What is AirTag?

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

These are the types of questions we regularly receive on our social media channels, and you will find all the answers to them today in this AirTag user guide.

How does Apple AirTag work? What is the AirTag range? How do I use AirTags? Where should I put my AirTag? How do I sync my AirTag? How do I track my AirTag? Why buy an AirTag?

What is AirTag used for?

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

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

Which iPhones and operating systems work with AirTags?

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

How do I set up Apple AirTags?

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

You can then name your AirTag after the device it will track. The AirTag is then registered to your Apple ID, and that's it.

Do I need to charge my AirTag?

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

Do AirTags use my location?

If you're skeptical about Apple tracking your location and have 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 location tracking for Find My, open Settings > Privacy > Location Services, then toggle the switch at the top of the screen to On. Scroll down to Find My in your list of apps and make sure it's set to While using the app.

How does Apple find lost AirTags?

AirTags don't 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 leverages the 1.65 billion Apple devices in the world to precisely determine the location of your AirTag.

How can I find my AirTag?

Open the Find My app on your Apple device to see the tracker's location on a map. You can use the app to play a sound from the AirTag, which will help you locate the item if you're nearby. If you have an iPhone 12 or 11, you can tap Find and switch to Precision Finding. This will show you how far you are from the item and guide you to it with on-screen directions.

If you can't locate the tracker, there's an option in the Find My app to put it in Lost mode and create a custom message that will appear when your AirTag is found by another user. When they bring the AirTag close to their phone, your message—along with your contact information—will appear on their device, and the good Samaritan will hopefully be able to contact you.

This works on all devices with NFC technology, meaning Android owners can also help find lost AirTags.

Can I see the 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 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 a device that helped find it."

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

Can I share AirTags via Family Sharing?

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

You might think it would be helpful if family members could also help you locate an AirTag from their own devices. But unfortunately, 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 to your Apple ID during setup, only you can remove it. Open the Find My App , tap the Items tab, and select the AirTag from the list. Tap Remove 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 finder can't simply pair it with their device.

Can AirTags be used to track me?

One of the main advantages of AirTags compared to other tiny tracking devices is that they can also be used to track people, objects, or animals, not just devices. AirTag keychains are lightweight so they won't weigh down your pockets or backpacks, but this 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 address this issue, the Find My app will alert you on your Apple device if it detects an AirTag not linked to your Apple ID —and separate from its owner—traveling with you. You will then have the option to disable the AirTag or play a sound to locate it. Your device must be running iOS 14 or later.

Of course, this won't be useful for Android users who have AirTags tucked away in their belongings. Apple states that the AirTag will automatically emit a sound if it has 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 pets you live with throughout the day, as long as they return to you at night." This is also possible with a Samsung AirTag ... and the only reason it's less feasible with a Tile is that Tile's network is nowhere near as good. Jiobits and other GPS trackers aren't as effective as AirTag technology.

Are AirTags compatible with Android devices?

Unfortunately, Android users 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 Lost Mode messages so 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 pet even thousands of kilometers from home. Unlike other GPS dog collars on the market, AirTag is by design lightweight and discreet, and won't disturb your pet . Its patented ultra-wideband technology is harmless to animals, unlike most other GPS dog trackers .

In 2021, HisoTag™ developed a dog collar specifically designed to comfortably attach your AirTag around your pet's neck. This natural leather collar, designed by an Italian design studio, was engineered to conform to the curves and movements of dogs and cats during their busy, active days. Cat owners can now also take advantage of geolocation technology to track their cats outdoors , thus reducing the number of lost cats, which, according to SPA France , is constantly increasing each year.

You are now an expert on AirTag technology and ready to introduce this ingenious device, still little known in France, to your friends and family.

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