AirTags are incredibly handy, and people use them for all sorts of things. From keeping track of pets to finding the TV remote stuck between couch cushions, the number of ways AirTags have proven their value is countless — but I’m planning to use them in the weirdest way yet.

Right now, you can snag a 4-pack of 1st-generation AirTags for $56 at Woot. Instead of paying the normal $99, you're saving 42%. This essentially makes each AirTag cost $14 — exactly the incentive I need to throw a few of them into my trash bins. Here’s why.

When I bought my home a few years back, I couldn’t imagine how brutally windy it could get by the beach. By the time summer arrived, there was one particular night when the gusts were so violent it sounded like I was in a jet stream. A few weeks later, I went out to put the trash bin at the curb for morning pickup, but when I woke up the following day, my bin was gone.

I ended up walking around the block, then down the street, only to find it resting near the side of a neighbor's home. However, I was still missing the top cover. After spending another 20 minutes searching, I ultimately found it hiding underneath one of the cars parked on the street.

There was also another incident very recently when I woke up to find one of my recycling bins toppled over after being collected earlier in the morning. This time I was lucky because it was nestled right against the curb rather than blown off somewhere far away.

These experiences remind me more than ever why I need to slap an AirTag on them, so I can easily keep tabs on where they ultimately land. Obviously, I’ll need to find a way to fasten them to each of my plastic bins, but the ability to track them down will save me plenty of frustration in the future.

I pulled the trigger on this 42% off deal because it’s still way cheaper than buying a replacement trash bin. Honestly, it’s crazy how expensive they can be.

Apple's AirTags and similar Bluetooth trackers are great for keeping track of all your stuff, whether you're always misplacing keys, wallets, luggage and even vehicles. Unfortunately, the fact that they're so good at keeping tabs on your stuff means that they're very easily exploited for more nefarious purposes — including stalking.

Thankfully, the problem isn't quite as severe as it used to be. AirTag stalking does still happen, but the fact that there are a bunch of ways to protect yourself means that it's a lot easier to spot rogue AirTags before it's too late. You just have to know what to look out for and what to do if a rogue AirTag is following you. Here's what you need to know about protecting yourself from AirTag stalking

How to detect rogue AirTags on iPhone

How to detect rogue AirTags on Android

For the longest time, Android users had few protections against AirTag stalking, but things have since changed. Apple and Google have collaborated to ensure that all people, no matter what operating system their phone has, are protected from AirTags and other Bluetooth trackers.

The good thing is that detecting rogue AirTags on Android is much the same as on iPhone. The feature is supposed to be switched on by default, though it helps to know how to check everything is up and running.

Apple also has its own Tracker Detect app on Google Play, which operates in much the same way as Google's manual scan. While the app is mostly obsolete, now that Android has tracker detection built in, it's still an extra tool you can exploit to make sure you're not being followed by AirTags or other trackers.

What to do if you get an unknown AirTag alert

You're walking along, minding your own business, and then suddenly you get an alert warning you that some kind of tracker appears to be following you. Now what do you do? The process is almost identical for Android and iPhone users, though the best key finders need to be handled slightly differently due to their differing design. For the sake of simplicity, we'll focus on Apple AirTags.

The first task is to actually locate the rogue AirTag, which you should only do when you're in a safe location. If you're potentially being followed, the last thing you want to do is stop and go hunting for the tracker in an isolated spot — nor should you go to either your home or workplace.

The initial notification will give you the option to play a sound through the AirTag speakers, which will let you track it down aurally. iPhone users with an iPhone 11 or newer (not including iPhone SE) can also track the AirTag with the Find My App, using their phone's Ultra Wideband connectivity.

Once you have the AirTag in your hand, you can scan it with your phone to get all the relevant details about it. Tap it against the top of an iPhone, or the back of an Android phone and the Tag's information should show up on screen — with the serial number and identifying information about the owner. Screenshot this, then back it up for safekeeping.

Your next task is to remove the battery, which will disable the AirTag and stop it from being tracked. Press the silver back panel into the AirTag and twist it counter-clockwise. This will remove the panel, at which point the battery should fall out. If you haven't been able to scan the rogue AirTag, be sure to make a note of the serial number stamped inside — this can be used by Apple and law enforcement to identify the owner.

For non-Apple trackers, you should make an attempt to remove the battery if possible. However, different trackers have different designs, so removing the battery may not always be the same; however, it should be obvious for most models. Be sure to check for a serial number as well, and document it somewhere safe.

Once you've recorded the identifying information from the AirTag, and have removed the battery, report the incident to the police and provide the now-disabled AirTag if asked. There's no guarantee that they will be able to do anything right away, but it's important to have a record that someone may have tried stalking you with an AirTag — it is a serious crime.

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The Apple AirTag 2 is here, after many years of waiting, and with it comes a bunch of new upgrades and design changes. Before launch, it had been rumored that the trackers would come with a louder speaker that's harder to tamper with — a change that would have been a major boon to security. Sadly, it seems this isn't the case.

While Apple promised that the second-generation AirTag would have “a suite of industry-first protections against unwanted tracking," a teardown from iFixit revealed this doesn't extend to the physical speaker itself. In fact, far from being tamper-proof, they found it's just as easy to disable as the original AirTag.

During the teardown process, iFixit highlighted the fact that the speaker is connected to the rest of the AirTag by two small wires. Once you open up the AirTag, those wires are totally exposed and can easily be broken with a soldering iron.

What's worse, there doesn't seem to be any kind of failsafe in place to stop the AirTag from operating if the speaker gets disconnected. iFixit reassembled the tag and found that it was working perfectly. In other words, if someone wants to disable the speaker for nefarious reasons, there's very little stopping them.

The only obstacle would be the lack of a soldering iron or some other tool capable of cutting two small wires. While not exactly ubiquitous tools, they are available for under $10, which isn't going to stop the most dedicated AirTag saboteurs.

Why does this matter?

The main issue here is that AirTags are unfortunately used to track innocent people far too often. Apple has done a lot of work to help warn people (primarily iPhone users) when there's a strange AirTag following them around. But getting alerts is only part of the story, since victims can force those rogue AirTags to make noise to help track them down.

Likewise, AirTags that have been separated from their owners' devices for too long will chirp to make their presence known — something that is designed to prevent people from being tracked without their knowledge.

No speaker means the act of finding a strange AirTag is significantly harder, and that's why AirTag stalkers have been known to tamper with the speaker. Even if they don't manage to disable the speaker entirely, muffling the sound can have a similar effect.

Making a speaker tamper-proof, or at least significantly harder to tamper with without breaking the AirTag, could have been a huge step toward improving public safety. It wouldn't stop talkers using AirTags (or similar trackers) from trying to follow their victims' movements, but it would have made it much harder to get away with it undetected.

At the very least, it would be nice if Apple had made the act of disabling the AirTag 2's speaker a little harder than breaking two measly little wires. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

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Apple's AirTags have long been the best key finder for iPhone users, but the company hadn't released a new model until this past week. The next generation of its AirTag, which some have christened the AirTag 2 (although Apple doesn't use that title.), finally launched, and at the same price as the original.

It would be easy to think that both tags would, realistically, do the same thing. However, while the tags might look very similar, Apple has included some much-needed hardware improvements. That being said, there are a few things you'll want to consider before ditching your first-generation AirTags. Let's break down everything we know about the two devices to find out what each offers and which would be the ideal choice for you.

AirTag vs AirTag 2: Price

Apple's AirTags tend to cost $29 for a single tag and $99 for a pack of four. Fortunately, Apple is charging the same price for the second-gen AirTags. While it has stopped selling the original AirTag, you can still find them for sale (until supplies last) at other retailers, where they're discounted. For example, Best Buy is offering a single first-gen AirTag for $27.99, and a pack of four for $79.

AirTag vs AirTag 2: Design

From a design standpoint, both the AirTag and the AirTag 2 look the same on the surface. It also means that the second generation of tags will fit in the same places that your current ones do.

There is one noticeable difference between the two tags, namely the writing on the tags. On the AirTag 2s, the writing inscribed around the edge is in capital letters, and mentions "NFC," "FIND MY," and notes the IP67 water and dust resistance. Meanwhile, if you look at the current Apple AirTags, you note that the text is written in lowercase, and also note that the tags are "Designed by Apple in California," and "Assembled in China."

AirTag vs AirTag 2: range and findability

The biggest reason to buy an Apple AirTag is to, of course, keep track of your items. With that in mind, the AirTag 2 comes with a noticeable improvement in the form of the second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, the same found in the iPhone 17. This new chip makes it much easier to find the tag when you need to.

The AirTag 2 utilizes Haptic, visual and audio feedback with its new Precision Finding, which will help users to better track lost items up to 50% further away when compared to the current AirTags. On top of that, the AirTag 2's speaker is also 50% louder than the current AirTag. Meanwhile, an upgraded Bluetooth chip expands the overall range at which your phone or Apple Watch can pick up the signal.

AirTag vs AirTag 2: Find my Network and Share Item location

Apple has worked to expand the functionality of its new AirTag beyond just new hardware. This includes building on features like Share item location, which can be used to help users find an item by sharing its location with trusted third parties.

The AirTag 2 is also the first to allow you to tap into Precision Finding on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later, so you can do it all from your wrist. This is arguably one of the biggest improvements in terms of usability, as you don't have to pull out your phone while you're rushing around looking for your missing item.

Apple has also improved the security features on the new AirTag. The new tracker doesn't physically store location data or history on connected devices and utilizes end-to-end encryption for all communication with the Find My network. As such, only the owner of the device will have access to all the location data.

That being said, there are some limitations on which phones can actually use the new AirTags. For one, you will need to have iOS 26 installed on your phone, which could be a turn-off for many users who still don't want Apple's latest update.

AirTag vs AirTag 2: Should you upgrade?

While updating the AirTag might not be quite as exciting as seeing a new phone like the iPhone 18 Pro, it's a change that many users will appreciate. While the current AirTags are still perfectly viable, the updated design and features mean that there's little reason not to update when you can. With that being said, the limitation of requiring iOS 26 could make this a harder sell for some people.

Our advice? Keep on using your current AirTags if they're still working well, but pick up second-generation models if you need to buy new ones.

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Amazon Prime Day is in its last hours, so now's the time to take advantage of an offer on the ever-useful AirTag, the Apple-made key tracker you've likely seen strapped to people's keychains or sitting comfortably in a baggage pocket.

At Amazon right now, a single AirTag currently costs $19, down from the usual $29. Meanwhile, an AirTag four-pack is going for $64 compared to the $99 list price, a deeper discount if you want to really kick-start your tracker collection.

These are both the lowest prices we've ever seen on Amazon, so you're unlikely to find a better deal elsewhere.

Other than the naturally strong integration that AirTags have with other Apple devices, they stand out thanks to their Precision Finding ability, which allows recent iPhones pinpoint precision when trying to find a hidden item using the power of ultra-wideband (UWB) connectivity. They are also powered by a single coin battery, which you can easily replace yourself when needed.

And of course, AirTags can be used with plenty of accessories from Apple and other manufacturers, letting you attach and protect the AirTag no matter where you wish to keep it.

But as good as this deal is, bear a couple of things in mind. The launch of the AirTag 2 has been rumored for some time, although we've yet to see any conclusive proof that it's coming. Plus, rival devices are on sale, such as the Chipolo Pop, which works with Android phones as well as iPhones, and boasts a louder speaker for hunting down your lost items and additional Bluetooth functionality.

For more great discounts, be sure to check out our Amazon Prime Day deals live blog right now.

Apple's big Awe Dropping iPhone 17 event is past us, but that doesn't mean the Cupertino giant is done announcing new devices. In the past, Apple has tended to hold a smaller event or online announcement in October.

As of this writing, Apple has not officially announced anything for October, but we expect some kind of announcement to occur this month. Rumors and leaks suggest a bevy of devices could make their debut before the end of 2025, likely before Halloween.

In both 2022 and 2023, Apple skipped the stage show and instead dropped new devices in October through press releases and slick promo videos. But in 2021 and again in 2023, the company embraced spooky season with full-on launch events.

Rumored devices Apple could announce

Without confirmation from Apple, there are a number of devices we believe the tech giant could announce soon.

The most obvious being the next iteration of MacBook Pro models. This year they could come with the M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max chipsets, but rumors suggest those MacBooks with those CPUs might not be announced until early 2026.

We expect some M5 MacBook Pro announcement this year.

Beyond laptops, Apple is supposedly going to launch a refreshed Apple TV set-top box, a new HomePod mini, and updated AirTags.

Here's what else Apple could announce:

• AirTags 2 - A new version of AirTags with a bigger tracking range, a louder speaker, and a new Ultra-Wideband chip.
• Apple TV - An upgraded streaming device should feature the A19 or A18 processor alongside support for Wi-Fi 7 via the Apple-made N1 chip. It will likely run tvOS 26 and in some wilder rumors could feature a camera for FaceTime features.
• HomePod mini 2- Similar to the other devices, the new HomePod mini should have the N1 chip, an updated Ultra Wideband chip, and S9 or newer chip and more colors.
• iPad Pro - Despite rumors of M5 chips going into production now, an M5 iPad Pro has been tipped to launch this fall multiple times. Typically, this one launches in the spring. The rumor mill has been quite certain the updated tablet is coming soon but don't be surprised if this one slips to its normal spring window.
• MacBook Pro - Outside of the new chip, the M5 version likely won't be that exciting beyond an upgraded camera. That's because the rumored MacBook Pro M6 should offer significant upgrades, including an OLED panel. This year might merely be a stopgap.
• Studio Display - Apple is reportedly working on two new Studio Display monitors which could launch this year or in early 2026. One monitor is a tech update to the normal Studio Display, and the other one could be anything from a new size to an upgraded Pro Display XDR.
• Vision Pro - Apple is has been tipped to refresh the Vision Pro with a faster M4 or M5 chip over the current M2 CPU. It could also get a new headstrap and maybe a Space Black colorway.

You'll notice a lot of the devices, especially anything with an M5 chip, are rumored to launch either this year or potentially in early 2026. If no Macs debut this fall, then we'll immediately look to next year for next run.

Apple debuted the e-series iPhone 16e in February of this year, so that could be a potential new window for product launches.

Whatever Apple announces in the next few months, keep Tom's Guide in your tabs as we'll be on hand to dispense all the latest Cupertino news.

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Apple's "Awe Dropping" launch event is only a day away now, and although the iPhone 17 and Apple Watch 11 announcements will steal the show, there may be some time left for Apple to finally give us the AirTag 2.

It's been four years since Apple first revealed what has become one of the best key finders you can buy, and rumors are rife about an update. Back in the spring, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman hinted the AirTag 2 was "prepared for launch," but it made no sense to launch at WWDC. Now it's September, and I'd argue revealing the device at the iPhone 17 event is much more fitting.

Why? Because one of the biggest claims about the AirTag 2 is that there will be upgrades to the tracker's ultra-wideband chip for longer-range precision finding support. What better way to introduce that than with a brand-new iPhone to take advantage of it? Since AirTags rely heavily on the iPhone to work, bundling it into tomorrow's announcement would seem like a smart move.

The current AirTag allows precision finding from between 10 and 30 meters away, but that's expected to get a boost to between 30 and 90 meters with the AirTag 2.

In addition, Apple is expected to add key privacy upgrades that address stalking concerns. Specifically, making the built-in speaker louder and much harder to remove without disabling the AirTag. And, frankly, the sooner this is introduced, the better.

Finally, there's also a suggestion Apple could include support for the tracker within visionOS for Apple's Vision Pro headset.

New AirTag, same design

It's widely expected that the AirTag 2 will keep the same design as the current model. This means that all the accessories people have accumulated — from lanyards and loops to keychains and luggage labels — will continue to work.

If you take a look at Amazon right now, you'll see that both single AirTags and the four-pack bundle are reduced right now. I'd love to say this is further proof tomorrow will bring us a refresh, but AirTags go on sale a lot. So this may just be a happy coincidence.

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Do you ever worry about losing your luggage, misplacing your keys, or even forgetting where you parked your car? If you're an iPhone user, Apple AirTags could be the perfect solution. They’re some of the best key finders out there and work effortlessly within the Apple ecosystem.

With a width of just 31.9mm and a weight of under 15g, these compact tags are impressively lightweight and easy to take anywhere, whether tucked into your bag or attached to your keys.

At the moment, you can grab a 4-pack of Apple's AirTags from the Techciti eBay store at an incredible 37% discount, reducing the price from AU$165 to just AU$104.30 — or approximately AU$26 per tag — making it an unbeatable deal.

To access this bargain, you'll need to be an eBay Plus member. If you're not a member yet, you can still grab this deal by signing up for a free 30-day eBay Plus trial, with no commitment to continue after the trial ends.

If you've never used an AirTag, it works by emitting a Bluetooth signal that Apple's Find My Network detects. This crowdsourced network, made up of countless nearby Apple devices, anonymously relays your device's location to iCloud, letting you see it on a map in the Find My app.

And if your lost item is somewhere in your home, you can use the Precision Find feature and ultrawideband technology to track your AirTag with pinpoint accuracy or even activate a loud sound to help you locate it.

In our 4-star Apple AirTag review, we praised the tracker's easy setup process, compact design and wealth of available accessories. Admittedly, the Apple AirTag 2 is tipped to launch soon, though we imagine those will be far more expensive than what you'll pay here. Simply put, if you're looking to buy some trackers, this deal is a no-brainer.

One of my favorite ways to use Apple AirTags is to track my luggage whenever I do any kind of travelling. I'm not alone with that, and following the launch of iOS 18.2 last year Apple confirmed it had partnered with "15 airlines" on a system that lets travelers share the location of their AirTagged luggage.

That number has since grown to 30 different airlines, now that Saudia, the national carrier of Saudi Arabia, is on board. The airline announced this news on LinkedIn, confirming that travellers would be able to share the FindMy app's Item Location Link via Saudia's "dedicated digital portal."

It's only really relevant if your luggage actually gets lost, though. If you don't bother with checked luggage, or your bags end up on the carousel in the arrivals hall as planned, then you won't need to worry about any of this

The feature is only available on devices running iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2 and up. So if you've been holding off on updating your phone, you might want to get iOS 18 installed before your next trip. Or the iOS 26 public beta, if you're feeling up to it.

Oh, and don't do what I did, and assume your AirTags are working before you leave. Make sure to check the batteries, and that you will actually be able to track your luggage in the event it does get lost.

Which Airlines support AirTag luggage tracking?

Saudia is just one of many airlines that supports AirTag tracking. So be sure to watch out for the following names next time you're looking to book airline tickets for yourself.

1. Aer Lingus
2. Ajet
3. AirCanada
4. Air India
5. Air New Zealand
6. American Airlines
7. Austrian Airlines
8. Breeze Airlines
9. British Airways
10. Brussels Airlines
11. Cathay Pacific
12. China Airlines
13. Delta
14. Eurowings
15. Finnair
16. Iberia
17. JetBlue
18. KLM
19. Lufthansa
20. Pegasus
21. Porter
22. Qantas
23. Saudia
24. Singapore Airlines
25. Sun Express
26. Swiss
27. Turkish Airlines
28. United
29. Virgin Atlantic
30. Vueling

How to share AirTag locations

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For parents who worry about their kids' whereabouts, you've probably considered putting a tracker on them for peace of mind. I keep an Apple AirTag on my child's stroller, just in case.

Skechers is making that a possibility thanks to its new Find My Skechers line of kids' sneakers that feature a secret compartment inside the shoe designed to hold an AirTag so that you can track your child. The line features shoes with sizes ranging from toddler to eight years old.

The compartment can be found by lifting the sneaker's insole and a fabric web liner. Underneath that is a plastic slot recessed into the midsole that holds the AirTag.

The compartment features a lid that screws in place to keep the tracker snug, which should keep kids from tampering with it. Skechers says the fabric and casing won't block the wireless signal for the tracker.

Additionally, the shoes don't feature any branding that would indicate a tracker is in the shoe, looking like any other Skecher. So it does make for a more covert way to track your kids.

Unlike some of our picks for the best GPS trackers for kids, which are mostly smartwatches, the hidden AirTag shoe is one that is unobtrusive and that kids likely won't take off and lose like they might a watch. And unlike our top pick, the Jiobit, it stays on their person and not just clipped to a jacket or backpack.

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Now that the Prime Day rush is over, many deals have now come and gone, but don't tell Apple that its AirPods, iPads, MacBooks and more are still on sale — and many are at record-low prices.

That includes the popular (and rightfully so) Apple AirPods Pro 2 down to $149 at Amazon, along with the 11-inch iPad Air M3 for $479 that's somehow still at an all-time low price. You can even grab an Apple AirTag from just $19, and my personal favorite, the MacBook Air M4, continues to be down to just $849!

Just when I thought prices wouldn't get any lower until Black Friday, these deals are still available. There's no telling how long Apple's sale on Amazon will last, so if you were on the fence about, say, a pair of AirPods (or anything else) before, there's still time to get massive savings.

There's still plenty of sales going around that you'll find in our Prime Day live blog, but if you've got an Apple product in your sights, get jumping on these Apple deals before they're gone.

Quick links

• shop all Prime Day deals
• AirTag: was $29 now $19
• AirTag (4-pack): was $99 now $64
• AirPods 4: was $129 now $89
• AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C): was $249 now $149
• Apple Watch 10 (GPS/42mm): was $399 now $279
• iPad Air 11" (M3/128GB): was $599 now $479
• MacBook Air 13" (M4/256GB): was $999 now $849
• MacBook Pro 14" (M4/512GB): was $1,599 now $1,421
• iPhone 16 Pro: up to $1,000 off w/ trade-in @ T-Mobile
• iPhone 16e: was $16/month now $5/month with Unlimited @ AT&T

AirTag deals

AirPod deals

Apple Watch deals

iPhone deals

iPad deals

MacBook deals

Mac mini deals

Apple's AirTags have been a game-changer for me. Before the trackers came along I was constantly losing things and it became a ritual to spend 10 minutes looking for my keys before leaving the house.

So when I tell you a 4-pack of AirTags is now down to just $64 in Amazon’s Prime Day sale, I hope it comes in handy. That means you can snag each one for just $16 and use them on whatever it is that you're always losing track of.

I've put AirTags on just about everything (because I try and stock up when there's a sale on) including my keys, wallet, a couple of bags and even my bicycle. The great thing about AirTags is there's a whole load of mounts and grips available to attach them to different items.

And I'm not the only one — a number of my Tom's Guide colleagues also swear by Apple's AirTags for locating things like lost luggage. Last week, Apple expanded the use of AirTags with iOS 18.2 so you can now share their location with major airlines.

There's a simple reason that AirTags have the edge over the other best key finders and it's due to the ubiquity of Apple's Find My network. As long as someone has Find My set up on their iPhone (or iPad), it will automatically ping passing AirTags. Other key finders rely on specific apps or less popular devices to operate — which makes it harder to track their location around the world.

If, like me, you need to find your keys somewhere in your house, you can ping an AirTag via Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband (UWB) from your iPhone and tell them to start playing a sound from the on-board speaker. If you have a newer iPhone, you can use UWB and Precision Finding to guide you to the missing tracker with on-screen directions.

While AirTags are frequently discounted, but this is the best price I've seen for them recently. From memory, the 4-pack often falls to around $69, so getting them at $64 is a nice bonus. Just remember to change the coin cell batteries after a year so they keep powered up.

Meanwhile, you can find some other great Apple deals here and head over to our Amazon Prime Day live blog for the latest discounts delivered directly to your eyeballs as soon as we spot them.

If you're someone who tends to misplace your belongings (don't worry, we've all been there), we just might have the solution for you! Apple AirTags are among the best key finders we've tested — and right now iPhone users can get one for free at Amazon.

Apple doesn't typically discount its products — but sometimes, you'll get lucky and find the brand's elite products on sale at Amazon. Typically priced at $99 for a pack of 4, Amazon is bringing the price of Apple AirTags down to $74 ahead of Amazon Prime Day. You'll have to buy the 4-pack to get this deal, but you'll get one AirTag at no cost.

Every day, countless people waste time searching for misplaced items — from keys to bags to parked cars. Having an AirTag attached to your essentials can turn a potentially stressful hunt into a quick and simple recovery. Plus, with one free tracker thrown in to the mix, you're getting Apple's tracking technology at a seriously affordable price.

If you own an iPhone, this is one of the best accessories you can buy. In our Apple AirTag review, we called the Editor's Choice tracker "a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage."

Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find your item's general location, but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. At just $74 for a 4-pack, this AirTag deal is an easy recommendation to shop ahead of Prime Day.

Everyone I know raves about how helpful it is for them to attach an AirTag on their keychain to keep track of their keys, but my issue is that AirTags are quite obvious — which gives potential thieves a quick opportunity of removing them. That’s why I ditched mine in favor of this smart key tracker that doubles as a handy key organizer.

The KeySmart iPro is a smart key organizer that neatly organizes my keys together, while also acting as a lifesaving tool in the event it goes missing thanks to its Find My support. Essentially, it’s an AirTag disguised as a key organizer and I love it. For less than the cost of two AirTags, I think the KeySmart iPro still has value. I'd go far to say it's one of the best key finders around. Here’s why.

I have so much stuff on my keychain that it’s gotten so out of control in the last year, so I needed a change — but still want the peace of mind that an AirTag offers. I got all of that and more when I finally switched to the KeySmart iPro because of how it better organizes my keys. In fact, it can support up to 14 keys thanks in part to its design that lets me quickly expand it. While I don’t have that many keys on me, I did manage to get the six main keys I need for my home.

Much like a Swiss Army Knife, all the keys fold inside of it — but it typically accommodates standard keys that are uniformly flat. Meaning, I can’t install my car key because of how the fob has a thicker base for its controls.

Despite this, I managed to get all my other keys to fit inside of the KeySmart iPro after carefully figuring out how to best place them inside.

What I really love most about it is how it supports Apple’s Find My function, which practically gives it the same tracking abilities of the AirTag — but in a discreet design.

Through the Find My app, I can see its location on a map and even play a sound to help me track it down easier around my home if I forgot where I put it last. On top of that, I really appreciate the notification I get every time it senses that I’ve left it behind.

Unlike other smart key finders, like those from Tile or Nomad’s Tracking Card, it doesn’t rely on a battery I need to replace — nor does it require a proprietary charging cable. Instead, the KeySmart iPro features a USB-C port covered by a plastic flap that’s much more convenient in my opinion.

Not only is it rated for up to 30 days of battery life, but the simple fact it’s a USB-C port makes it more ideal because I can charge it just about anywhere. There's also a built-in flashlight, which isn't as powerful as my phone's flashlight, but nonetheless helpful when I can't find anything else around.

Now that I’ve been using this, I don’t plan on going back to a regular keychain with an AirTag attached to it. For its $49 cost, I think it justifies its value over other smart key finders, especially when it actually organizes my keys. And yes, it comes with a bottle opener as well so now I don't have to ask a waiter for one at a BYOB restaurant.

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We aren't far away from the launch of the AirTag 2, according to a new claim from Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter. But don't expect to see the AirTag sequel appear that soon.

Gurman explains in a brief Q&A answer that Apple has been preparing for the debut of the AirTag 2 over the past few months, with the intention of launching it in the near future. This matches a previous claim of Gurman's — that we'd see Apple's new tracking tags launch in the middle of 2025. Although we're already in the sixth month of the year, so Apple would need to get a move on if it still had this launch window in mind.

However, Gurman doesn't expect to see the AirTag 2 later today at WWDC 2025, since they're not a good match for an event that normally focuses purely on Apple's software products.

We first saw the AirTag in spring 2021. While it remains one of the best key finders available four years on, there's no time like the present for Apple to give users an upgraded version.

The AirTag 2's design is believed to be staying the same as the current version, but there should still be some meaningful changes under the surface.

We've heard claims that there will be upgrades to the tracker's ultra wideband chip for longer-range precision finding support, a tougher speaker to prevent tampering with an AirTag's anti-stalking measures, and support for the tracker within visionOS for Apple's Vision Pro headset.

For the latest on Apple's event taking place today, check our WWDC 2025 live blog for more. This includes rumored announcements like iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe, as well as an overall redesign for the look and feel of all of Apple's software.

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I’ll be completely honest here, I am constantly losing track of stuff around my house. Keys, gadgets, my wallet, and who knows how many other things. Needless to say, Apple AirTags can come in handy — and it pays to have more than one at your disposal.

So it’s a good thing that the Apple AirTag 4 Pack is now just $69 in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. Not only is that $30 off the usual price, it means you’re saving quite a bit of money compared to buying individual AirTags (currently $24 a piece).

One of my favorite places to use AirTags is in my luggage. You can’t always trust airlines will be able to keep tabs on things, even with the new digital tracking systems in place.

Nobody wants to be stuck at baggage claim waiting for a bag that will never arrive, . So I find it quite comforting to be able to check my bag has safely made it to my destination.

But why AirTags and not another one of the best key finders? Simple, because of how Apple has set up its trackers in the Find My network. As long as someone has Find My set up on their iPhone (or iPad), it will automatically ping passing AirTags.

The same isn’t true for other key finders, which rely on specific apps or less popular devices to operate — making it far harder to track their location.

AirTags are useful if you’re trying to track down something that doesn’t have quite so strict security as an airport. I’m constantly trying to figure out where my keys are, and whether it was me or my girlfriend that put them somewhere strange and promptly forgot about it.

Pinging the AirTag via Bluetooth and Ultra Wideband (UWB) means I can start figuring out where my things are. The simplest method is telling the AirTag’s onboard speaker to start playing a sound, though you can use UWB and Precision Finding to guide you to the missing tracker with on-screen directions.

The batteries also last around a year. So be sure to actually remember to change them when they need it. Trust me, I won’t ever make that mistake again.

Apple’s Find My network is an incredibly useful bit of software, giving users a way to track down their missing devices and accessories — including AirTags, iPhones and even certain kinds of headphones.

Unfortunately, it may not have been quite as secure as Apple had hoped, thanks to a serious exploit that was uncovered by researchers at George Mason University.

According to researchers this exploit would have allowed hackers to turn any Bluetooth device into an AirTag "without the opener ever realizing it." This would essentially let hackers track users through the Find My network without them realizing, and without the usual protections Apple has in place against AirTag stalking.

How this exploit works

Normally AirTags are designed to change their Bluetooth address based on a specific cryptographic key. Unfortunately researchers were able to develop a system that could find keys for those Bluetooth addresses, aided by “hundreds” of GPUs that could calculate a key match.

Dubbed “nRootTag,” this exploit had a frighteningly high success rate of 90% and was able to track down devices “within minutes.”

One experiment even saw researchers track the location of a computer within 10 feet, and they were later able to trace a moving e-bike as it was ridden on city streets. Another experiment let them recreate the path of a person’s flight by tracking a games console.

Proximity wasn’t a factor either, with hackers able to do all this from thousands of miles away.

As terrifying as it is that hackers could track your location so easily (or sell access to others), researchers pointed out that it could go much further than that. “While it is scary if your smart lock is hacked, it becomes far more horrifying if the attacker also knows its location. With the attack method we introduced, the attacker can achieve this.”

What happens next?

The George Mason team informed Apple of this exploit last July. Apple acknowledged the work of the team in the iOS 18.2 release notes, and told Tom's Guide it has "hardened" the Find My network to resist "inappropriate use" like this. That update was released on December 11 2024.

Apple also emphasized that the issue is not a vulnerability with Apple products. The exploit was used to track the location of Linux, Windows and Android systems through the Find My network without proper authorization, but not Apple.

It's unclear whether this exploit has been utilized by bad actors right now. However, researchers noted that a true fix to the problem could take years to develop, since updates can't be forced on at-risk customers. Researchers advise that users should stay cautious about granting apps Bluetooth permissions to try and avoid this kind of thing happening to them.

They should also keep software up to date and “consider privacy-focused operating systems for better protection against prying eyes.”

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2025 may be the year we finally see Apple’s second generation AirTags, hopefully with a bunch of upgrades and improvements. But there’s one change that nobody really saw coming, and it might be a big help for preventing AirTag stalking — speaker protection.

According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is set to make it more difficult for people to remove speakers in AirTag 2. This could be an invaluable tool in the fight against AirTag stalking. Simply because the AirTag speakers are very important for actually hunting down any rogue AirTags that may be following you.

As Apple has rolled out new features to detect rogue AirTags and keep people safe from stalking, the speaker has become more and more important. Phones are now capable of detecting when an unknown AirTag seems to have been following someone around, but it can’t track down their exact location that easily. That’s where the speaker comes in.

By forcing a rogue Airtag to make a noise, people are able to find the trackers and dispose of them. Sadly, if someone has already disabled or damaged the speaker, then this process becomes much more difficult. By offering the speaker better protection, it means potential victims are far less likely to face that tactic.

It’s not clear how Apple will protect the speakers in AirTag 2, but this is definitely a good thing. Even without stalking in mind, ensuring the speaker is protected means legitimate users aren’t likely to accidentally damage their AirTags. Combine this with the rumored upgrade to Ultra Wideband connectivity and tracking down AirTags 2 should be significantly easier than the current trackers.

It’s not entirely clear when AirTags 2 will arrive, but reports suggest that they may be arriving later this year. As to when is anyone's guess right now, so we’ll have to just wait and see what Apple has in store for us as the months progress.

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If you're someone who tends to misplace your belongings (don't worry, we've all been there), we just might have the solution for you! Apple AirTags are among the best key finders we've tested — and right now the Apple AirTag (4-pack) is on sale for just $69 at Amazon.

Apple's AirTags are an essential accessory for iPhone users. The small and discrete Bluetooth trackers measure just 1.26-inches wide, making them the perfect size to just throw into your bag or slip into your wallet. You'll then be able to track all of your belongings right from the Find My app on your iPhone.

Amazon's current discount knocks $30 off the set's normal $99 price — the deepest discount we've seen for Apple's smart Bluetooth trackers. Snag the set of AirTags today and get them for as little as $17 a pop.

Every day, countless people waste time searching for misplaced items — from keys to bags to parked cars. Having an AirTag attached to your essentials can turn a potentially stressful hunt into a quick and simple recovery. Plus, at $17 per tracker, you're getting Apple's tracking technology at a seriously affordable price.

If you own an iPhone this is one of the best accessories you can buy. In our Apple AirTag review, we called the Editor's Choice tracker "a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage."

Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find your item's general location, but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. At just $69 for a 4-pack, this AirTag deal is an easy recommendation for anyone who has ever misplaced their belongings.

If you're always losing your stuff, this deal is for you. Amazon has just slashed the price of Apple's AirTags, so you can grab a set and keep track of your important iteams.

Right now a 4-pack of AirTags is on sale for $69 at Amazon. This is $30 off and the lowest price I've seen for a 4-pack. You're now paying $17.49 per AirTag, which is a total steal. Make sure to grab this deal before it disappears!

The AirTag is one of the best keyfinders out there, especially for iPhone users. Our Apple AirTag review said these trackers are super easy to set up and a snap to use.

Their compact design means they can easily be slipped in a bag, placed on a keychain or kept safe in your luggage. Then, if something goes missing, you can use Apple Find My to track your items down. When you get close, you can switch to Precision Finding and your phone will guide you right to the AirTag with audio, visual and haptic feedback.

And the good news is the AirTag discounts aren't limited to the U.S. If you're reading this in the U.K, you can also score an AirTag 4-pack at Amazon for under £100. It's not quite the lowest price ever, but it's still a good deal to jump on.

Just so you know, there are a couple of downsides to the AirTag. First of all, they don't work with Android phones, so Android users will want to opt for something like the Tile Pro instead. In addition, the AirTag can emit a beep to help you find it, but it's not super loud. You'll probably have to get pretty close before you'll be able to hear it.

Still, the AirTag is a super useful device for iPhone users, and now you can get a set at a great price. Make sure to take advantage of this deal before it disappears. And if you're hunting for more savings, check out the top PS5 game deals in the PlayStation Store.

Apple's useful AirTag trackers have just been on the receiving end of a notable price cut, with a four-pack dropping to $69 at Amazon. That's $30 off these consistently highly-rated trackers, meaning each one costs just over $17.

These compact trackers have become essential tools for keeping track of belongings. Whether slipped into a wallet, attached to keys, or tucked into luggage, AirTags offer peace of mind that's hard to match.

Every day, countless people waste time searching for misplaced items — from keys to bags to parked cars. Having an AirTag attached to your essentials can turn a potentially stressful hunt into a quick and simple recovery. At this price point, the convenience far outweighs the cost.

Since we're now into a new year, it's a perfect time to get organized. Whether you're planning travels or just want to keep better track of your daily essentials, having multiple AirTags lets you cover all your bases.

At $17.25 per tracker, you're getting Apple's tracking technology at a seriously affordable price.

While AirTags do require an iPhone to work, they integrate seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem. Features like Precision Finding, which shows exact distance and direction to your lost item, remain unmatched by rivals.

For Apple users looking to start 2025 more organized, this Apple AirTags 4-pack deal offers excellent value — so I recommend grabbing them before they sell out.

Apple has added new warnings to its AirTags after a recent Notice of Violation from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC.)

Apple AirTags are a great way to keep track of different items, like luggage, with ease. All you need to do is place them in the item and sync them with your FInd My app. However, Apple has faced some issues after the CPSC alleged that it failed to meet the warning label requirements outlined under Reese's law. For reference, Reese's law is focused on eliminating, or reducing, the risk of danger from ingestion of a button cell or coin batteries by children.

It's important to note that Apple's AirTags do meet the technical performance requirements for securing its lithium coin cell batteries. However, According to a recent report from MacReports, units imported after Reese's Law took effect lack the necessary on-product and on-box warnings that are required. The lack of these warnings would represent a threat to families with young children.

To address the reported violations Apple has made several changes to the packaging and Find My App. Firstly, Apple has added new warning symbols to the inside of the AirTags battery compartment. Apple has also added new warnings to the Find My app section that offers guidance for changing the batteries. This means that users will have the warnings at the time when it is most prudent. Finally, the new AirTag boxes include clear warning statements and symbols that comply with the regulatory standard.

While it is good to see Apple complying with the necessary safety requirements, AirTags are long overdue for a refresh in general. Originally released in April 2021, they remain one of the longest-running Apple products that have gone without any upgrades. However, a recent report from Mark Gurman about a possible AirTag 2 indicates this could soon change. Not only is Apple possibly working on an AirTag 2, but another rumor has indicated they could be in line for a major upgrade when they release next year.

Coin cell batteries are useful, but the danger of children swallowing them is very real. The changes that Apple have made will help to make sure that users are aware of the threat, and take the necessary steps to avoid danger.

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The AirTag is an incredibly useful tool for anyone embedded in Apple's ecosystem, but it does have its downsides. That includes the need to replace the CR2032 coin batteries every 12 months or so.

Even though the Find My app notifies you when an AirTag battery is running low (and a year is a pretty good benchmark for battery life!) I've still found myself looking for keys attached to a dead AirTag. Replacing the battery is my biggest problem with AirTag trackers — especially if you have a lot of them — and I know I'm not the only one that's been affected.

Which is where a $20 gadget called TimeCapsule from the company ElevationLab comes in. It's a simple solution to extend the life of an AirTag to up to a decade by transposing the power over to a pair of AA batteries.

It's a good time for this kind of gadget to surface (h/t Android Authority) since there are strong rumors the AirTag 2 is right around the corner. And while Apple's next version of the tracker will reportedly extend its range thanks to the addition of a new Ultra Wideband chip, we don't yet know how that'll impact battery life.

The brains behind the TimeCapsule claim that, when paired with high-capacity AA batteries, users will get "a decade of power" out of a single AirTag — expanding on the original coin cell lifetime by a factor of 14.

And while a single one will set you back $20 on Amazon, you can also pick up two for $30 or four for $40 — which brings the price comfortably down.

The trade-off

Of course the beauty of the AirTag is that it can more or less go anywhere thanks to its tiny size. You can slip one inside your wallet or bag without it taking up much space. The TimeCapsule limits some of that portability.

According to the ElevationLab product page, the rectangular casing is fully waterproof and uses "premium CNC machined screws" as part of its construction. Despite this, it makes the tracker bigger and bulkier as a trade-off against that longer lifespan.

To my mind, this is the perfect solution for adding an AirTag to, for example, a camera bag or a large piece of checked luggage during air travel. You could also potentially mount it to one of the best e-bikes or an electric scooter for location tracking your preferred transport method.

You'll need to spend a little extra on a pair of decent AA batteries too, but if you're getting a full decade of support for that investment, it seems well worth it to me.

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Apple is predicted to launch a new generation of its AirTag tracker next year with a significantly improved range, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman believes Apple will use the next-generation Ultra Wideband chip (UWB) from the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to "considerably increase" the range for the AirTag 2.

The current AirTag trackers (introduced in 2021) offer Precision Finding from anywhere between 30 and 100 feet away. According to Gurman, the "new model should triple that by using the next-generation ultrawide-band chip."

Previous leaks and rumors have given us a fair idea that Apple will reveal the product in mid-2025 and Gurman noted last month the new version has now entered production. But what we don't know is how the upgraded chip will affect the pricing. Apple introduced the AirTag at $29 for a single tracker or $99 for a pack of four. Most of the time (like right now, as of time of writing) they can be found discounted at Amazon or Best Buy. But whether Apple keeps pricing the same or pushes it upwards remains to be seen.

Thanks to the new UWB chip, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 owners can use Precision Finding inside the Find My app to find each other up to 200 feet away. It's possible then we could see the same functionality come to the AirTag 2.

Outside of Precision Finding, the AirTags can still utilize the vast Find My network to track keys, wallets or luggage across huge distances. Just remember to double-check the battery life before embarking on any long-distance trip.

While the internals may receive an upgrade, Gurman doesn't expect the outward appearance to alter for the next model. Which makes sense considering the huge array of first and third party AirTag accessories that have been produced over the last three years.

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Black Friday is here, and if you've been waiting to join the AirTag club, this is the moment you've been looking for. Apple's premium item trackers — consistently rated among the best key finders you can buy — have just hit their lowest price ever, with a four-pack dropping to $70 at Amazon.

As someone who travels frequently, AirTags have become one of those "how did I live without this?" gadgets. These discreet trackers can be slipped into your wallet, attached to your keys, tucked into your luggage, or secured to pretty much anything you don't want to lose. Apple AirTags earned our Editor's Choice recognition and for giving you peace of mind, they're simply unmatched.

Let me put this deal in perspective. Last month, I watched a fellow traveler frantically searching for their laptop bag at a coffee shop. Two hours of panic later they found it — but the stress and lost time were significant. That's the kind of scenario where an AirTag's price tag seems trivial.

And honestly, the timing of this deal couldn't be better. With holiday travel ramping up and luggage chaos being what it is, having an AirTag in your suitcase is becoming as essential as remembering your passport. At just $17 per tracker (down from about $25 each), you're getting Apple's premium tracking tech at Android prices.

It's worth noting that AirTags do require an iPhone to work — but if you're in the Apple ecosystem, it's so worth it. The Precision Finding feature (which shows you exactly how many feet away your item is and points you in the right direction) is something competitors still haven't replicated.

Apple products, especially at record-low prices, have a habit of selling out quickly during the holiday season — so I recommend grabbing this Black Friday AirTags deal while you still can!

If you need to keep track of something — or someone — there's no better time to scoop up a deal on one of the best keyfinders than during Amazon Prime Day. Case in point: My 102-year-old grandfather, (about to be 103 this December) may not be the dancer he once was, but he still likes to be mobile.

About a year or so ago, he bought an electric scooter to free himself from the confines of his assisted-living facility, and regularly takes it for jaunts around the neighborhood and on paths near where he lives. Never one to take things cautiously, he speeds around on the scooter like he was a teenager.

Naturally, my mom was a bit nervous about his excursions, so she asked me if there was a device that would keep tabs on him in case something happened. Among the best keyfinders, I recommended the Apple AirTags, as Apple devices are pretty ubiquitous. Right now, a four-pack of Apple AirTags is just $79 on Amazon, which is $20 off its regular price. We've seen them drop as low as $75, but this is still a pretty good deal.

She picked up some AirTags during the last Prime Day back in July, and popped one into the back of his scooter. While she doesn't monitor his every move, she will be able to locate him (or the scooter) if he takes a spill away from his home.

While they're no longer at the top of our list of the best keyfinders, iPhone owners will gravitate towards the AirTags, as the UWB radio in newer iPhones (iPhone 11 and up) allows for more precise tracking, which is especially helpful if you happen to lose your keys between a couch cushion. 

They're also super-easy to set up, which is also helpful if you're getting them for someone who's not as technologically inclined. Otherwise, you're going to be spending Thanksgiving doing tech support while everyone else is eating pie and watching football. 

Arguably one of the best key finders we've ever tested, Apple AirTags have become synonymous with belonging to the Apple ecosystem — because you can't have one product without owning them all, right?

The discrete tags measure just 31.9mm wide and weigh less than 15g, making them the perfect size to place into a bag. These small smart trackers use Bluetooth to sync up to your iPhone or Mac device and allow near-simultaneous tracking of the item or bag that it's placed in.

Plus, not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find their location, but the Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate directions to track down your AirTag to the millimetre, which is pretty astonishing if you ask me.

Right now, you can nab a 4 pack of the Apple AirTags for AU$127.20 on Digi Direct's eBay for Afterpay Day by using the code DIGIAUG24 — that's AU$37.80 off RRP! Plus, you'll only pay AU$31 per tag, which typically retail for AU$49 each. What a win.

If you own an iPhone 15 (or maybe you're holding off for a newer iPhone 16 model), then grabbing a pack of AirTags is a no-brainer. In our Apple AirTag review, we gave these tags an impressive 4 out of 5 stars, namely due to their easy set-up, compact design and the amount of accessories you can house your tags in.

As someone who regularly loses their house keys, picking up this pack of AirTag holders on Amazon for AU$18.99 has been a godsend, as I can easily attach the smart tracker to anything and everything I own. And I might have even picked up this AirTag dog collar holder on Amazon — which has nearly 5K positive reviews — because I am a self-proclaimed helicopter dog parent (or pawrent?).

But regardless of whatever reason you pick up these smart tags for, they're hands down one of the best accessories you can buy. These nimble trackers also pack an IP67 rating, meaning they're sealed against dust, can handle some water immersion (but not a lot), and run on a single CR2032 coin cell battery.

So for just AU$31 per tag, if you haven't picked up these Apple AirTags already, what else are you waiting for?

Google's Find My Device may have only launched a few months ago but that's enough time for a comparison to Apple's AirTags. 

Recently, Reddit user u/chiselplow, decided to actually put Find My Device to the test against AirTags. Shared by our friends at TechRadar, the test pitted a Pebblebee tracker against an AirTag by putting both trackers into a mailbox and having them posted to another state.

Perhaps the test is unfair since Find My Device only launched in April and Apple's Find My has existed since 2019. Also, there will presumably be more tracking devices that utilize Find My Device versus the AirTag for Apple devices. Still, it's good to see where things currently stand. 

Both trackers work by utilizing an anonymous, crowdsourced network of nearby smartphones to find their location. Based on chiselplow's testing though, there was a big difference in the results.

They claimed that Apple's device continuously updated throughout the day pinging the AirTag's location. Meanwhile, the PebbleBee took 11 hours to show a new location. Based on their test, it looks like the PebbleBee never really found the location at all. 

At one point, they claimed that the PebbleBee had defaulted to showing its previous location, the sender's home. They also mentioned that the Find My Device map is in grayscale and not super detailed, especially in comparison to Apple's map which features satellite mode. 

Their conclusion was that Google's version of Find My Device is not worth it, "Pebblebee and the Google Find My Device Network are hot garbage and the entire thing has not been rolled out in a way that it can be useful, reliable, or worth spending your money on at this time."

The issues with Google's version might be related to a couple of different but compacting issues. One, in the US, the iPhone is the more dominant phone, while in other countries Android is more prevalent. Chiselowplow appears to be American.

Also, Google made the default setting for the Find My Device network "high-traffic areas only." To change this users have to switch to "all areas" or third-party manufacturers like Pebblebee have to have it switched on. 

The tool is also missing features like UWB (ultra-wideband), though that is supposedly coming, along with Augmented Reality support. One thing that may improve it is the release of Google-made Android AirTags, though the tech giant has not released any plans to create such a product.

For now, based solely on this one test, the feature is not quite up to snuff, especially compared to Apple's more robust tracking network.

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Beyond being one of the best key finders we've tested, Apple's AirTags are some of the best accessories on the market for iPhone users. These small and discrete Bluetooth trackers measure just 1.26-inches wide, making them the perfect size to just throw into your bag or slip into your wallet. And right now, you can get them for as little as $18 a pop.

Right now, the Apple AirTag (4-pack) is on sale for $79 at Amazon. That's a savings of $25 off the set's normal $99 price and the deepest discount yet for Apple's smart Bluetooth trackers. If Amazon runs out of stock, you can also snag the same deal at Walmart. 

If you own one of the best iPhones, then this accessory is really a no-brainer. In our Apple AirTag review, we called the Editor's Choice tracker "a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage."

Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find their general location, but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. 

If you own an iPhone this is one of the best accessories you can buy. AirTags are priceless for the peace of mind these trackers bring if you often misplace your gear. Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find their general location — even when in low power mode! — but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. These handy trackers also pack an IP67 rating, which means they're sealed against dust and can handle some water immersion, and run on a single CR2032 coin cell battery.

At just $18 per AirTag, this 4-pack is an easy recommendation for anyone who has ever misplaced their keys. 

Apple's AirTags are among the best key finders we've tested. These small and discrete buttons measure just 1.26-inches wide so you can throw them in a bag or slip them into a wallet with ease. 

For a limited time, you can get the Apple AirTag (4-pack) on sale for $74 at Amazon. That's a savings of $25 off the set's normal $99 price and the deepest discount yet for Apple's smart Bluetooth trackers.

In our Apple AirTag review, we called the Editor's Choice tracker "a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage."

If you own an iPhone this is one of the best accessories you can buy. AirTags are priceless for the peace of mind these trackers bring if you often misplace your gear. Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find their general location, but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. 

At this price, this 4-pack is a no brainer for anyone who has ever misplaced their keys. 

If you do a lot of traveling, odds are you know all about the trend of tossing an AirTag into your suitcase. That way if your checked luggage mysteriously vanishes between the airport and your destination, you at least have the comfort of tracking down where it is — even if the airline can’t.

The idea that I can double check which country my luggage is in, before it hits the baggage carousel, has always been rather comforting. There’s no need to stand there wondering whether your bag actually made your flight, and if you’re going to have to start your trip by buying some bare essentials.

If you’re going to do this with your own luggage, I implore you not to make the same mistake I did. Because it bit me in the behind right when I needed that Apple AirTag the most.

When AirTags fail — and it’s all your fault

Last December I took an extended weekend break in Denmark. It’s only an hour away by plane, so it's relatively easy trip to do if you need a quick getaway. Even in December, when the sun sets before 4pm.

Everything was going so well until I disembarked the plane in Billund, only to receive a text message saying that my bags had not made the flight.

Whether you spend an hour in the air or 10, that is not the kind of message you want to see when you get off a plane. My first thought was to reach for my iPad and try to figure out what happened. If I could track down the AirTag in my suitcase, I would at least find out where it was. 

To my horror, Apple’s Find My app could only register my iPad, which was in my hands, and my spare iPhone which was sitting on my desk over 500 miles away. The AirTag had vanished from my account.

While my first response was to wait and see if there had been a mistake, and then to contact British Airways in the hopes of retrieving my bag, I later made it my mission to figure out why Apple had decided my AirTag no longer existed.

It didn’t take long to figure out that I’d completely neglected to check the AirTag’s battery when I was packing. According to Apple, an AirTag is only supposed to last a year before the battery needs changing. My AirTag entered service roughly 14 months earlier, ahead of a vacation to Florida in October 2022.

That AirTag was well and truly dead. It was no more, it had ceased to be. It had expired and had gone to meet its maker. This was because I got complacent and forgot to check whether the thing still had power before I zipped up my suitcase the previous day.

Not only did this mean I couldn’t check where my luggage was, I also couldn’t check up on whether British Airways was being truthful when they promised that my bag would be arriving on a flight the following afternoon. Considering I was only there for two nights, I didn’t want to run the risk of the bag arriving right as I was about to head home.

Make sure your AirTag is still alive before you go to the Airport 

The crazy thing is I could have rectified it right away if I had noticed. I have so many small electronic gadgets that rely on CR2032 batteries that I always keep an ample supply in the kitchen drawer. When I eventually got home, swapping the battery and getting the AirTag connected to my Apple ID again took no time at all.

It also takes about 30 seconds to figure out whether your AirTag still has power leftover as well. I tend to find that the thing starts beeping as soon as I start moving my suitcase out of the attic , likely because it’s not connected to any of my devices via Bluetooth up there. 

Alternatively you can just check the Find My app to see if a) your AirTag shows up as within range and b) it starts beeping when you tap the “Play Sound” button. 

While the Find My app doesn’t tell you how much battery the tag has left, you’ll know for sure that it’s still alive for the time being. But if the battery is inching closer to its 12 month anniversary, there’s no harm in swapping it out for a fresh power cell and resetting the clock.

Really that should be one of those things that becomes routine before you travel. Like making doubly sure you have your passport, locking all the windows and doors or making sure you have enough chargers to power every family member’s devices.

Will it stop your bags getting lost, or accidentally left behind? Absolutely not. These things are going to happen, and no amount of smart gadgetry can ensure someone at the airline or airport doesn’t screw everything up. But at least you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing where they really are, and whether the airline is telling you the truth or not.

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Beyond being one of the best key finders we've tested, Apple's AirTags are a godsend for tracking all of your everyday items. These small and discrete buttons measure just 1.26-inches wide so you can throw them in a bag or slip them into a wallet with ease. If you commute or travel often they're the best way to keep track of your luggage throughout the journey.

Right now, the Apple AirTag (4-pack) is on sale for $79 at Amazon. That's a savings of $20 off the set's normal $99 price and the deepest discount yet for Apple's smart Bluetooth trackers.

If you own an iPhone this is in my opinion the best accessory you can buy. AirTags are priceless for the peace of mind these trackers bring if you often misplace your gear. Not only do they play a loud sound to help you quickly find their general location, but their Precision Find feature uses an ultrawideband to provide accurate GPS-like directions to track down your AirTag to the inch. 

Should you leave an item behind the Find My app will alert your iPhone if you leave an item behind with optional location-based notifications. This has paid off the cost of my AirTags tenfold—saving my wallet, backpack, and keys from being left behind in late-night Ubers, trains, and restaurants. I've had mine for just a bit under a year and they're still running great aside from the fact that I need to replace the batteries. Even in low-power mode I can play their chime and see them on a map. 

At just $20 per AirTag this is a relatively small investment that can save you a ton of time and stress each day. My coworkers opted to add a keychain case to their AirTags to hook them around the straps inside their backpacks and suitcases. They swear by the Belkin Apple AirTag holder ($12, Amazon), though there are dozens of options to choose from. 

Apple is in no hurry to release its next-generation AirTag, according to a new report.

The tech giant has decided to hold off on a 2024 AirTag 2 launch due to a backlog of available inventory, among other issues, Bloomberg’s Apple reporter Mark Gurman is reporting, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the company’s plans. Instead, Apple is now planning to launch AirTag 2 sometime in 2025.

Gurman said that Apple “clearly over-produced” the first-generation AirTag, believing that the key finders would be far more popular than they are. Instead, Apple has found that its “retail store back rooms and Apple device storage warehouses are still full to the brim with AirTags,” Gurman writes.

There’s been a steady stream of reports in recent months about Apple's next-generation AirTag launch plans. 

Last year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple would begin mass production on the AirTag 2 starting in the second half of 2024, with key features such as extended range coming to the tracking device. Kuo believes that sales rose to 35 million units in 2022 from 20 million the previous year.

But this past October, Kuo walked back his claims, saying that Apple had indeed pushed its AirTag 2 launch date to 2025.

Gurman’s report similarly acknowledged that Apple wants to deliver a better ultrawideband wireless chip in the AirTag 2 to allow for better and extended range, as well as improved compatibility with existing Apple hardware.

That chip will likely be the U2 ultra wideband chip Apple bundled in the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch 9. The U2 chip can help you find friends in crowded environments with its Precision Finding mode and offers better range. Since those key features are only compatible with U2-equipped hardware, it would make sense for U2 compatibility to come to the next-generation AirTags.

Despite that, Gurman’s sources also said that Apple believes the existing AirTags “still work fairly well and have most of the features you’d want,” suggesting U2 compatibility, while important, may not be a deal breaker. And then there’s that pesky issue of excess inventory.

Whatever the case, the evidence is mounting that Apple won’t have much to say about AirTag this year. And don’t expect the notoriously secretive Apple to talk about any AirTag plans until it's ready to announce the product's ship date.

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I get it, sometimes you find yourself shopping for Cyber Monday Deals just for the sake of it, without any real motive. But there absolutely is a motive to buying AirTags right now when they're on sale for Cyber Monday. Holiday travel will be here before you know it, and an AirTag is the best way to keep track of your luggage during your journey.

Right now, the Apple AirTag is on sale for $23 at Amazon. That's just a few dollars off the normal $29 price, but it's the lowest price yet for Apple's keyfinders. For more savings, the Apple AirTag 4-pack is on sale for $79 on Amazon, which is a discount of $20. If you buy now, you'll have your AirTag (or multiple AirTags) in time for any holiday travel you have planned.

AirTags are small and discrete keyfinders, measuring just 1.26 inches across. You can easily toss them in a purse or backpack, and they're even thin enough to fit inside a wallet. 

But besides the usually items you use everyday, I think you'll want to get AirTags to put in your suitcase. Having experienced multiple luggage mishaps, especially during air travel, the ability to track down my bag with an AirTag gave me major peace of mind. 

Even if you're traveling by train or car, leaving an AirTag in your luggage will ensure you won't accidentally leave your bag behind (or someone else picks it up) with optional location-based notifications. And if you do get separated from your luggage, you can use the Find My app on your iPhone (iPhone 11 or newer) to track it down with a feature called Precision Finding. Once you're nearby, your AirTag will even emit a pinging sound. 

I opt to add a keychain case to my AirTags, so that I can hook them around the straps inside my suitcase and make sure they don't get mixed up with my dirty laundry. I like this Belkin Apple AirTag holder on sale for $9 at Amazon, though there are dozens of options to choose from. 

Cyber Monday deals are usually the best time to buy all Apple devices, but you might not necessarily need a new iPad or pair of AirPods. AirTags, however, are a must for travel and you don't want to wait until the week you're leaving for your trip to place your order. Be sure to check out our Apple Cyber Monday deals hub for more discounts and our Amazon Cyber Monday live blog for up-to-the-minute sales. 

I’m not the kind of person that often loses things but earlier this week, I found myself in a situation I never thought I’d end up in when I lost my car keys.

While Apple’s AirTags have become so popular that many consider them an essential travel accessory, before now, I never felt the need to use a Bluetooth tracker. Plus, with one of the best Android phones, there’s no easy way to use an AirTag even if I had wanted to.

There are plenty of Bluetooth trackers for Android though, with Tile and Samsung’s SmartTag being the most popular. However, as someone that hangs my keys up on the key rack under my Echo Show 15 the minute I walk through the door, I really never had a need for them until now. 

If you’re like me and constantly pat your pockets to make sure you have everything you left the house with every time you get up or leave to go somewhere else, you may also want to consider investing in one of the best key finders before it’s too late. I wish I had earlier as getting a Bluetooth tracker for my keys turned out to be a whole lot cheaper than it was to replace them.

Having kids changes everything

Even though I’m not a forgetful person, lately, things have started to go missing or end up on the complete opposite side of my house. And even though he’s little, my toddler son is definitely the culprit behind these disappearances.

While he has his own playroom full of toys, he prefers coming into my office and playing with one of the best mechanical keyboards instead. What can I say, he takes after his old man. Likewise, he also enjoys messing around with the best Nintendo Switch controllers and my arcade sticks even though he’s just pressing the buttons for fun at this point.

As his show and tell last week was for the letter “K," he took an old pair of keys with him to preschool. They too ended up right back on the key rack where they’re supposed to be when he arrived home from school. However, after dinner on Friday, he was walking around the house carrying a tote bag and my wife thought it would be funny to give him a pair of keys as he really looked like he was ready to go shopping. The problem though was that they were my car keys. I pointed this out and she put them right back on the key rack so that they’d be ready for when I needed them on Monday.

Monday morning came around and after rushing to get him ready for preschool, I went to the key rack to grab my keys but they weren’t there. While my son can now reach the island in the kitchen as well as all of the gadgets on my standing desk when it’s lowered down, he still can’t reach the key rack. Or at least I thought he couldn’t.

After a call to a mobile locksmith and waiting for a few hours for them to arrive, I found myself with two working car keys. The one on the right was a spare that needed to be reprogrammed to work with my car while the one on the left is an extra the locksmith made. As it turns out, he couldn’t reprogram my transponder key and started making the extra one. With both keys in hand, he was eventually able to reprogram it though.

Making sure it never happens again

During the two hours I spent waiting for the locksmith to arrive, I had plenty of time to do the necessary research on Bluetooth key finders. While I had held off on getting one before, I decided to invest in a Bluetooth key finder so that something like this would never happen again.

Although I had originally wanted to wait for the launch of Google’s Finder network as it looks to give Apple’s Find My a run for its money, time was of the essence since my toddler could easily run off with my keys again. For this reason, I turned to Tile and ordered a Tile Pro instead. Tile has been making Bluetooth trackers since 2013 and it’s a well-established company. While the company doesn’t use an entire network of phones like Apple does, it does have its own Tile Network that uses other devices running its app to anonymously help you locate lost trackers.

My Tile Pro arrived right after I finally dropped my son off at preschool. After downloading the app and adding my new Bluetooth tracker to my keyring, I started going through the setup process. All told, it took less than five minutes to get everything up and running and I’ve been really pleased with the experience so far.

From within the Tile app, I can see the last known location of my keys and tap the “Find” button to have them play a short ringtone. At the same time, if I ever misplace my phone around the house, I can tap the button on the Tile Pro to have the tracker quickly find it. Another thing I like about the tracker itself is that there’s a QR code on the back. If someone finds my keys and if I have “Notify When Found” set up, I’ll get either a text or email letting me know.

A small investment could have saved me hundreds

In total, it cost me $200 to get my car keys replaced while my new Tile Pro only set me back $30. If I had known this, I certainly would have invested in a Bluetooth tracker for my keys earlier instead of after the fact.

Even if you don’t consider yourself forgetful, it may also be worth investing in a Bluetooth key finder as you never know when your keys will fall out of your pocket or be stolen off your key rack by an enterprising toddler. 

I’m really liking my Tile Pro so far, especially since it can help me find my phone in a pinch, too. However, I’m still eagerly waiting to see what Google’s Finder network will be like. It will certainly be hard to dethrone the AirTag but a first-party Bluetooth tracker is something I’m sure myself and other Android users will be interested in. Until then though, I plan to keep using the Tile Pro and with a one-year battery life, it should be able to keep my keys accounted for in the meantime.

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If you were holding out hope for a second generation of Apple’s AirTags, already one of the best key finders out there,  it sounds like you’re going to have to wait a little longer. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, mass production on the AirTag 2 has now been pushed back to 2025 — the second such delay we’ve heard about so far.

Back in August, Kuo said AirTag 2 production could begin in the fourth quarter of 2024. That would mean the new trackers would arrive at the end of 2024 or early in 2025. Kuo also claimed that Apple could be working on a new ecosystem of spatial computing devices, which would use the Vision Pro headset as a central hub for other relevant devices — AirTag 2 included.

It isn’t clear what the cause of this latest delay might be, and Kuo isn’t particularly forthcoming with the details. Then again, if the Vision Pro headset is set to be the “core” of Apple’s new spatial computing ecosystem, then it has us wondering whether the cause could be related to Vision Pro production.

Then again, this delay may have nothing to do with the headset itself, and could be related to a whole bunch of other factors. Like Apple prioritizing production capacity for more important devices, or hurdles in the development of the AirTags 2 themselves.

We don’t know a great deal about the second generation of Apple trackers, other than they may be arriving in the next couple of years. There’s been no word on any potential design changes or additional features.

If Kuo is right about the Vision Pro acting as a spatial computing hub, we may see some integration with the headset and the AirTags’ augmented reality location feature — powered by the UWB chip. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ll be able to use the Vision Pro to hunt lost AirTags in AR, which would offer a much better field of view than a smartphone screen.

There’s also the new U2, a second generation ultrawideband chip, that’s just been released inside the iPhone 15. According to Apple, this new chip greatly enhances the Find My feature, with the new Precision Finding mode helping you track down friends in crowded areas — as well as offering better range. These features require a U2-enabled device, like iPhone 15 or Apple Watch 9, to work, so releasing a U2 (or U3) AirTag is the next logical step.

But we’re just going to have to wait and see what Apple actually does with the AirTags going forward. And given the increasing number of reported delays, it’s not like we have much choice in the matter.

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Android users finally have some protection against AirTag stalking, now that Google’s Unknown Tracker Alerts feature has gone live. Google originally announced this feature back in May, during the Google I/O 2023 opening presentation, and later promised it would start rolling out in July. Now it looks like it’s finally here.

Google has already confirmed that Unknown Tracker Alerts is only compatible with AirTags for the time being, but didn’t specify why. Though it is probably a good place to start given the many high-profile cases of AirTags being used for illicit tracking — and the fact they automatically ping every iPhone that passes by.

While Apple did a lot to protect its own customers from AirTag stalking, Android users were left without any sort of meaningful protection. Google took its time stepping up, but it’s better late than never, and you can ensure you’re being protected from unknown AirTags following you around. 

Here’s how to get everything set up.

How to set up Unknown Tracker Alerts on Android

Other things you should know about Unknown Tracker Alerts

It's worth mentioning that Android won't detect AirTags unless they've been separated from one of their owners' devices. So when my iPad was switched on, a scan didn't detect my own AirTag. But as soon as the tablet was switched off, Android was able to pick up the tracker.

The automatic scans didn't seem to pick up on rogue AirTags anywhere near as quickly. In fact, 15 minutes after a manual scan first detected my tracker, the automatic scans still haven't picked up the presence of the AirTag — regardless of how much I move around with them both. 

It is unclear how often the automatic scans take place, however, and manual scans seem to reset the clock. It's been 20 minutes since the last manual scan as I write this, and there's still no sign my Pixel has picked up the AirTag without being prompted first.

Here's hoping it's just a case of me being impatient, rather than a broken feature. But I'll update this article if the AirTag gets picked up the way Google promises it should be. Otherwise, it's not a good look for the launch of such an important safety feature.

If you don't already know how to disable an AirTag, you'll be happy to hear it's rather easy. Simply twist off the silver backplate and Remove the battery. You'll want to make a note of the serial number while you're in there, since Apple can trace it back to the owner and hand everything over to the police.

Which Android devices have Unknown Tracker Alerts so far?

From what we can gather the rollout of Unknown Tracker Alerts is rather sporadic, which is actually not that surprising for Android. It looks like the feature is available on Google’s Pixels already, including a Pixel 4a that has been switched off for the past few weeks — and was last updated on July 1.

We also found that Unknown Tracker Alerts are available on Samsung devices running OneUI 5.1.1, like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, but not those running OneUI 5.1 like the Galaxy S23. 9to5Google also claims to have found the update on Samsung phones, but didn’t specify which ones.

We also spotted it on a Sony Xperia phone, while TechRadar claimed to have found the feature on the OnePlus Nord N20 5G. However, we found it was missing from the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G and the slightly more recent Motorola Razr+. So odds are the rollout of the feature is going to depend on how and when phone makers can actually activate it.

You’re just going to have to check your phone and see whether Unknown Tracker Alerts is available. If it’s not, be sure to check for any phone updates. Because a fresh new software update could make all the difference.

What about other Bluetooth trackers?

So far Android’s Unknown tracker alerts will only work with AirTags, and Google hasn’t specified why this is the case. We suspect it has something to do with how high-profile AirTags are and the fact that their location can be automatically tracked by every passing iPhone — which are pretty numerous. 

Other trackers typically rely on a network of people with that specific app installed, which means they aren’t nearly as effective for location tracking — illicit or otherwise.

We know Google already has plans to include other trackers in its upcoming Find My Device network reboot, and even confirmed support for Tile and Chipolo trackers at I/O 2023. If Android phones can track those trackers, it makes sense they’d also be able to detect unknown fobs that appear to be following you around.

But the revamped Find My Device network hasn’t launched yet, and Google previously said it had been delayed until Apple had a chance to roll out the upcoming “unwanted tracker alert specification” the two companies have been working on together. We still don’t know when that might be, but I suspect that it may tie into the upcoming launch of iOS 17. It’s not likely to roll out before then.

We’re just going to have to wait and see what happens in the coming months. For now, you should be safe in the knowledge that, at long last, Android users have some actual protection against rogue AirTags.

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Apple is gearing up to launch the AirTags 2 in the fall of next year, if rumors circulating on Twitter are to be believed.

Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo  has shared a prediction that mass production of the second-generation AirTag is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Kuo believes Apple has plans to utilize AirTags outside of usage within the Find My application, saying they will be more closely integrated with Apple's upcoming Vision Pro headset as part of a spatial computing ecosystem. However, specific details on additional features for the item tracker have not been disclosed.

The current AirTag, released in April 2021, is priced at $29. According to Kuo, AirTags have quietly gained sales momentum, with estimated shipments reaching about 20 million units in 2021 and 35 million units in 2022. AirTags tap into Apple's vast Find My network and use Bluetooth and ultra wideband technology.

While intended to track wallets, bags, and purses, AirTags have received some past criticism over potential unwanted tracking. As a result Apple added safeguards like notification alerts and has also formed an alliance with Google to prevent stalking. 

The iPhone 15 models will likely feature an upgraded ultra wideband chip, the same type of chip used in AirTags, so it's possible Apple may also be planning to use the new UWB chip in both the new iPhones and the upcoming AirTag. The current AirTag utilizes Apple's U1 chip for Ultra Wideband, allowing for the Precision Finding feature that displays the distance and direction to the AirTag in the Find My app.

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If you’re the forgetful type, you’ll want to arm yourself with some Apple AirTags to ensure you don’t lose your valuables this summer. And while these iOS trackers are rarely on sale, we’ve just spotted an excellent discount courtesy of Amazon.

For a limited time, a 4-pack of AirTags is on sale for $84 at Amazon. That’s a $15 discount and works out at about $21 per tag. While this isn’t the lowest price we’ve ever seen for a four-pack of trackers, it still qualifies as the best Apple deals you can find right now.

We rank the Apple AirTag as the best key finder for iPhone users. The device works seamlessly with all recent models of the popular smartphone (iPhone 11 or later), and thanks to Precision Finding locating your AirTag is a breeze. So next time you can’t find your car keys, you won’t have to tear your home apart to locate them. 

In our Apple AirTag review, we praised the mini-tracker for a multitude of reasons. Our reviewer concluded: “The Apple AirTag is a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage.”

The humble AirTag is particularly easy to use, just open the Find My app on your iOS device and once you get close to your tag, within around 20 feet, you will be able to use Precision Finding to get an exact location. You can also set an AirTag to emit noise to make finding it even easier. Although, in our testing, we did find the beeping sound a little quiet, especially when the tracker is underneath another object. 

AirTags are small and discrete as well, at just 1.26 inches across. This is about the size of a coat button. Plus, the tracker is designed with all the usual flair you’d expect from an Apple product. And you can further kit out your AirTag with a range of accessories such as keyrings and leather loops that will keep the device firmly attached to your keys or luggage.

Back at Google I/O 2023, Google announced that Android would be getting some system-level protection from Bluetooth trackers. Because, unlike iPhones, Android phones had few protections from anyone hoping to keep tabs of your location in secret. The good news is that these features will be starting to roll out this month.

Google has confirmed that the roll out of tracker detection features are set to hit phones running Android 6 and above. While the launch of Google’s revamped “Find My Device” network is being delayed a little longer, the important feature is coming, and Google’s revealed a few details about how it’s all going to work.

Automatic tracker detection

The first thing to note is that Google’s tracker detection will work automatically — much like it does on iPhones. Android devices will be able to detect when an unknown tracker has been separated from its parent device and appears to be traveling with you.

Tapping that notification gives you the opportunity to see more about that particular tracker. This includes a map of where the tracker has been detected traveling with you, and an option to force it to play a sound. That way, you can track down its location much more easily — and without the owner knowing.

The downside is that these automatic alerts will only work with Apple AirTags in the beginning. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, given the number of horror stories people have had related to AirTag stalking, but we would have liked to have seen better support at launch. Google claims that it’s working with manufacturers of some of the best keyfinders to expand these capabilities, and eventual support for Tile and Chipolo trackers was already confirmed at I/O.

It isn’t clear how long this automatic tracking takes to kick in, but we’ll presumably find out once the feature starts rolling out to the public.

Handling an unknown tracker

Once you have an unknown tracker in hand, Google’s system has a number of features that can help you handle the situation — and ensure it stops tracking your location there and then. Part of that involves the app telling you how to physically disable the Bluetooth tracker. In a number of cases, including the AirTag, that would involve instructions on how to remove the battery.

Unfortunately not all trackers have removable batteries, with the Tile Mate being a notable example. So the instructions you get will no doubt depend on which tracker is actually following you around. 

Google also notes that the tracker detection software may be able to pull some information from certain trackers. The blog post hasn’t specified which trackers this might refer to, but apparently placing the fob near the back of your device may allow the phone to read information like serial numbers or information about the owner.

Manual scanning

If you’re feeling proactive, or maybe a little paranoid, Google will let you do a manual scan of your surroundings. That way you can see if there are any trackers in your vicinity before the automatic system decides to flag them up for you. 

Head to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Unknown Tracker Alerts > and tap Scan Now. Apparently this scan takes around 10 seconds to complete, at which point Android will show all the nearby trackers that appear to have been separated from their owners. So it sounds like you won’t get any false positives because the guy across the street has an AirTag on his keys.

Tapping orphan trackers will show a bunch of tips on what you can do about it, much as you’d get with the automatic alerts.

Delays to the Find My Device network 

Back at I/O, Google announced that the new Find My Device network would be coming this summer. Unfortunately, it has now been delayed, because Google wants more time to finalize the “unwanted tracker alert specification” it’s been working on in partnership with Apple. That’s something the company aims to have done before the end of the year.

So when will the Find my Device network roll out? Google says it’ll be holding off until Apple has implemented those unwanted tracker protections to iOS. It’s not entirely clear what sort of difference this makes, or when Apple might be able to get things rolled out,  but that is just the way things are. 

Find My Device is Google’s take on Apple’s Find My network, offering the ability to track gadgets beyond phones and tablets. That includes headphones, luggage, third-party Bluetooth trackers, and so on. Just in case those things ever go missing, and you need to figure out where you put the blasted things in a hurry.

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Earlier this year Google and Apple announced they were teaming up to tackle the problem of AirTag stalking — something Android users have had very little protection from so far. While we still don’t know when this critical feature will arrive on Android, details about how the system might work have popped up online.

Researcher Mishaal Rahman tweeted  out screenshots of what looks like Android’s tracker-detection feature, which were obtained from AssembleDebug. In those screenshots we get to see a rundown of the detection feature’s interface, alongside some of the things it should be able to do when it rolls out in the near future. 

From the looks of things users will be able to toggle unknown tracker alerts on and off. Turning the feature on means you’ll receive alerts if an unknown tracker is detected following you around, though it isn’t clear how long the system takes to notice that the tracker appears to be following you. The alerts themselves will be available for 48 hours, after which they’re deleted.

Naturally, you’ll need to grant the system access to both Bluetooth and Location. Without them the system is useless.

Once a rogue tracker has been detected, Google’s app offers up a bunch of helpful information to help you figure out what to do next. The first is an option to make the tracker play a sound, and without alerting its owner in the process — meaning you can find and deactivate the darn thing.

The app also features the basic information on what to do, including contacting local law enforcement, recording the trackers’ serial number and advice on how to disable a rogue tracker. Since alerts are deleted after 48 hours, the app also suggests you screenshot everything for posterity.

Manual scanning also appears to be an option, in case you want to be vigilant or need to help track down a lost tracker for a friend. These results aren’t saved, and informs you of any trackers that are nearby. This page notes all trackers in the vicinity, and makes special note of any trackers that you have been alerted to in the past

The location of all these tracker-detection screens isn’t made clear in the screenshots. Based on what we heard at Google I/O back in May, this tracker-detecting software will be part of Google’s revamped Find My Device service. In a similar vein to Apple’s Find My network, this new system will let users track down phones, tablets and other compatible electronic devices like headphones.

Crucially, Google's app will also be able to sniff out rogue Bluetooth trackers, regardless of whether they’re made by Apple or some other company. There are plenty of options out there, after all.

There’s still no word on when the new Find My Device network will launch, or what sort of device rollout we can expect from Google. The fact that screenshots of the tracker detection system are already out there suggests that it may not be too far away. Here’s hoping that the rollout coincides with the launch of Android 14, though ideally it won’t be exclusive to the new OS.

Most of Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote was devoted to the Vision Pro. However, if you were paying close attention to the company’s presentation for iOS 17, you might’ve noticed a special nugget tucked into the infographic at the end related to the AirTag. It’s the ground sharing function for the AirTag with iOS 17.

Ever since it was released in 2021, Apple’s AirTags have been used to help people find their lost items. Whether it’s their wallet stuck in between couch cushions, or a wandering furry pet that got out of their enclosure, iPhone owners have found several uses for AirTags.

With iOS 17’s release this fall, however, you'll be able to share tracking with other people thanks to this new group sharing function. You can expect sharing with up to five other people, making it more convenient than ever before to keep track of stuff. If something has gone missing, anyone in the group will be able to use Precision Finding to hone in on the location of the misplaced AirTag.

This shared feature with iOS 17 doesn’t just end with AirTags either because it’s open to other Find My network accessories that have since come out, like Eufy’s SmartTrack wallet and other supported luggage trackers. The latter is noteworthy because families on vacation could confidently know if their belongings have been left behind or not, rather than having one person having that responsibility.

There’s no arguing that it flew under the radar at WWDC 2023, where we were also introduced to the MacBook Air 15-inch and a new Mac Studio M2 Ultra,  but current AirTag owners should be excited for this new feature.

More from Tom's Guide

• This is the biggest Apple innovation since the iPhone 
• iOS 17 is another example of how Android updates are embarrassing
• These iPhones won't be getting iOS 17

Being tracked without your knowledge by an Apple AirTag or other Bluetooth-enabled tracking device could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new specification put forth by both Google and Apple.

The best Bluetooth trackers can be quite useful when it comes to finding your keys or other personal items. However, they can also be misused to track individuals without their knowledge.

For this reason, Google and Apple have teamed up to propose a new industry specification designed to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices for unwanted tracking according to a new blog post.

Once finalized, this new specification will allow Bluetooth trackers to be compatible with unauthorized tracking detection and alerts across both Android and iOS. Besides Google and Apple, Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Eufy Security and Pebblebee have also expressed their support for this new specification.

Combatting unwanted tracking across Android and iOS

When Apple first launched AirTags back in 2021, the iPhone maker did so with a set of proactive features designed to discourage unwanted tracking. 

Now though, this new specification will build upon the company’s AirTag protections and by collaborating with Google, the two companies will take a “critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking across iOS and Android."

Besides device manufacturers, a number of safety and advocacy groups, like the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the Center for Democracy, have also contributed their input into the development of this new specification.

The specification itself has been submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force and interested parties have the opportunity to review and comment on it over the next three months. Following this, Google and Apple will work together to release a production implementation of the specification before it’s rolled out to Android and iOS by the end of 2023.

We’ll also likely hear more at Google I/O 2023 where the search giant plans to share additional details on how it’s working to combat unwanted tracking.

More from Tom's Guide

• Apple issues Rapid Security Response update for iPhones — what to do now
• How to tell if an AirTag is stalking you
• I used an AirTag to track my luggage — here’s what happened
  

Ever since Apple AirTags launched, there have been a shockingly high number of reports of those coin-sized trackers being used for stalking. While Apple has done a number of things to counter this disturbing trend, Android users have been virtually ignored by the company. 

It’s about time Google stepped in to fix that problem. Google I/O 2023, which will no doubt feature a number of major Android 14 announcements, is the perfect opportunity to do just that. Especially if the rumors that Google is developing its own “Grogu” tracking tags end up being proven true.

Android users have little defence against AirTag stalking

While tracking tags aren’t exclusive to Apple by any means, the very nature of AirTags makes them much more dangerous in the wrong hands. A Tile, for example, can only be found if another person with the Tile app passes by, whereas AirTags are part of Apple’s Find My network. That means any passing iPhone can ping an AirTag and narrow down its location.

Needless to say there are a lot more people with iPhones than Tiles, which makes them much easier to track. Even for people with perfectly innocent intentions, the scale of the Find My network is a selling point.

To its credit, Apple has done a lot to ensure AirTags can not be used for stalking. iPhones will automatically detect and alert you to any rogue AirTags in the vicinity, with the Find My app letting you track it down via sound or the ultra-wideband Precision Tracking feature. Manual searches are also an option, should you feel the need.

The problem is these features are central to the Find My app, which isn’t available on Android. Apple does have a tracker detection app on Google Play, but it only offers manual scanning — forcing users to be proactive. Third party apps like AirGuard do offer automatic tracker detection, but still requires users to be proactive enough to install it first.

So it’s about time Google stepped up to ensure its users are properly protected.

Google needs to hustle to ensure Android has anti-stalker tech

We first heard rumors that Google was working on its own tracker detection feature last March, after users spotted references to it in a Google Play Services update. Phrases like “unfamiliar tag detected notification” and “unfamiliar device alerts” along with mentions of “Tile tag” and “ATag”.

Since then we’ve heard nothing else of substance, be it directly from Google or through more unofficial channels. Android 13’s launch came and went without so much of a mention of tracking tags, and there’s been no mention of it in the first release of the Android 14 beta. 

The closest we’ve got to hearing anything is the rumor that Google could launch its own AirTag rivals in the near future. But if or when those trackers might arrive. Meanwhile, AirTag stalking is still very much a problem. Reports aren’t featured in the news as much as they once were, but it’s a problem that hasn’t gone away — even with all the safety features Apple has introduced.

AirTags have been on the market since April 2021, and it was almost immediately apparent that the anti-stalking features Apple implemented at launch weren’t good enough. If that wasn’t already a red flag, the fact that Apple’s improvements and methods were almost universally iPhone-centric should have prompted Google to figure something out.

There are no doubt various complexities involved with adding a system-level feature like this to Android — certainly more than updating an existing standalone app. Likewise, the nature of Android updates means that it’s going to take a long time for any new features to roll out to existing devices.

But two years is a long time, and it’s about time Google showed that if Apple won’t step up to safeguard Android users from its products, Google will. 

Bottom Line

It’s impossible to say how many people are affected by AirTag stalking, let alone how many of them are put at additional risk simply because they own an Android phone. But one victim is one too many, and measures need to be in place to ensure these kinds of products are much, much harder to exploit.

Unfortunately Apple has shown time and again that it doesn’t care about people who don’t buy its products. Whether that’s as mundane as not offering Apple TV Plus on Android phones, or straight up refusing to improve the security of text messaging between both platforms.

Google I/O 2023 is the perfect opportunity to announce new measures that protect users from tracker stalking — whether it’s from an AirTag, Tile, or some other rival product. Even if that feature won’t actually arrive until Android 14 later this year, it’s enough for Google to show it’s doing something about the problem. Alternatively if Google still has nothing to show us after two years of stalking reports, then we’re going to have to question where its priorities really lie.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to download Android 14 beta
• The one thing Google Pixel Fold needs to beat Galaxy Z Fold 5
• 17 hidden Android features you should be using

Amazon has slowly been building a new wireless network, and it's ready to show the world how pervasive it is. Almost three years ago, Amazon announced the launch of Amazon Sidewalk, a low-power, low-bandwidth wireless network that would enable more devices to connect to the Internet. 

But how do you build an entirely new wireless network without putting up signal repeaters and cell towers? In the case of Amazon, you simply build it into every Alexa and Ring device you can, which the company has done since 2018. 

In order to encourage developers to start creating devices that can work with the Sidewalk network, Amazon announced a Sidewalk developer kit, which lets you see just how far its network has spread. Amazon sent me the test kit to try out, and I was astounded by how many of my neighbors have an Alexa or Ring device.

First, a brief example of how Sidewalk works. 

Imagine if you had a Tile tracker with Sidewalk built in. Whenever the tracker came within range of a Sidewalk network — say, an Amazon Echo — it could transmit its location data to the Echo, which would then use a tiny part of your Internet connection to send that data to the cloud, so you could know where your Tile tracker is. It's potentially much more useful than waiting for it to come within range of a Bluetooth device, or, in the case of Apple's AirTag, an iPhone, pervasive as those may be. 

Amazon envisions Sidewalk will be used for much more than that, though. “We’ve rapidly built out a long-range, low-bandwidth network that now covers more than 90% of the U.S. population, and this is an open invitation for developers to put it to the test,” said Dave Limp, senior vice president of Amazon Devices & Services in a press release. “Sidewalk is designed to provide a secure, low-cost way to invent and connect a whole new range of devices.”

For example, Amazon is testing Sidewalk with Arizona State University to extend the range of  sunlight, temperature, CO2 detectors, and particle counters across its campus. Closer to home, a Sidewalk-enabled device might be a smart lock or smart lights on your property. 

When it was announced, many — including myself — were understandably concerned about how this would work. Not only am I loath to donate part of my bandwidth to Amazon, but I'm not thrilled with the idea of some random device being able to hop onto my home network. 

On its Sidewalk page, Amazon states that a Sidewalk Bridge uses a maximum of 80Kbps, and that Amazon caps the amount of data used by Sidewalk at 500MB. Also, Sidewalk devices don't get access to your Wi-Fi network, and any data coming from a Sidewalk device is encrypted. 

Still got the heebie jeebies? You can turn off Sidewalk on any of your devices. 

The test kit Amazon sent me is a small dongle, not much bigger than a USB thumb drive. Inside is a GPS module and a Sidewalk sensor; all I had to do was take a stroll through my neighborhood, and the device would record the relative signal strength of the Sidewalk network, and then upload it to a private test kit coverage map. 

I'm not going to post a photo of the map to protect my neighbors' privacy, but suffice it to say that it looks like a significant number of people have Alexa or Ring devices with an active Sidewalk network. 

A bit concerned with what I found, I asked an Amazon representative about my findings. "Preserving customer privacy and security is foundational to how we’ve built Amazon Sidewalk," they said. "Developers must register and sign agreements before they can receive a test kit. They will need to provide a valid address, phone number, and other verifying developer details. This allows us to take appropriate action if the test kits are misused, including turning off the test kits." 

Additionally, they mentioned that a strong signal in front of a person's house might not necessarily indicate they have an Alexa or Ring device. 

"By design, the RSSI signal does not provide a precise measurement or enough granularity to pinpoint a specific location of a Sidewalk Bridge device," the representative said. "The test kit ping that goes over Sidewalk doesn’t necessarily go to the closest Sidewalk Bridge device—these messages are capable of being sent over several miles." 

"It also depends on where and when the Bridge device sends the signal to the cloud. Thus, the individual pings you’re seeing on the map may be sent from a wide number of Sidewalk Bridge devices rather than just the house you pass by. For example, if you’re walking around your neighborhood and find a location that has a high RSSI number, the ping you’re seeing on the map could stem from a Ring Floodlight Cam that’s 600m away, or even an Echo Plus that’s sitting in a high-rise building."

Regardless of where the signal was coming from, it seemed to be pretty strong all around my town. I also used it when traveling to my office in midtown Manhattan, and though the sample size was smaller, there appeared to be fairly good coverage, though not inside my office building, where it seemed to stop tracking Sidewalk entirely. That's not entirely surprising, as there are far fewer local residences — and fewer opportunities to install an Amazon Echo or Ring — and I suspect that all of the high rises most likely interfere with the Sidewalk signal, much as they do with 5G cell service.

My neck of the world isn't necessarily indicative of the rest of the U.S., but from what I could see, Amazon's Sidewalk is — or has become — one of the largest networks in the country. You just don't know it yet.

More from Tom's Guide

• What is Amazon Sidewalk, and how to opt out
• Matter smart home standard explained
• Best smart home devices

If you’re a forgetful type who constantly loses your keys, an Apple AirTag is an ideal solution that makes locating valuables a breeze. However, these little devices rarely go on sale. 

Fortunately, Amazon just slashed the price of a single Apple AirTag and an AirTag multi-pack in a rare sale.

For a limited time, a single Apple AirTag is on sale for $27 at Amazon. That’s only a small discount compared to the regular retail price of $29, but you can score a bigger saving if you opt for a multi-pack. Case in point, the Apple AirTag four-pack is on sale for $89 at Amazon— that’s a $10 discount. Even if the savings are on the smaller side, these still qualify as some of the best Apple deals you can get right now. 

Naturally, we rank the Apple AirTag as the “best key finder for iPhone," and there’s a lot to like about this miniature locator. In our Apple AirTag review, we called the tracker “a clever device that is super simple to set up, and its Precision Finding feature makes it easy to find everything from your keys and wallet to your backpack or luggage.”

In particular, the easy setup process really impressed us. But we also liked the compact design and the abundance of accessories that are available, including some very attractive leather keyring cases. We weren’t quite so pleased with how easy it is to scuff an AirTag. The fact they don’t work with Android phones is frustrating, if not exactly unexpected. 

The tag’s privacy features also need work as AirTag stalking is a very real thing that you’ll want to take steps to protect yourself from it to be on the safe side. However, in our real-world testing, we’ve found an Apple AirTag is a great way to ensure you can always find your valuables, or give you the peace of mind to know that your luggage is where it’s supposed to be, and that is definitely worth $27.  

If you’re not entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, you might want to consider an alternative tracker like the Tile Mate for $24 at Amazon. In our Tile Mate review, we labeled the keyfinder our best value pick and were impressed with its low cost and solid set of features. 

Google’s answer to Apple AirTags could be in the works, according to a brand new rumor from Twitter leaker Kuba Wojciechowski.

The tipster claims Google is developing a “smart tracker similar to Apple’s AirTag” under the code name 'Grogu' — the adorable green alien formerly known as Baby Yoda see in The Mandalorian series. 

Details are scarce, though Kuba notes that they recently discovered Google was working on fast pair support for tracking fobs. Now it sounds like the company could be taking things one step further.

There’s no shortage of trackers that are compatible with Android phones. Products from the likes of Tile and Chipolo have been around for years, letting Android users keep better track of their keys and other stuff that’s easy to lose. However, those products are tied to a companion app, limiting their effectiveness if you lose something beyond the range of your own phone.

Meanwhile Apple AirTags have the benefit of automatically pinging from every iPhone or iPad that comes within range — regardless of whether the owner has a specific app installed or not. If Google can offer the same sort of functionality, but built into the Android system, we hope it could offer Android users a similar experience. 

Even if iPhones are now outselling Android phones in the United States, there are a lot of Android phones out there. Enabling each one to ping lost trackers is going to far outmatch what third-party tracker companies can hope to offer.

Of course, there are going to be some downsides to this hypothetical scenario. The main one being the issue of stalking, a problem that has plagued AirTags since day one. Google would have to learn from Apple’s mistakes and ensure that Android phones can detect Grogu trackers easily and without any previous user input. 

Automatic detection for AirTags and other trackers should also be included from day one as well, since Apple doesn’t seem interested in taking proper action. Google promised it was working on some tracker detecting features last March, but everything has been quiet since. Hopefully, it’s something we’ll see when Android 14 launches later this year.

The other issue is that any system-level Android feature is slow to roll out, and tracker detection is no exception. Unlike Apple, which retains total control over iPhone software updates, Google only has control over the Google Pixel range. Updates for other phones are the responsibility of their respective manufacturers, who need time to get everything ready. Not to mention the fact that they often only bother with updates for 2-3 years after a phone launches.

We don’t know a great deal about what the Grogu tracker might include, though I expect that it will come with ultra wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth to aid detection and location efforts. 

As to why Google chose the name Grogu, we currently don’t know. It may be something to do with the tracking fobs employed by bounty hunters in The Mandalorian, or it might have been picked at random. We’re not likely to figure it out until Google shows us what the tracker is capable of.

We don't know exactly when Google might announce the Grogu tracker either. If the device is close to launch then May’s Google I/O conference is the most likely candidate. And failing that the Google Pixel 8 launch event we’re expecting sometime in the Fall. We’ll bring you more news as and when we hear it.

Apple has a long history of trying to ignore the existence of Android wherever possible. At best Android is an afterthought, but at other times Apple’s deliberate ignorance can have serious repercussions. The controversy surrounding Apple AirTags, and how easily they can be exploited for stalking, is one such example.

AirTags' greatest strength, the sheer scope of Apple’s Find My network, is also its greatest weakness. Because there are so many iPhones out in the world, and the fact every iPhone can detect nearby AirTags, tracking down a lost AirTag is significantly easier than a competing tracker. They can only be detected by phones with the relevant app installed, which are much fewer in number.

This unfortunate downside is that AirTags have been exploited to track people, primarily women, without their knowledge and to a terrifying degree. This has forced Apple to act, offering various updates designed to ensure unknown AirTags can be found quickly and easily. But, like so many other Apple efforts, those updates are exclusively targeting iPhone users.

Unfortunately, terrible people don’t discriminate based on what kind of phone you use. If a stalker wants to track a person using AirTags, their victim’s choice of phone isn’t going to factor into things. Apple needs to do a lot more to prevent AirTags from being used to stalk people whose only crime is not owning an iPhone.

Apple hasn’t done nothing, but it's not enough

If you own an iPhone, detecting AirTags that appear to be following you around is pretty simple. If the iPhone detects that the AirTag has been with you for a while, or that it’s moving with you, you’ll get an alert warning you that there’s an unknown AirTag in the vicinity. Manually triggering a search for unknown devices in the Find My app is also an option.

Once a rogue AirTag is detected, you can use the Find My app to force the tag to play a sound or track it down with the Precision Tracking feature.

All of this hinges on Apple’s Find My app, which isn’t available on Android. To its credit, Apple didn’t ignore Android devices completely, and launched the Tracker Detect app back in December of 2021. Unfortunately. this app doesn’t work in the background, as Find My does, and only lets you initiate a manual scan.

It’s not nothing, but it relies on people being continuously proactive and looking for AirTags that may or may not be nearby. More to the point. the Android app can’t differentiate between AirTags that are following you and any that might be in the area by pure coincidence — limiting its usefulness.

Similarly, Apple has updated AirTags so they will start making noise whenever they spend too long away from one of their owners’ devices. However, this only kicks in after 24 hours, and that’s plenty of time for a stalker to either do something malicious or see enough of your routine that they can take action later.

As many critics have noted, an AirTag’s beeping isn’t particularly loud. If it’s been well hidden you could easily not hear it.

What else can Apple do about AirTag stalking and Android?

One thing Apple could do is offer a chance for Android users to track AirTags from their phones. The benefit being that this app could be working in the background to search for unknown AirTags and offer Android users a similar level of security that iPhone users currently enjoy.

Google previously announced that it’s working on some sort of tracker safety feature that will be built into Android, but there hasn’t been any word on that since the middle of last year. Plus, since even Apple's own AirTag updates are reliant on phones being updated, and given how messy Android OEM updates are, a bunch of people likely won’t have access to it for a couple of years. 

Asking Apple to step in and offer a viable first-party AirTag detection app on Android isn’t unreasonable, and it’s certainly possible to accomplish. In fact, there is a third-party app out there called AirGuard, which is capable of detecting and notifying you of any stray trackers that appear to be following you around. That includes Apple’s AirTags, other Find My-connected devices and rival products from the likes of Tile.

It’s not perfect, and it takes some time to notify you that an unknown tracker is in the vicinity, but the fact it can do this automatically (after set-up) means it’s a step above what Apple is offering Android users. The best part is that AirGuard is free to use, which isn’t always true with other apps that advertise themselves as AirTag detectors.

However, given all the issues and reports that have come out about AirTag stalking, there shouldn’t be any need for a third party to step in and cover for Apple’s failures.

Preventing AirTag stalking shouldn't be the end of it

This issue stems from a wider problem. The fact that if you’re not an iPhone user you’re nearly irrelevant as far as Apple is concerned. 

Sometimes Apple throws Android users a bone in very bizarre ways. Apple Music is available on Android, but Apple TV Plus is not. AirPods can be used with an Android phone, albeit without the special iPhone-centric features, but you can’t buy and track your own AirTag unless you also have an iPad or Mac.

Apple has also stubbornly refused to concede that Apple/Android messaging needs to be more secure and feature-rich than regular SMS and MMS can provide. The company killed an attempt to bring iMessage to Android and has refused to implement the more secure RCS messaging on iPhones. You shouldn’t be talking to people that use Android; apparently, you should buy them iPhones instead. 

Android users are out there, and they’re pretty obvious — iMessage’s green bubbles have seen to that. It’s high time Apple pulled its head out of the sand and acknowledged them a little better. Even if it is just to make sure they’re not being put in danger by awful people wielding AirTags.

What to do if you find a strange AirTag

There are a few ways to find rogue AirTags, but if you do ever find one on your person be sure to go about it the right way. The first thing is to push the center of the back panel and remove it by spinning the panel counter-clockwise. This gives you access to the CR2032 battery, which you should remove. Without the battery, the AirTag will be completely inactive.

The AirTag's serial number is also visible from the inside. You should make a record of that, then report the whole incident to the police. Keep that AirTag safe (minus the battery) and hand it over to the cops if they ask for it. Apple will be able to use the serial number to identify the original owner of the AirTags and take the police can take the appropriate action.

If your AirTag is beeping or making random noises, you should know what the sounds mean and how to stop them. In fact, there are a few different reasons why your AirTag could be chirping.

Like other best key finders out there, Apple AirTags are item trackers that can help you keep tabs on your belongings. Whether you attach one to your keys, throw one in your suitcase or slip one in your wallet, an AirTag will let you know where your items are at all times. Their locations and settings can be managed within the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.

Perhaps the most useful role of an AirTag is that it can lead you to the location of a lost item. Not only will your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch give you directions to a lost item, but the connected AirTag will beep to give you an audible cue to follow.

But those beeps don’t only happen when you’re searching for your AirTag — sometimes, the AirTag can be making noise for other reasons. Here’s your guide to what those sounds might mean. (You can also watch Apple's AirTag YouTube video to hear what different AirTag chimes sound like.)

The AirTag is signaling a lost item (on purpose or by accident)

The most obvious reason an AirTag is beeping is that it’s initiated the signal to help you find a lost item. It’s also how someone else might be able to help you find your lost item. If it’s lost somewhere you’re far from, a Good Samaritan can hold their iPhone to the AirTag to report the item as found. In some cases, this could be your best chance at reuniting with your missing item.

That said, you might’ve accidentally triggered lost mode on your AirTag. If you hear your AirTag beeping and you’re not sure why, check the Find My app on your iOS device. You might see that you enabled tracking by mistake. Our guide to how AirTags work can help you navigate the tracking functionality of an AirTag you own.

The AirTag could be tracking you

There are measures in place to let you know when an AirTag is moving with you, whether or not its owner enabled lost mode. If you hear a beeping sound, and discover an AirTag that doesn’t belong to you, it could be tracking your location without your knowing. This will happen when your iPhone identifies an AirTag moving with you.

If you think an unknown AirTag might be following you, or even get an alert on your iPhone that an AirTag is moving with you, you can locate it from the Find My app. The chime it makes is unique from both the regular lost mode sound and sound that plays autonomously when an AirTag is moving with you.

Be sure to read our guide to how to tell if an AirTag is stalking you. Even if you’re not currently suspicious or being alerted to an unknown AirTag, it’s important to know what to do if you ever face this situation. 

The AirTag is ready for setup

The final two chimes associated with AirTags are heard during setup. One chime plays when an AirTag is ready to be set up, and the other plays when setup is complete. If you’ve just bought a new AirTag, these are some sounds you might hear.

Is your AirTag still beeping?

If your AirTag is still beeping and you’re not sure why, try resetting your AirTag, updating the AirTag’s software or changing the AirTag battery. Here’s our guide to how to factory reset your AirTags.

Traveling during the holiday season is no easy feat. Long lines at airports coupled with changing flight schedules, cancellations because of the weather and the risk of losing your luggage in the airport chaos are all real possibilities, as anyone who tried hopping on a Southwest Airlines flight recently can attest. 

There's not much you can do about abrupt flight cancellations, but using some of the best trackers to keep tabs on your luggage can at least help keep some of the travel stress at bay. Believe me, I know.

I jumped at the opportunity of buying myself an Apple AirTag during the Black Friday sales a couple months back. I was planning to travel from the US to India and I knew that having a tracker would help me keep tabs on my luggage especially since I had to change planes during my travels.

Traveling with an AirTag 

Setting up an AirTag with an iPhone is very simple, as it pops up on the iPhone's home screen. I gave my AirTag a moniker of my name and “Luggage AirTag” just in case I decided to buy another one for my keys in the future. The Find My app on your iPhone shows you the exact location of your AirTag. 

Apple’s tracker has many very useful features. Firstly, it is small and pretty inconspicuous so it can easily be slipped into a bag or a suitcase. In fact, leaving it inside my monstrously large suitcase, I was almost worried I might lose it, ironically. Of course, my iPhone would make sure that I didn’t. 

The AirTag can emit a beeping sound when you want to find the device around you. This is perfect for a set of keys, wallet or even a purse. Inside a suitcase, though, it can difficult to hear it beep. I put this to the test at home after packing my bag, just to check and it was too faint to hear between all my clothes. There was no chance I was going to hear the AirTag's alert at a noisy airport. 

The Find My app also lets you switch on notifications to notify you when the AirTag is left behind. You can choose to switch this on or off within the app. I toggled this on as I prepared for my trip.

If you have an iPhone 11 or later, you can take advantage of a Precision Finding feature for the AirTag that pinpoints the exact location of the AirTag by providing directions toward it in augmented reality. This feature is extremely handy in noisy places where the beep can’t be heard. 

I was excited to try out all the features and see if I could track the real time location of my bag as I flew halfway across the world.

Once I checked in my suitcase, I promptly got a notification saying that my AirTag was left behind. On my first flight, before taking off, I opened my Find My app to see that my suitcase was around my location which meant it made it to the right flight. I breathed a sigh of relief. The same thing happened when I took my second flight and I could see the AirTag was around my location again. 

Here's what AirTag's missing

On my way back to the US from India, I realized that the Apple AirTag misses out on a handy feature I wish Apple had included. While waiting for my luggage at the airport carousel, I checked my AirTag’s location. It was at the airport, obviously, but I couldn’t use Precision Finding to guide myself toward my bag. I had no option but to wait for it to appear at the baggage carousel. 

After waiting for a good 20 minutes, I noticed that my suitcase hadn’t moved. I was also running out of battery on my iPhone and had to close my Find My app before my phone died. 

After a 24-hour journey, I was tired and went and sat on a bench, where I thought I could keep an eye on the carousel as well. I wished there was a way for Apple to notify me when my bag was closer to me and I would have known when to go to the carousel to pick it up. 

Considering Apple has an option to notify you when the AirTag is no longer with you, this seems like it could be a simple update to let a user know when the tracker is now closer to you. 

Precision Finding is a handy feature, but in my experience ,it is only useful when looking for a smaller object in a more contained space or if something gets lost somewhere. People are using trackers in their luggage now more than ever, and I wish Apple would bring travel specific features for the AirTag to make it even more useful. 

I finally saw my bag in the distance and walked toward it. Checking my iPhone, I noticed the Find My app said that my AirTag was now with me. But that was too little, too late.

AirTag impressions

Overall, an AirTag is extremely useful in tracking bags or especially finding lost items. Had my luggage been left behind in another airport or misplaced, I would have been able to track it and even tell the airline exactly where it was. If you are planning any travel this year, I would highly recommend a good tracker to keep tabs on your suitcases and travel without the stress of misplaced stuff. 

Next: How to find your lost or stolen iPhone. Also check out: iPhone 15 may get USB-C, but here's why the world isn’t ready for USB-C yet.