[FAQ] Can others read the tag on your AirTag also?

Whether you’ve bought a single AirTag for $29 or a pack of four for $99, you might be wondering about the AirTag privacy. Let me explain it. If you name an AirTag “test tag” and put an emoji on it, do others then also see the name “test tag” with your chosen emoji on it as you see in the find my app? What information do other people see on their phones from your tag?

Turns out that nobody can see the AirTag’s name or emoji. They won’t even see the Bluetooth item tracker at all unless it’s following them and you aren’t around. Apple AirTag trackers have an NFC chip inside that links to a website. If they scan that, they’ll see its serial number and the last 4 digits of your phone number. If your AirTag is in lost mode, then they’ll see the message you entered and your contact information.

But, How Exactly?

When you set up an AirTag, it is associated with your Apple ID and the AirTag’s unique identifier is linked to your account. Supose someone finds your AirTag, they can’t access your personal information or contact details directly from the AirTag itself. The AirTag Bluetooth item tracker does not display any visible information that can be read by others.

However, if you’ve marked your AirTag as lost using the Find My network, other Apple devices in proximity can detect the AirTag’s signal and relay its location back to you anonymously through Apple’s Find My app and a network of billions of Apple devices.