AirTag detected near you but can’t find it or AirTag found moving with you can be panicking. At worse, if you find unwanted AirTag trackers near you, it can turn out disastrous, apocalyptic and seemingly inescapable.
With some knowledge and preparation, you might increase your chances of surviving a disaster. Here’s how to know you are being tracked by an AirTag as well as find an AirTag that’s tracking you. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to disable AirTag that is not yours.
Can Someone Track Me With An AirTag?
Apple AirTags are nifty, quarter-sized Bluetooth tracking devices that stick to phones, keys, and luggage. But, many people dare to stick it in someones belonging and cars to keep track of them. Even so, people do this to track someone’s child. So, AirTags are notoriously being used by stalkers to find where you live, work and go. There have been reported cases in the U.S. and the U.K. of people claiming AirTags had unwittingly tracked them.
How Do I Know If An Airtag Is Tracking Me?
Suspicious of being tracked by an AirTag? Here’s how to know you are being tracked by an AirTag.
- Your iPhone will alert you/an unexpected notification
If you receive a notification on your iPhone that says “AirTag found moving with you,” it could be an indication that someone is tracking you with an AirTag.
- Use Precision Finding to find the AirTag
The alert will give you the option to use Precision Finding. You can use Apple’s Alert to point yourself in the right direction. If Precision Finding
- Play a sound on AirTag
If you hear an unexpected beep from an AirTag purposefully hidden in something you’ve been carrying or within your vehicle, then it’s time to engage in the hunt for an AirTag.
1. Click on the AirTag Found Moving with You or AirTag Detected Near You alert
2. Click on Continue
3. Now click on Play Sound
4. Follow the source of the sound to find the rogue AirTag. You can play the sound multiple times until you find the unwanted accessory.
Note: You may not be able to play the sound due to a change in its Bluetooth identifier or when the owner is nearby.
- Find the AirTag using a Bluetooth scanner
The small, Bluetooth-enabled tracking devices emit Bluetooth signals. Your Apple devices pick up these signals so you can use a simple Bluetooth tracker for iOS or iPad OS to scan the area around you and see if you can locate an AirTag nearby.
A spoiler alert here is that AirTag changes its Bluetooth ID regularly to avoid being trackable itself. The tracking apps themselves, therefore, can not correctly identify an unwanted AirTag around you.
But, you can still use these to know a little bit about the landscape and sort of track it. This is particularly useful if you’re checking out whether a car has a hidden airtag.
BLE scanner is a great scanner utility for Bluetooth Low Energy devices and peripherals.
Here’s how to Disable AirTags on iOS Devices
Now, that you’ve located an AirTag near you, you must disable it. Here’s how you can stop the AirTag from tracking you.
- Gently press the AirTag’s metal underside counter-clockwise.
- Remove that shiny silver plate
- Remove the battery
This is the easiest way to stop an AirTag from tracking your soul. This method will disable the AirTag and its owner won’t be able to see any tracking information. The owner won’t get a notification either that their AirTag has been disabled.
How do I know if an AirTag is tracking me on Android?
If an unwanted AirTag is tracking you and you use an Android, you can download the Tracker Detect app from the Google Play Store to know if an AirTag is tracking you. The app will scan for the tracker and play a sound from it to find it.
How do I stop an AirTag from tracking me?
The easiest way to stop an AirTrack from tracking you is to remove the battery from it. This will disable the AirTag and its owner won’t be able to see any tracking information or won’t get a notification that their Bluetooth tracking device was disabled.
Can anyone track my Apple AirTag?
There is no way for someone to track your AirTag. They might hear the beeping noise if the key finder is separated from you and moving. They can also see any contact information you choose to include if the finder uses NFC.
