Skip to main content

AirTag: Everything you need to know about Apple’s item tracker

192 'AirTag' stories October 2019 - October 2025
See All Stories

AirTag is Apple's Tile-like item tracker.

Apple has officially unveiled its first-ever item tracker. AirTag is available to order now for $29, and it features deep integration with Apple’s ecosystem and the Find My network. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

Table of contents

Best AirTag accessories and where to buy

You can buy AirTag in a single-pack for $29 or a four-pack for $99. You can also order AirTag with engraving of letters and emoji characters, but this will further delay delivery.

Because of the design of AirTag, you will need an accessory to attach AirTag to your items. Here are some of our favorites.

What is a Tile?

A Tile is a popular third-party Bluetooth item tracker. It’s a small square device that you affix to an item, and from there, you can easily track it via the Tile application on your iPhone.

For instance, you could attach a Tile Pro to your keys, and use the app to locate your keys should you misplace them. You can also view items on a map, play a sound via the Tile itself, and more. Tile item trackers have become incredibly popular over the last several years, so it makes sense for Apple to integrate such functionality directly into iOS.

AirTag design

The AirTag features a small circular design with a white finish on the front and a stainless steel back. You can also personalize your AirTag with emojis, numbers, and letters.

Apple touts that AirTags have a “lightweight design,” and there are two key factors to this: water resistance and a user-replaceable battery. Apple says AirTags are rated for IP67 water and dust resistance, while the battery inside is a CR2032, which is a standard coin cell battery. 

Ordering AirTags

Apple also says that AirTag offers “over a year’s worth of battery life with everyday use,” and features a removable cover for when the time comes to replace the battery. 

AirTag is splash-, water-, and dust-resistant and was tested under controlled laboratory conditions with a rating of IP67 under IEC standard 60529 (maximum depth of 1 meter up to 30 minutes). Splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear.

Integration with iOS

The true selling point of Apple AirTags is its integration with iOS. It is believed that you will be able to access your item trackers via the “Find My” device on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Once the item trackers are available, there will be a new “Items” tab in the Find My application for all of the things you choose to track.

The item tracker itself will be paired to a user’s iCloud account by proximity to an iPhone, much like AirPods. There is a limit of 16 AirTags per Apple ID, according to Apple.

Furthermore, you’ll be able to put Apple’s item tracker in “Lost Mode” – which means the tag will store your contact information, allowing other iPhone and Android users to read that information. In such instances, you’ll receive a notification when your item has been found.

Ultimately, what this means is that you’ll be able to attach AirTag to any device – such as your wallet, keys, backpack, and more – and track that item via the Find My app on your iOS device and Mac.

Ultra Wideband

Each AirTag incorporates a U1 chip, which Apple says enables unique precision tracking features for users with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12. The U1 chip can be used to more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range, using what Apple calls “Precision Tracking.” 

Each AirTag is equipped with the Apple-designed U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology, enabling Precision Finding for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users. This advanced technology can more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, and then will guide them to AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback.

Privacy

AirTag is also designed with a handful of privacy features in mind. One of the most notable things here are “proactive features” that are there to “discourage unwanted tracking.” Apple explains: 

Bluetooth signal identifiers transmitted by AirTag rotate frequently to prevent unwanted location tracking. iOS devices can also detect an AirTag that isn’t with its owner, and notify the user if an unknown AirTag is seen to be traveling with them from place to place over time. And even if users don’t have an iOS device, an AirTag separated from its owner for an extended period of time will play a sound when moved to draw attention to it. If a user detects an unknown AirTag, they can tap it with their iPhone or NFC-capable device and instructions will guide them to disable the unknown AirTag.

Price

You can buy a singular AirTag for $29 or a pack of four for $99. Apple is also selling a range of accessories for AirTag, including key ring holders, leather loops, and more. These accessories are also now available to order. A variety of more affordable AirTag accessories have also appeared on Amazon. 

AirTag reviews

The early AirTag reviews have been overwhemlingly positive, with reviewers praising the deep integration with the Find My ecosystem. The $29 price point has also been well-received, though many have noted that you’ll likely have to also buy a key ring or acecssory of some sort separately. 

In our review, we wrote:

AirTag gets a strong recommendation from me. It’s super simple to set up and integrated with an app you already use to find all of your Apple stuff, backed by a billion-strong network of unsuspecting iPhone users ready to help you find your stuff. Plus, at only $29 for one or $25 each as part of a four-pack, it is priced right in line with other brands. Just try not to spend too lavishly on the accessories.

AirTag release date

AirTag was released for pre-order on April 23, 2021. The first orders arrive to customers on April 30.

Tile security flaws can let both the company and stalkers track your location

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Sep 29 2025 - 4:10 am PT
6 Comments
Tile security flaws can let both company and stalkers track your location | Tile tags shown

Researchers have discovered major Tile security flaws that could let both the company itself and a tech-savvy stalker track your location. These arise from two crucial differences between the security used for AirTags and Tile tags.

The flaw could even be exploited to allow a malicious actor to falsely frame a Tile owner for stalking, by making it appear as if one of your Tile tags is constantly in the vicinity of somebody else’s tag …

Expand Expanding Close

iOS 18.6 code hints at AirTag 2, but when is it coming?

Avatar for Marcus Mendes Jun 24 2025 - 1:43 pm PT
9 Comments
AirTag

When leaker Kosutami claimed that Apple was planning a May or June launch of the next-generation AirTag, that broadly tracked with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman’s earlier report from November that Apple was aiming for a “around the middle” of 2025 release.

But now that we’re fast approaching the end of June and there are still no new AirTag, we have an update on Apple’s new release target for the long-awaited next generation of its tracker.

Expand Expanding Close

AirTag sees lost dog reunited with its owner – and reminds us to monitor battery levels

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 22 2025 - 4:37 am PT
15 Comments
AirTag sees lost dog reunited with its owner – and reminds us to monitor battery levels | Stock photo of dog with AirTag on its collar

A lost dog has been reunited with its owner thanks to an AirTag attached to its collar – but the story also serves as a reminder to monitor the battery levels of our tags.

The AirTag was out of power, but thankfully the dog chose to wander into the home of a tech writer who had some spare batteries to hand, ensuring that the owner could quickly locate the errant pet …

Expand Expanding Close

Colorful Chipolo POP is an AirTag competitor that works with Android phones too

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 14 2025 - 7:04 am PT
6 Comments
Colorful Chipolo POP (shown) is an AirTag competitor that works with Android phones too

The new Chipolo POP is a colorful new tracking tag that works with both Apple’s Find My and Google’s Find My Device networks. Unlike AirTag, it has a built-in hole for easy attachment to keyrings and bags.

It’s not the first time that we’ve seen Find My-compatible trackers from the company – we tested one of them back in 2021 – but it’s the first time you haven’t had to use an app to get cross-platform compatibility …

Expand Expanding Close

These three upgrades will make Apple’s next product launch a meaningful one

Avatar for Michael Burkhardt Mar 8 2025 - 8:35 am PT
2 Comments
AirTag 2

Apple has just wrapped up a number of its spring releases, including MacBook Air, iPad Air, Mac Studio, and iPhone 16e. For the most part, that’s probably the end of what the company plans to announce for a little while. However, there’s more in the pipeline for the middle of this year, including the long-rumored AirTag 2.

Here’s what we’re expecting with the next generation of Apple’s popular and affordable item tracker, AirTag, later this year. It may sound boring, but it’s meaningful.

Expand Expanding Close