While some guides to finding AirTags recommend using Bluetooth scanners, Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation does not consider this method to be reliable for finding trackers. “I’ve tried using several Bluetooth scanners to detect AirTags and they don’t work all the time,” he says.
Millions of Americans still not own a smartphone. Without a device on hand, you must rely on visual and audible clues to find hidden AirTags. The white circular disk is slightly larger than a quarter. As reported by The New York TimesAshley Estrada discovered an AirTag lodged under her license plate and her video Documentation of the incident was viewed more than 22 million times on TikTok.
When the AirTag was first launched, the tracker would beep if it was away from the owner for more than three days. Apple has since reduced the time to 24 hours or less. Despite the update, you may not want to rely solely on sound to detect AirTags. Numerous videos on YouTube offer DIY instructions for turning off the speaker and silent versions Some of the trackers were even listed for a short time on Etsy.
What if I find one?
The best way to deactivate an AirTag is to remove the battery. To do this, turn the AirTag so that the metal side with the Apple logo is facing you. Press down on the logo and turn it counterclockwise. You can now remove the cover and take out the battery.
apple support page For AirTag it suggests contacting the police if you think you are in a dangerous situation. “If you believe your safety is at risk, please contact local authorities, who may work with Apple to request information related to the item,” the support page reads. “You may need to provide the AirTag, AirPods set, Find My Network accessory, and device serial number.” One way to find out the serial number is to hold the top of an iPhone or other smartphone with near-field communication capabilities against the white side of an AirTag. A website will appear with the serial number.
This page may also include a partial phone number of the person who owns the tracking device. If you are unsure about scanning your AirTag or it doesn’t have the capability, there is a serial number printed on the device under the battery.
Who does this affect?
In viral stories shared online and in police reports, women are often victims of AirTag harassment, but when WIRED spoke to Galperin in 2022, she cautioned against framing unwanted tracking as a problem unique to women. “I have worked with victims of technology-induced abuse for many years,” she says. “About two-thirds of the survivors who come to me are women. But a third of them are men. “I suspect that number would be higher if there wasn’t that stigma around being a victim or survivor of abuse.”
She emphasized how men, women, and non-binary people can be victims of abuse, as well as perpetrators. “When we paint everything with such a broad brush, we make it very difficult for victims who don’t fit that mold to come forward,” Galperin says. Cases of technology-facilitated abuse do not follow simplistic narratives and can affect anyone.
For more resources, you can visit the website National Domestic Violence Hotline. Contact the hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233 or texting “HOME” to 88788.
December 2, 2024: This article has been updated to reflect recent changes to how iOS, Android, and AirTags work.