What is AirTag?

At HisoPet we use AirTag Apple technology to protect pets as well as your important items (keys, bags, jacket, vehicle...)

Here are the type of questions that we regularly receive on our social networks and for which you will find all the answers today in this AirTag user guide .

How does Apple AirTag work? How far AirTag? How to use AirTags? Where to put your AirTag? How to sync AirTag? How to track AirTag? Why buy AirTag?

AirTag what is it for?

AirTag is Apple's latest smart device, a small puck-shaped tracker that can help you locate misplaced or stolen items through the Find My app. It costs around 29 euros for a copy or 99 euros for a pack of four, and can be engraved for free with letters or an image of your choice. Accessories, such as key rings, luggage tags and loops, which secure the device, are sold separately.

Apple AirTags use ultra-wideband technology and take advantage of the existing network of Apple devices, which work as collective beacons to contact each other to determine the location of your missing item. Here's what to know before you affix a new AirTag to everything you own.

What iPhones and operating systems work with AirTags?

However, to use the Precision Finding feature, which can guide you to your device via onscreen instructions, you need an iPhone 11 or 12. These models use the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope to a more "directed" search experience, according to Apple France .

How to set up Apple AirTags?

Setup is simple. Take your AirTag out of its packaging and pull the tab to activate its battery. Hold it close to your compatible mobile device, which will detect the tracker and prompt you to set it up, similar to AirPods or a HomePod device.

You can then give your AirTag the name of the device it will be responsible for tracking. The AirTag is then registered under your Apple ID, and that's it.

Should I charge my AirTag?

No. According to Apple, the AirTag battery lasts over a year before it needs to be replaced. Surprisingly, the battery isn't an Apple-specific proprietary purchase; AirTags use a basic CR2032 battery, which can be purchased from various online and in-store stores. Remove the battery by pushing down and twisting the back plate of your AirTag.

Do AirTags use my location?

If you're skeptical that Apple can track your location and you've disabled location services on your devices, you won't be able to use AirTag technology . Apple needs your location to tell you where your lost item is.

To enable Find My location tracking, open Settings > Privacy > Location Services, then toggle the switch at the top of the screen to On. Scroll down to Find My in your apps list and make sure it's set to While using the app.

How Apple finds lost AirTags?

AirTags do not have a GPS chip like your iPhone. Instead, Apple used its proprietary U1 chip with ultra-wideband technology to create a peer-to-peer network that taps into the 1.65 billion Apple devices in the wild and precisely determines the location of your Air Tag.

How can I find my AirTag?

Open the Find My app on your Apple device to see the location of the tracker on a map. You can use the app to play a sound from the AirTag, which will help you locate the object, if you are nearby. If you have an iPhone 12 or 11 model, you can tap Find and switch to Precision Finding. This will tell you how far away you are from the object and guide you to it via on-screen prompts.

If you are unable to locate the tracker, there is an option in the Find My app to place it in Lost Mode and create a custom message that will display when your AirTag is found by another user. When he brings the AirTag to his phone, your message – like contact details – will appear on his device and the good Samaritan can, with any luck, contact you.

It works on all devices with NFC technology, which means Android owners can also help find lost AirTags.

Can I see devices near my AirTag?

AirTags use devices connected to the Apple network to locate missing devices, but according to Apple, "no location data or location history is physically stored in the AirTag. Communication with the Find My network is end-to-end encrypted. ultimately so that only the owner of a device has access to its location data, and no one, including Apple, knows the identity or location of any device that helped find it."

In other words, the owner of an AirTag can only determine the location of their own AirTag , not that of other nearby Apple devices.

Can I share AirTags through Family Sharing?

Family Sharing allows up to five family members to share purchases from iTunes, the App Store , and Apple Books, as well as an Apple Music family subscription and iCloud storage. You can also share your location through Family Location Sharing and help family members find lost Apple devices with the Find My app.

So you might think it would be helpful if your family members could also help you locate an AirTag from their own device. But alas, AirTags are locked to an Apple ID to prevent unwanted tracking, so only you can find your AirTag.

How can I remove an AirTag from my Apple ID?

Since your AirTag is registered under your Apple ID during setup, only you can remove it. Open the Find My App app , tap on the Items tab and select the AirTag from the list. Tap Delete Item to free it up for someone else to use. This means that if your AirTag (and the device it's attached to) is lost or stolen, the person who finds it can't simply associate it with their device.

Can AirTags be used to track me?

One of the main advantages of AirTags over other tiny tracking devices is that they will also be useful for tracking people, objects or animals, not just devices. AirTag key fobs are lightweight so they won't weigh down pockets or backpacks, but that also means they're easy to slip into your bag or wallet. You can then monitor the whereabouts of your children, dogs and cats from your own Apple device.

To remedy this, the Find My app will alert you on your Apple device if it detects an AirTag unlinked to your Apple ID - and separate from its owner - traveling with you. You will then have the possibility of deactivating this AirTag or emitting a sound in order to locate it. However, your device must be running iOS 14 or higher.

Of course, this will not be useful for users of Android AirTag slipped into their stuff. Apple says the AirTag will automatically beep if it's been separated from its owner "for an extended period," which is currently set at three days.

"As far as we can determine, AirTags can be used to discreetly track the people or animals you live with throughout the day, as long as they return to you at night." It's also possible with a Samsung AirTag ...and the only reason it's less possible with a Tile is that Tile's network isn't nearly as good. Jiobits and other GPS trackers are not as effective as AirTag technology.

Are AirTags compatible with Android devices?

Android users unfortunately cannot register an AirTag with their device, but as mentioned above the NFC functionality of Android phones allows them to connect to lost AirTags and view any messages from Lost Mode so that they can return it.

How do I find my dog ​​or cat with AirTag?

By simply inserting your AirTag into a dog or cat collar , you can find your lost dog even several thousand kilometers from your home. Unlike other dog gps collars sold on the market, AirTag is by definition light and discreet and will not disturb your pet . Its patented ultra-wideband technology is harmless to animals unlike the majority of dog gps .

The HisoTag™ company developed in 2021 a dog collar specially designed to comfortably attach your AirTag around your pet's neck. This natural leather collar designed by a design studio in Italy has been studied to fit the curves and movements of dogs and cats during their intense day in twists and turns. Cat owners will finally be able to take advantage of geolocation technology to follow the route of their cat outdoors and thus reduce the number of lost cats, which is constantly increasing every year according to SPA France .

You are now unbeatable about AirTag technology and ready to introduce your entourage to this ingenious object still little known in France.