I lose my keys about once a week. Got two AirTags as a gift and now I just open Find My and the location pops up. Setting them up is genuinely one of the smoothest Apple onboarding flows I've ever used.
Here's the proper setup including how to attach them to stuff and how to handle the family sharing situation if more than one person in your household wants to track shared items.
Pair an AirTag with your iPhone
Pull the plastic tab from the AirTag battery. You'll hear a chime. Hold the AirTag near your iPhone. A setup screen appears automatically on the phone within a few seconds.
Tap Connect. Pick what the AirTag will be attached to from a preset list – keys, wallet, backpack, luggage, jacket, etc. Or tap Custom Name and type your own. Confirm with your Apple ID and you're done.
If the AirTag setup screen doesn't appear
Three things need to be true for the auto-pair to work:
- Your iPhone has Bluetooth turned on
- You're signed into iCloud with two-factor authentication enabled
- Find My is turned on (Settings then your name then Find My)
- Your phone is unlocked and on the home screen
If everything checks out but the screen still won't appear, force close the Find My app and try again. Restart the iPhone if needed.
Attaching the AirTag to something
The AirTag itself doesn't have a hole or hook. You need a holder or sleeve. Apple sells official ones for $35+ which is a lot. The Amazon Basics keyring is $8 and works just as well.
For wallets, you want a thin sticker or pouch. Search for "AirTag wallet card" on Amazon – they're basically credit-card-sized holders that slip into a wallet slot. About $15 for a pair.
Find a lost AirTag
Open the Find My app on your iPhone. Tap the Items tab at the bottom. Your AirTags show in a list with their last known locations on the map.
Tap the AirTag you want to find. If you're close to it, the Find button activates Precision Finding which uses the U1 chip in your iPhone to guide you with arrow direction and distance. Works only on iPhone 11 and newer.
If the AirTag is far away, tap Play Sound instead. The AirTag beeps so you can hear where it is even if it's under cushions or in a drawer.
Lost Mode and the safety alert
If you can't find an AirTag anywhere nearby, swipe up on its detail screen and tap Enable under Lost Mode. Enter a phone number that strangers can call. If anyone finds the AirTag and taps it with their phone, your number shows up on the screen.
About the "AirTag Found Moving With You" alert – this is anti-stalking. If someone's AirTag travels with you for too long, your iPhone warns you. Apple takes this seriously now. So if you put an AirTag in your kid's backpack, register them on your Apple ID and they ride along without false alarms (assuming they don't have their own iPhone).
Battery replacement
The AirTag uses a CR2032 coin cell battery. It lasts about a year. When it gets low, your iPhone shows a notification. Replacing it takes 10 seconds – press down on the metal back, twist counterclockwise, and the cover pops off. Drop in a new battery and twist back on.
Buy CR2032 batteries in a 10-pack on Amazon for about $8. You'll use them eventually for smoke detectors, garage remotes, or other AirTags. Don't pay $5 for one at the gas station.
What are you tracking with your AirTag? Drop it in the comments. Mine are on keys and a backpack.