Apple AirTags are great devices for finding your lost keys, wallet, or anything else you attach them to. But what if you want to share an AirTag with someone else, such as a family member, a friend, or a co-worker? For example, maybe you and your spouse want to track the same car key, or you and your roommate want to locate the same remote control. Until recently, this was not possible, as only one person could track an AirTag at a time. However, with the latest iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates, Apple has introduced a new feature that lets you share an AirTag with multiple people. This way, you can all see the same AirTag’s location on your devices, and get notified if it goes missing. In this article, we will show you how to share an AirTag with another person in a few easy steps.
What is an AirTag
An AirTag is a small device that you can attach to your personal items, such as keys, bags, or wallets, to help you find them if you lose them. It works with the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, which can show you the location of your AirTag on a map, play a sound on it, or guide you to it with directions. An AirTag uses Bluetooth signals and the Find My network, which is a large network of Apple devices, to communicate its location. An AirTag also has privacy features to prevent unwanted tracking by others.
Features of Apple AirTag
Location
AirTags are seamlessly integrated into the Find My app, displaying their precise location on a map. Whether nearby or last seen, tracking their whereabouts is a breeze.
Precision Tracking
iPhones equipped with the U1 chip enable Precision Tracking, providing accurate information about the AirTag’s location and distance.
Battery
With daily use of the CR2032 cell, the AirTag’s battery life spans approximately a year. A removable cover simplifies battery replacement for uninterrupted usage.
Water and Dust Resistance
AirTags boast resilience, capable of withstanding splashes, water exposure, and dust up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes, ensuring durability in various environments.
Sound
Through the Find My app, users can prompt their AirTag to emit a sound, facilitating quick identification and retrieval.
Attachability
Designed for convenience, the Keychain AirTag offers easy attachment to items like bags and keys, enhancing versatility in tracking personal belongings.
Benefits of AirTag Sharing
- Sharing an AirTag can serve as a valuable safety and security tool, such as parents monitoring their child’s bag to ensure their safety.
- Placing an AirTag on a senior family member’s keychain provides peace of mind, allowing loved ones to easily locate them when needed.
- Sharing AirTags within a household enhances daily life convenience, particularly for commonly used items like TV remotes or game devices.
- Preventing disagreements about the whereabouts of shared items, AirTags save time and maintain harmony among family members or roommates.
- In travel scenarios, sharing an AirTag transforms the experience. It becomes a useful tool for tracking shared luggage during flights, simplifying transit and ensuring everyone in the group can monitor its location.
How to share an AirTag with another person on iOS
Step 1: OLaunch Find My App on your iPhone
On your iPhone, open the Find My app. Open the Items tab. It is a list of all your AirTags and other things. Pick out an AirTag to share by tapping on it.
Step 2: Go to Items and Select the name of the Airtags
Click “Add Person” under “Share This AirTag” after selecting the name of the AirTag or item. If you want to let someone know where you are, add their Apple ID. Tap the “Plus” sign and do it again if you want to add more people.
Step 3: Tap on Add Person
Once you’re done adding people, go to the top right spot and tap the “Share” button. Now, the people who were added will show up on the items, along with the invitation status.
Step 4: Type Contact’s Name and Tap on Send
Finally, the person who was added needs to accept the invite to follow the Airtag’s location.
Note: You can see a list of all your friends on Find My, but only a few will work at first. This feature can only be added to people who are also on iOS 17.
How to Stop Sharing AirTag Location
Step 1: Open Find My App
Open the Find My App on your iOS device, and choose the “Items” option from the menu.
Step 2: Go to Item, Select Your AirTag and Select the Contact
Simply choose the person’s name from the area marked “Share This AirTag,” then click the Remove button to take away their access to the AirTag.
Step 3: Tap on “Stop Sharing”
Tap the Stop Sharing option to confirm the action and complete the process. Now, the person will no longer be able to track the location of the AirTag using their device.
How to Set Up AirTag With Older iPhones
If you have an older iPhone, you can still set up an AirTag, but there are some restrictions. You will also need to make sure that Find My, Bluetooth, and Location Services are all turned on for your iPhone. Additionally, your iPhone must be running iOS 14.5 or a later version.
Quick Tip: You can also set up AirTags on an iPad that has iPadOS 14.5 or later and meets the other conditions.
Step 1: Turn on the AirTags Battery
Ensure that Find My, Bluetooth, and Location Services are all turned on for your iPhone. Take your AirTag out of its packaging and pull out the tab to turn on the battery. If your AirTag is ready to set up, it will make a sound. If you don’t hear a sound, make sure the battery tag is removed all the way.
Step 2: Connect your AirTag
Keep the AirTag close to your iPad or iPhone. Click “Connect.” Seeing a message that says more than one AirTag was found? Take your other AirTags away from your phone so that only one is near it at a time.
Step 3: Select the “Items” name
From the list of names given, choose an item name. If you don’t see a name you like, choose Custom Name.
Step 4: Click “Continue”
Press “Continue.”To link the AirTag to your Apple ID, tap Continue again.
Step 5: Select “Done” to complete the process.
After the setup completes, tap “Done.” If you have more AirTags, do this step again.
How to Use AirTag With Older Phones
As with newer iPhones, you can use AirTags with an older iPhone through the Find My app. The only difference is that you won’t be able to use the Precision Finding tool. You can put an AirTag into Lost Mode, see where a lost AirTag is on a map, and change the name of an AirTag on an older iPhone.
Note: When you put your AirTags into Lost Mode, you might want to leave a phone number and message. It is because you won’t be able to use Precision Finding to find them once you get to where they are.
Step 1: Open Find My app
On your iPhone, open the Find My app. Click on items.
Step 2: Select the “Missing items”
To find out more, tap the “missing item” on the map. Click on “Directions,” then follow the path shown on the map.
Step 3: Reach the location
After getting to the last known location, open the Find My app and tap the “missing item” again on the map. Press “Play Sound.”
Step 4: Look for your AirTag device or start searching again
It will play a tone if your AirTag is close enough to connect via Bluetooth. Moving around while staying close to where the AirTag was last seen and pressing the Play Sound button again should make it play a tone. Click Stop Sound if you find the thing while the sound is still going.
FAQ’s
Can I give my AirTag to someone else?
Anyone else can’t use the same AirTag. Still, Apple does let you move it to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with a different Apple ID, even after it’s been activated. AirTag is surprisingly cheap compared to most other Apple products. People can buy one for $29 or a set of four for $99.
How do I add an AirTag to my second phone?
One user’s Apple ID is linked to a single AirTag. It means that the AirTag needs to be disconnected from the current user’s Apple ID before it can be linked to a different phone. Remember that an AirTag can only be linked to one Apple ID at a time.
Can AirTags be deactivated?
If you don’t want the AirTag, AirPods, or Find My Network accessory to share its position, tap Instructions to Disable and follow the steps on the screen. Once the owner turns off the AirTag, AirPods, or Find My Network accessory, they can’t get information on where it is.
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