Have a knack for losing your keys? Apple AirTags are a great way to help.
Do you have a purse, wallet, backpack, or computer bag that often gets left behind? Ever had your bicycle stolen?
Apple AirTags are an inexpensive way to ensure that you never lose them again. Or, at least, you’ll be able to find them if you do lose them.
Let us explain.
What Is an Apple AirTag Used For?
Apple AirTags are tracking devices used to help people locate personal items. Each is 1.26 inches in diameter, making it small enough to easily attach to almost anything.
If you forget where you left the item or it’s stolen, the AirTag makes it easy to find using Apple’s “Find My” app and network. The Find My network is an anonymous, encrypted crowdsourced way to track devices.
How Long Do Apple AirTags Last?
Apple claims that an AirTag lasts a little over a year on a single battery that does not need charging. In fact, the battery is not rechargeable.
How Accurate Are AirTags?
The AirTag itself is capable of directing your iPhone within inches of it. However, how close you can get depends upon the iPhone you’re using to find it.
According to AppleInsider, newer iPhones with an ultra-wideband equipped U1 chip can detect an AirTag within inches. If you’re using an older iPhone without the U1 chip or in a country that doesn’t allow ultra-wideband technology, the phone uses Bluetooth to track the tag, AppleInsider explained.
Bluetooth will get you to within 15 feet of the AirTag, which will start beeping to help you locate it.
How Are They Powered?
A CR2032 three-volt lithium battery powers the AirTags. The CR2032 is a standard battery available just about anywhere that you can purchase batteries.
Do AirTags Have Replaceable Batteries?
Though the AirTag does not have a rechargeable battery, the battery is replaceable. You simply push down on the battery cover and rotate it counterclockwise to remove it. Replace the battery with a new CR2032 battery and close the cover. You’ll have to do this about once a year.
Pro Tip: We think AirTags are great accessories to have on hand, but what tools are not worth your money? Check out these 5 RV Accessories to Avoid.
Do They Work Without WiFi?
AirTags don’t require WiFi to work. They primarily communicate with your iPhone via Bluetooth. If your phone is within 100 meters of the tag, you can find it without WiFi.
However, if you are using the Find My app, which you would have to use if you are beyond 100 meters from the tag, your phone needs an internet connection to locate it.
So, yes, an AirTag works without WiFi, but it is easier to find if your phone is on WiFi and has an internet connection, so that you can use the Find My app to find its precise location.
Do AirTags Work With Android?
AirTags do work with Android devices, although not as elegantly as with Apple’s iPhones. An Android device requires the user to download Apple’s “Tracker Detect” app from the Google Play store.
The app can detect AirTags or other nearby tracking devices. The Android user can then force the tracking device to play a sound to locate the item.
Pro Tip: iPhones are great GPS resources, but what map app is the best? Join the debate Google Maps Vs. Apple Maps (for Road Trips).
How Do Apple AirTags Communicate?
AirTags use Bluetooth and ultra-wideband technology to communicate their location.
An individual tag uses Bluetooth to connect to a nearby iPhone or other devices in Apple’s Find My network, which then sends an anonymous, encrypted signal to iCloud. The iCloud network allows the iPhone that’s connected to the AirTag to locate the tracker via the Find My app.
The iPhone uses the ultra-wideband signal to find the precise location of the connected AirTag when it gets within range.
Pro Tip: You can purchase a four-pack of the tags for around $99.
Are Apple AirTags Worth It?
Apple AirTags are a relatively inexpensive way to ensure you don’t lose an item or to track valuables if they’re stolen. An individual AirTag is $29. That’s a fairly inexpensive insurance policy when they’re easy to slip into your wallet or purse, a backpack, a hidden space in your car, under a bike seat, or the like.
If you’re already an Apple iPhone user, it’s an effortless and accurate way to find all sorts of personal items. It’s definitely less expensive than a new key fob or having to cancel and replace all of your credit cards and driver’s license!
Do you have an Apple AirTag? Drop a comment below!
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