compatible with the Find My network. If they use the Find My network for location tracking, you’ll be notified quickly that a tracker was found moving with you, whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone.
Also: The best Bluetooth trackers
Apple’s Find My network isn’t the only one with this feature. If a Samsung Tag is found moving with you, you’ll also receive a notification. Google’s newer Find My feature also sends alerts when an unknown Bluetooth tracker is found moving with you.
Can you stop an Apple AirTag from tracking you?
Removing the AirTag’s battery is the easiest way to stop it from tracking you.
This will disable the AirTag, and its owner won’t be able to see any additional tracking information or receive a notification that their device has been disabled. The owner may only know it has been disabled if they try tracking it on the Find My app and see that it’s disconnected. The owner can also see the AirTag’s last known location.
The Find My network connects various iPhones and Apple devices to AirTags to track their location. An AirTag can continue tracking you unless you disable it by removing its battery — or by permanently staying outside the Find My network, which is difficult with the large number of iPhone users worldwide.
Can anyone track your Apple AirTag?
No, AirTags are designed with privacy in mind, and anyone trying to track your AirTag without permission will only be alerted if it moves with them for a period of time. So, although someone else won’t be able to track your AirTag, they can hear it if it’s separated from you and moving, and they can see any contact information you choose to include if they use NFC.
Also: The best GPS trackers for kids
AirTags are designed to change their unique Bluetooth identifiers frequently. Plus, the Find My network — which allows you to track AirTags miles beyond Bluetooth range — features end-to-end encryption.
Are AirTags waterproof?
AirTags are water and dust-resistant with an IP67 rating, meaning they can withstand immersion in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes.
