Is your Apple AirTag about to die?
Kurt "The CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what do to when your Apple AirTag’s battery is running low.
AirTags are a great device to own, especially when it comes to keeping track of your luggage, your keys, your pet, whatever it may be.
The revolutionary trackers from Apple don't last powered forever. There does come a time, usually a little under a year, when an AirTag's battery needs to be replaced.
Do you know how to check if your Apple AirTag is about to die? And do you know how to change the battery? If you answered no to both of these questions, we have you covered.
Apple's Airtag (Apple)
How to check the battery level on your Apple AirTag
Usually, you’ll receive a notification on your iPhone that your AirTag battery needs to be replaced soon. Yet we all miss notifications sometimes, and you want to be sure to know how to do this when the time comes so you can continue keeping track of everything.
- Open the Find My app and tap the Items tab.
- Tap the AirTag you want to check and if the battery is close to dying, you’ll see an alert that says Low Battery and a prompt to replace it
Notification showing the airtag battery is low (Apple)
How to change the battery on an AirTag
- Open the AirTag by placing the white base facing downward. The Apple logo should face you
- Using two fingers, press down on two points beside the logo on the stainless-steel battery cover on your AirTag
- Turn the cap counterclockwise. After the cap turns, you can remove the cover and the battery
- Insert a new battery and replace the cover by making sure the three tabs on the cover align with the three slots on the AirTag
- Then rotate the cover clockwise until it stops
AIRTAG TRACKER DETECTOR WARNS OF STALKERS IN SECONDS
My pro tip: Some batteries like Duracell are sold with a bitter coating to keep kids from swallowing them. Remove that bitter coating with an alcohol wipe before placing it in the AirTag. Otherwise, the battery will have trouble making contact with an AirTag.
Airtag Battery (Apple)
What kind of batteries should I use for my AirTag?
AirTag uses a coin battery called CR 2032 Lithium 3V. You can buy these at almost any electronic, hardware, or regular drug store where you would buy batteries.
I personally order mine from Amazon, as it sells a 4 Pack CR2032 3 Volt Lithium Coin Cell Battery for under $8 at the time of publishing. Also, at the time of publishing, this product had over 234,000 global ratings with 81% giving the product 5 stars.
Amazon Basic sells Apple Airtag (Amazon)
Get Amazon Basics Lithium Batteries
How to extend the life of your AirTag battery
Enable lost mode only when necessary: lost mode uses more battery power because it increases the frequency at which the AirTag communicates with nearby devices. Only enable lost mode when you need to locate a lost item.
Reduce the number of notifications: you can customize the number of notifications you receive from your AirTag in the Find My app. Reducing the number of notifications can help save battery life.
HERE'S PROOF SOME AIRLINES ARE NOT FANS OF AIRTAG TRACKERS
Turn off AirTag when not in use: If you're not using the AirTag for an extended period, turn it off to conserve battery life. You can do this by removing the battery or using the Find My app to put it in lost mode, which will disable the AirTag until you reactivate it.
Avoid extreme temperatures: leaving your AirTag in a hot car or in freezing conditions for extended periods of time can degrade its battery more quickly.
Try not to overuse your AirTag: it is recommended not to exceed the device's intended usage limits. Specifically, the AirTag is designed to operate for up to 1 year, assuming no more than 4 play sound events and 1 precision finding event per day. Overusing these functions may lead to a faster depletion of the AirTag's battery.
Someone holds an Apple AirTag in San Francisco, March 14, 2022. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
At the time of publishing, the Apple AirTag has over 99,700+ global ratings with 84% giving the product 5 stars on Amazon.
Were these instructions helpful? Let us know if you have any issues with your AirTag battery.
Related: Here's proof some airlines are not fans of AirTag trackers
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
For more of my tips, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by clicking the "Free newsletter" link at the top of my website.
Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. CyberGuy.com articles and content may contain affiliate links that earn a commission when purchases are made.
Get a daily look at what’s developing in science and technology throughout the world.