How to set up an AirTag and use it with Find My

What you need before you set up an AirTag

• An iPhone or iPod touch on a recent iOS version, or an iPad on a recent iPadOS version. Check Apple's site for the current minimum.
• An Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on.
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, and Location Services on in Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services.
• Find My turned on: Settings › your name › Find My › Find My iPhone, and Find My network.

If setup fails, the cause is almost always one of these. Two-factor authentication is the one people forget; see setting up two-factor authentication.

Set up an AirTag step by step

1. Unwrap the AirTag and pull out the plastic battery tab. You hear a short sound.
2. Unlock your iPhone and go to the Home Screen.
3. Hold the AirTag close to the iPhone. A card appears. Tap Connect.
4. Pick a name from the list, like Keys, Bag or Wallet, or choose Custom Name and add an emoji.
5. Tap Continue, then Continue again to register it to your Apple Account.
6. Tap Done. The AirTag now shows in Find My under Items.

If the card does not appear, open the Find My app, tap Items › plus button › Add AirTag and hold it near the phone.

Find your item with Precision Finding

On iPhone 11 and later (except iPhone SE), Precision Finding uses Ultra Wideband to guide you with an arrow and distance on screen. In Find My › Items, tap the AirTag and tap Find. Walk slowly and follow the arrow. Newer iPhones and the second-generation AirTag can guide you from farther away. Older iPhones show only the last known location on the map and can play a sound.

Play a sound

Tap Play Sound in Find My › Items. The AirTag chirps until you tap Stop or find it. The sound is fairly quiet, so check inside bags, couch cushions and car seats. A thick wallet or leather case can muffle it.

What to do when an item is lost

1. Open Find My › Items and tap the AirTag.
2. Turn on Lost Mode (Mark As Lost) and tap Continue.
3. Enter a phone number or email address where you can be reached, and a short message.
4. Turn on Notify When Found so your iPhone alerts you when the AirTag is seen.

Anyone who finds it can hold the AirTag to the top of an iPhone or an NFC-capable Android phone. A web page opens with your message and contact details. AirTags also work with the Find My network: nearby Apple devices report its location anonymously, so you can see where it is even far from home. On recent iOS versions, you can also share an item's location with an airline through Share Item Location to help find lost luggage.

Share an AirTag with family or friends

By default, only the owner can see an AirTag. On iOS 17 or later, you can share it: Find My › Items › tap the AirTag › Add Person. Shared people can see its location and play a sound, and they will not get unknown AirTag alerts for it. This is ideal for shared car keys or a family suitcase.

Replace the AirTag battery

1. Press down on the shiny steel back and turn it counterclockwise until it stops.
2. Lift off the cover and remove the old battery.
3. Insert a new CR2032 3V coin battery, positive side up.
4. Put the cover back and turn it clockwise. You hear a sound when the battery connects.

Some CR2032 batteries have a bitter coating to stop children swallowing them. That coating can stop the AirTag making contact. Use batteries without it, or check the package. Keep coin batteries away from children, since swallowing one is a medical emergency.

AirTag anti-stalking features

AirTags are made to find things, not people. If an AirTag that is not yours travels with you, your iPhone shows an alert: AirTag Found Moving With You. The AirTag also plays a sound after it has been away from its owner for a while. Android phones get similar alerts through Unknown tracker alerts in Settings › Safety & emergency, and you can scan manually. Tapping the alert lets you play a sound, see the serial number and learn how to disable it. If you feel unsafe, contact local police. Read how to check if your phone is being tracked for more.

Remove an AirTag from your Apple Account

Before you sell or give away an AirTag, open Find My › Items, tap it, scroll down and tap Remove Item. The AirTag must be nearby. If you cannot remove it because it is lost or broken, the next owner cannot set it up until you do. To reset an AirTag that was removed while far away, take out the battery, put it back and press down until you hear a sound, then repeat four more times for a total of five sounds; the fifth sound is different and means it is ready to set up.

Using AirTags with pets, kids and luggage

Many people put AirTags on luggage, which works well. For pets, an AirTag only updates when an Apple device passes nearby, and anti-stalking sounds can play, so a GPS pet tracker is often better. For children, Apple recommends against AirTags, because location updates are not live; an Apple Watch or a phone with location sharing is the better tool. See share location on iPhone.

AirTag accessories

AirTags have no hole, so you need a holder to clip them to keys or bags. Apple and many brands sell key rings, loops and wallet cards. Cheap holders work fine. If you are still deciding, AirTag vs Tile compares the two trackers for iPhone and Android users.

AirTag not showing up?

• Make sure Find My network is on in Settings › your name › Find My › Find My iPhone.
• Check that Precise Location is on for Find My in Location Services.
• Update iOS and restart the iPhone.
• Replace the battery if it is more than a year old.
• If the item was out of range, the map shows the last known location and time. It updates when an Apple device passes nearby.

If Find My itself is not updating locations, see Find My not updating.

How far does an AirTag reach?

Bluetooth reaches roughly 30 to 100 feet depending on walls and interference, which is the range for Play Sound and Precision Finding. Beyond that, the AirTag relies on other Apple devices passing nearby to report its location, so in a busy city it updates often, while in a remote area it may not update for hours.

Share an AirTag with family

In recent iOS versions, you can share an AirTag with up to five people, which is handy for shared car keys or a family suitcase. Open Find My › Items, tap the AirTag, then Add Person. People you share with can see its location and play a sound, and they will not get unknown tracker alerts for it while traveling with you.

Test it once at home by playing a sound, so you know it works before you need it.