AirTag Low Battery Warning? Here’s How to Replace AirTag Battery
Apple AirTag is the new pretty-face Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. You can use the tracker to locate your keys, bags, cars, and even bikes. Apple AirTags come with quick-replaceable batteries, offering a year-long battery life. If you have owned one for more than one year, your AirTag battery is probably low at the moment, and looking for how to recharge or replace the battery.
Let us discuss how you can check the AirTag battery level, the type of battery to use, and how to replace the AirTag battery.
How to Check AirTag Battery Level on iPhone
Apple AirTags come with assured battery life for almost a year. That means once you set up a new AirTag and start using it, you do not have to bother about the AirTag’s battery level for one year straight. And for the best part, your iPhone will warn you when the AirTag is about to die.
Although, if you think you have been finding AirTag by playing sound a lot (or if it has been nearly a year since you started using the AirTags while you are reading this), or even if you think you got a faulty device, you have come to the right place. You can check your AirTag’s battery charge right from the Find My app on your iPhone.
To check the Apple AirTag battery level;
- Launch the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Navigate to the Items tab. There you will see your connected AirTags listed.
- Tap on any of them to see all the information about the particular AirTag.
- Look for the battery icon next below your AirTag’s name.
If it shows full (green), the AirTag battery is full. The battery icon will turn red if your AirTag battery is about to die. AirTag does not have a low battery sound, but you will hear a chime once you replace and insert a new battery.
What to Do If My AirTag Shows Low Battery Warning?
AirTag has no indicators, light, or sound alerts to tell you when it hits the low battery warning. What it has is your iPhone to show all the warnings, including the AirTag low battery warning. If your AirTag battery is low, you will get a notification alert on your iPhone, “AirTag Battery Is Low,” with a message saying, “Replace the battery on [Your-AirTag-Name] soon.”
Now that you have a warning on your iPhone about the low battery on AirTag, you might be thinking about what to do. Here is what you will do – Replace your AirTag battery. So, how do you do it? Below is a step-by-step guide to help you replace the low battery on Apple AirTag.
Which Battery Should I Use with Apple AirTag?
Apple AirTag trackers come with a replaceable battery of their own. When it says replaceable, don’t worry, it does not use any expensive Apple-only battery cells for the purpose. Apple AirTags use a generic CR2032 coin cell battery to power up the entire tracker.
Once the battery level of your AirTag runs out, you can buy any CR2032 coin cell battery, replace it easily, use it for another year, and repeat the same forever.
Note: According to Apple, batteries with the bitterant coating will not work on AirTags, so make sure to buy ones without the bitterant coating.
How to Replace Apple AirTag Battery
If you just got a notification about the AirTag battery being low, keep calm and go to the Find My app. Go to the Items tab and select your AirTag to see if it says “Low Battery” there. If it does, take the AirTag in your hand and replace it as we say.
- Gently press the steel covering of your AirTag with two fingers and twist it counter-clockwise to unlock the battery case.
- Pull out the metal covering when the rotation stops to see the CR2032 coin cell battery within your Apple AirTag tracker.
- Remove the coin cell battery from your AirTag using something tiny and sharp, but do it gently. Make sure you do not hurt the plastic body of your AirTag.
- Once you have removed the AirTag battery, take the new one and put it on the AirTag.
- Ensure the “” part comes on top, and the other side goes under.
- Press the battery to lock it to the AirTag.
- Now, put back the metal cover, press, and rotate it clockwise to lock your AirTag with the new battery.
Once you replace the AirTag battery, it can now run for as long as you want. In case your AirTag does not work after replacing the battery, check our troubleshooting guide for AirTab battery replacing. You just need to mind the AirTag low battery warning that may pop up once a year and replace the battery, as we said.
FAQ: Replace AirTag Battery
Apple AirTags batteries can last up to 1 year without recharging or replacing. The actual battery life can be slightly lower or higher depending on your usage. If you frequently track your keys or belongings with AirTag, you will get a low battery warning before one year.
AirTag does not have a turn-on/off switch. Once you pull out the plastic tab and activate the AirTag, it will run endlessly until the battery dies. If you want to put the AirTag aside for a few weeks or months and don’t want the battery to wear out unnecessarily, you can remove the battery and save the charge for later.
AirTag batteries are replaceable since they are the standard CR2032 coin cell batteries you can buy for cheaper price tags. Unlike Tile or Samsung SmartThings, you can get the battery from anywhere and put it inside the AirTag to track your belongings smoothly.
Since the AirTags use CR2032 batteries, you cannot and do not have to charge them often. Once they run, you can remove the old battery and replace it with a new one that costs just a dollar or two.
AirTag batteries are cheaper and are available at any convenience store. You just need to ask for CR2032 coin cells that will be less than a dollar, or you can even get dozen of it for under 10.
Apple AirTags are battery-powered tracker devices for iPhone users. It will stop working once you remove the battery. So, no, the AirTag cannot work without a battery.
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AirTags Battery Life – How Long Do They Last?
You bought your Apple AirTag to help you keep track of a valuable item in case you lose it. As long as the AirTag is working, you can use your Apple device to follow the digital breadcrumbs to the attached item’s current location.
Note that we said as long as the AirTag is working.
The problem is that AirTags only work for as long as their batteries have a charge. You can’t recharge your AirTag once its battery runs dry, meaning the device may turn into a useless lump of plastic that doesn’t help you track anything.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, you need to know two things. First, how long does your AirTag’s battery last? Second, what can you do once your device runs out of battery? This article provides the answers to both questions.
How Long Do AirTags Battery Last
You can expect your AirTag’s battery to last for approximately one year, on a very general level. The specific battery length depends on several factors, the primary one being how often you use the AirTag.
Every time you open the Find My app to track the item your AirTag is attached to, you activate the device. When the device is activated, it drains more battery life than it does when it’s inert. As a result, constantly losing the attached item means you drain your AirTag’s battery faster because you need to use it more often.
- Open the Find My app and tap “Items.”
- Navigate to the item attached to your AirTag and tap it.
- Check the battery icon below your item.
Unfortunately, this icon does not provide a percentage figure or direct information about how much life the battery has left. It provides a rough estimate that lets you know if you’re getting closer to needing to replace the battery. You will also see a banner that says “Low Battery” if your AirTag is on the verge of running out of juice.
What Happens When They Run Out of Battery?
When an AirTag runs out of battery, it can no longer transmit a signal. When you check the Find My app, you should see that the item it’s attached to is no longer on your list. For as long as the AirTag is depleted, it’s little more than a chunk of plastic attached to the item it’s supposed to be tracking.
The good news is that a depleted AirTag doesn’t have to stay that way.
Apple allows AirTag owners to replace their device’s battery before it runs out, thus keeping it operational for as long as they need it. To change the battery, you’ll need to have a replacement CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery. You can find these batteries in most electronics stores and some watch shops and pharmacies. Apple recommends that you avoid CR2032 that have bitterant coatings. This coating may prevent the battery from forming a proper connection with your AirTag’s contact points, resulting in it not working properly.
Assuming you have your battery, follow these steps to insert it into your AirTag.
- Locate the polished stainless steel battery cover on your AirTag and push down on it gently.
- Rotate the cover counterclockwise until you can’t rotate it any further.
- Lift the cover and remove the battery from your AirTag.
- Place your new CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery into the open slot with the positive side facing toward you. Your AirTag should make a sound that indicates the battery has established a successful connection.
- Replace the battery cover.
- Keeping the cover pressed in, rotate it clockwise until it stops moving.
Your AirTag should now transmit a signal again. Open your Find My app and you should see it reappear in your list of items.
Keep Your AirTag Running
The battery that comes preinstalled in your AirTag isn’t designed for longevity. It only offers about a year of service before it depletes, though you may find yours runs out quicker if you need to use the AirTag frequently.
Apple has accounted for this by giving you the ability to replace a depleted battery. Replacement batteries are simple to source, meaning you can keep your AirTag running for as long as you need it. Keep an eye on your notifications and the Find My app to check when you need make a replacement.
So, what do you think about Apple’s AirTag? How useful is the device? Would you prefer Apple to install a longer-lasting battery, even if it meant paying a little more for an AirTag? Or, are you happy to keep replacing the battery yourself? Let us know in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев section below.
Changing the Battery in Your Apple AirTag is Simple, Here’s How You Do It
Apple AirTags aren’t meant to last forever, something I only learned last month when I got a pop-up saying my battery was dying.
I’m not sure why I didn’t realise this was the case, upon reflection it is an embarrassing thing for a tech journalist to admit. But here I am, with a dead Apple AirTag.
The problem isn’t a big one, however, as it’s super easy to change the battery in an AirTag.
How long does AirTag battery last?
The general rule is a year, give or take. Mine lasted far less, but I did use it a lot.
Does AirTag warn of low battery?
When your Apple AirTag battery is very low, a notification will appear on your iPhone. You can also check the Find My app to see if your AirTag battery needs to be replaced.
- Open the Find My app
- Tap the Items tab
- Tap the AirTag you want to check the battery status of you want to check.
- If the battery level is very low, Low Battery will appear under the name of your AirTag.
Can you change AirTag battery?
You sure can! In fact, that’s the only way to let it live its life longer.
What batteries does AirTag use?
CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery – which are available at most electronic stores, grocery stores and pharmacies. I got mine at Woolies, but there are a tonne of listings on Amazon, too. Apple warns, however, that CR2032 batteries with bitterant coatings might not work with AirTag (it’s to do with the alignment of the coating in relation to the battery contacts).
How do you change an AirTag battery?
- Press down on the stainless-steel battery cover of the AirTag and rotate anticlockwise until the cover stops rotating
- Remove the cover and battery
- Insert a new CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery with the positive side facing up
- Listen out for the sound indicating the battery is connected
- Replace the cover, making sure that the three tabs on the cover align with the three slots on the AirTag
- Rotate the cover clockwise until it stops.
There you have it, super simple battery replacement for your Apple AirTag.
If you’re concerned about AirTags, here’s how to tell if you’re being tracked with one. If you’re travelling and want to know whether it’s worth investing in an Apple AirTag, we’ve detailed our experience with that, too. Similarly, here’s how you track your cat with an AirTag.
How to replace your AirTag battery
As far as tracking devices are concerned, it’s hard to beat Apple’s AirTags. Not only do they look surprisingly sleek for such a utilitarian device, but they integrate seamlessly with the iOS ecosystem and can be used to track the location of everything from keys and luggage to pets and backpacks.
What You Need
The only maintenance you should ever need to perform on your AirTag is a battery change. The preinstalled battery should last for more than a year – but at some point, you’ll need to crack open the case and swap it out. If you need some help with that process, here’s how to change an AirTag battery without any fuss.
Ensure your AirTag battery needs to be replaced
Before you start meddling with your AirTag, you’ll first want to make sure its battery is actually low. Apple has designed the tracker to automatically push a notification to your smartphone when it needs a battery change, so you should get a prompt on your lock screen telling you to replace your battery. If you don’t see that (or just want to check your battery’s status), here’s what you’ll need to do.
Step 1: Open the Find My smartphone app.
Step 2: Select the Items option.
Step 3: Select the AirTag that you want to check.
Step 4: Once there, you’ll see an icon indicating the percentage of your remaining battery.
How to replace an AirTag battery
Once you’ve confirmed that your AirTag needs a new battery, here’s how to pop open its chassis and install a new one.
Step 1: Push down firmly on the stainless steel portion of your AirTag and twist counter-clockwise while maintaining pressure on the cover. Most people find it easiest to hold the AirTag with both hands and use their thumbs to both apply pressure and twist.
Step 2: Pull the cover off of the AirTag. This should come off easily – if it doesn’t, ensure there’s no gunk stuck around the edges. You can also use a thin tool to carefully pry it off.
Step 3: Remove the CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery and insert your new one with the negative side facing down. When done properly, you’ll hear a chime to indicate the battery is connected.
Step 4: Put the cover back on, ensuring the three alignment tabs are correctly positioned over the slots in the AirTag base. Twist clockwise to lock the cover in place.
Watch out for CR2032 batteries with bitter coatings
Many CR2032 batteries are designed with a bitter coating to prevent children from putting them in their mouths and accidentally swallowing them. However, the Apple AirTag won’t work with all these products, as the coating can interfere with a proper connection. That means you’ll either need to avoid batteries with these coatings altogether or remove the coating using an alcohol wipe.
Your Most Asked Questions About AirTags, Answered
We’ve gathered the most popular questions from our readers about Apple’s AirTags (including how Apple is updating them to prevent people from misusing them to track people), and answered them.
Apple’s AirTags are little button-sized trackers that can be attached to things like a keychain, a backpack, a bike or any other of your personal belongings. Once set up. they’ll then show up on your iPhone’s Find My app. This way you can find whatever your AirTag is attached to if it gets misplaced, lost or stolen.
Of course, as with any new gadget there comes a healthy amount of intrigue, skepticism and general uncertainty — and the AirTags are no exception. That’s why we’ve collected a smattering of questions about Apple’s AirTags from readers on our Instagram and answered them below.
What is the range of an AirTag?
AirTags do not have a defined range because they work within the range of Apple’s Find My network. This means as long as an AirTag is within Bluetooth range of anybody’s iPhone (or other Apple device), it can passively communicate with it and then help you locate it.
Can you track an AirTag from miles away?
Yes, you can locate an AirTag that’s hundreds of miles away or even internationally, providing it is within Bluetooth range of someone’s iPhone. If you leave an AirTag in a coffee shop on the other side of the world, you’ll still be able to see it because it’s close to so many other people’s iPhones. If you lose an AirTag in a remote-but-nearby place like the woods behind your house, however, you won’t be able to find it unless someone with an iPhone walks into its Bluetooth range.
What is the distance an individual AirTag can track with Bluetooth?
Apple has not specified the exact Bluetooth range of an AirTag, but it’s believed that each AirTag supports Bluetooth 5.0 (same as the latest iPhones), which means it should be trackable within 800 feet.
Do you have to charge an AirTag?
You do not have to charge an AirTag, but you will have to change its battery. Each AirTag relies on a circular CR2032 battery, which you can buy for a few bucks on Amazon. To remove the battery, flip the AirTag over to the polished metal side, push down and twist clockwise.
What is an AirTag’s battery life? How long do AirTags last?
Apple claims that the battery of an AirTag should last about one year, but your mileage may vary depending on how active a given AirTag has been over its life.
Can I check an AirTag’s battery life?
Yes. To see how much battery life an AirTag has remaining, go to the Find My app, select the Items subsection at the bottom of the screen and select the AirTag you are curious about.
Can I view an AirTag’s location history?
No. The FindMy app will allow you to see the current location of any given AirTag that is connected to your account, but you cannot view the path of an AirTag over time, nor is the location history of an AirTag contained within the tag itself. This is in part an attempt by Apple to limit AirTag’s utility as a tracking device, in combination with some other security features that will detect and alert you to nearby AirTags that are not yours unless their owner is also nearby.
Can you use AirTags to track pets?
AirTags aren’t designed to track pets. This is because if your dog or cat goes really off the grid, an AirTag won’t be useful unless they somehow walk by somebody with an iPhone. However, even though Apple doesn’t exactly recommend it, you can use an AirTag to track your pets. There’s a growing list of third-party AirTag accessories designed specifically for pets.
Can you use AirTags to track people? (And how is Apple preventing the misuse of this?)
Apple baked each AirTag with security features that prevent them from being used to track people. If you have an iPhone running iOS 14.5 (or later) and an AirTag that isn’t registered under your Apple ID is following you, then it’ll alert you via a push notification from the Find My app. If you have an older iPhone that can’t run iOS 14.5, or an Android smartphone, you’ll still get a warning about orphan AirTags that may be in the vicinity because any AirTag that’s been out of range of its parent phone will start making a noise after three days of isolation.
As of early 2022, after a growing number of cases where AirTags were misused to track people (and a lot of public pressure), Apple announced that it would introduce further security measures to AirTags. These new security measures include alerting people earlier if an unknown AirTag has been following them and, for people with an iPhone 11 or later, they’ll be able to use precision finding to find the exact location of the unwanted AirTag.
(You can read more about these new AirTag security measures, here.)
Can you use your iPhone to find an unknown AirTag?
As of November 2022, Apple rolled out two firmware updates — 2.0.24 and 2.0.36 — that will allow iPhone owners to use Precision Finding to find an unknown AirTag that is following them. They can even initiate the AirTag to make a sound so that they can more easily find it. The update was rolled out to combat people who were using AirTags to stalk people.
Note: in order for this to work, the iPhone used must be an iPhone 11 or later. This is because Precision Finding requires the iPhone model to have Apple’s special U1 chip that supports Ultra Wideband technology.
How often does an AirTag update its location?
It depends! AirTags don’t broadcast their location directly to your phone. Instead, they relay their location information to nearby iPhones or other devices in Apple’s Find My network. Those devices then automatically and securely pass on that information to you. If your AirTag is in a busy area where there are lots of iPhones coming and going, its location may be updated as frequently as every minute or two. But if your AirTag is in a comparatively deserted area, you may stop getting location updates altogether, because the AirTag quite literally cannot reach you if there are no other Find My devices in its radius.
What does the last seen message mean?
Because AirTags don’t actively broadcast their location directly to your phone, their specific whereabouts are only updated when another device using the Find My network passes within proximity of them. The last seen message indicates the most recent time that a given AirTag made contact with another Apple device that was able to relay its location to the broader network.
If your AirTag’s last seen time was a long time ago, it means that AirTag is in a relatively isolated area, without many passing iPhones (or other devices) to report in on its location. It’s also possible that your AirTag is no longer where it was last seen, and there just haven’t been any devices nearby that can provide an update on its new location.
How many AirTags can you have?
Any given Apple ID can have a maximum of 16 AirTags associated with it at one time.
Are AirTags waterproof?
No, but they are close. Each AirTag has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, meaning it can be submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes. This is roughly the same water-resistance rating as the iPhone SE 2020, but it’s not as good as the IP68 rating of the latest iPhones, which allows them to be submerged in six meters of water for 30 minutes.
Can I trigger an AirTag to make a sound?
Yes, if your AirTag is within Bluetooth distance of your phone, you can cause the AirTag to make a sound to help you find it. This is particularly helpful if your phone does not support the more advanced Precision Finding feature.
To make your AirTag make a noise, simply go to the FindMy app, click the Items tab, choose the AirTag you want to find, and select Play Sound.
You can also ask Siri to do this for you by saying Hey Siri, find my [object].
How are AirTags similar to Tile trackers?
Apple’s AirTags and Tile’s trackers are actually very similar. Both are tiny location-tracking gadgets that rely on a Bluetooth connection to work. When the tracker is in Bluetooth range (which is around 30 feet), you can open an app on your smartphone or tablet and quickly locate the tracker. When the tracker is not in Bluetooth range of your device, you can set to a Lost mode and it will then anonymously communicate with other people devices; when they come into Bluetooth range of the tracker you’ll get a notification with your tracker’s location without the other person ever have knowledge that they helped you find it.
Only you can see where your AirTag is. Your location data and history are never stored on the AirTag itself. If you lose your AirTag it can be put into Lost Mode.
How are AirTags different from Tile trackers?
There are two major differences between Apple’s AirTags and Tile’s trackers. AirTags are able to anonymously communicate with any Apple device that uses Find My network, which includes any iPhone, iPad or Mac. While Tile relies on devices with its Tile app downloaded. Because there are a lot more iPhones (and other Apple devices) then there are devices with Tile’s app downloaded, it means that AirTags are going to be better at tracking in these scenarios.
The other big difference is that AirTags have a feature called Precision Finding, which takes takes advantage of Apple’s U1 chip (as well as your iPhone’s accelerometer and gyroscope). When you’re in Bluetooth range, an arrow will appear on your Find My app and it’ll point you to the exact location of your AirTag. The catch is that only the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 models can take advantage of Precision Tracking, as they’re the only iPhones with Apple’s U1 chip so far.
Your iPhone can lead you straight to your AirTag with Precision Finding. Using Ultra Wideband technology, you‘ll see the distance to your AirTag and the direction to head in.
How do you attach AirTags to things?
Unless you can slip the AirTag into a bag or into your wallet, you’ll almost definitely need to buy an accessory that’s specifically designed for an AirTag — and there’s a whole ecosystem of Apple-made or third-party-made accessories for AirTags. There’s also tape!
How thick is an AirTag? Can you fit one in your wallet?
An AirTag is a puck-shaped gadget that’s 0.31 inches in height and 1.26-inches in diameter. All-in-all, it’s about the size of a piece of Mentos candy. It will be able to fit into most wallets, although it won’t fit as nicely as if it were as thin as quarter or the shape of a credit card.
Can an AirTag be shared by multiple family members?
Each AirTag can only be associated with one person’s Apple ID, which, unfortunately, is why they can’t really be shared between with family members. However, if you were to let somebody in your family borrow something that has an AirTag on it, you can select Pause Safety Alerts in the AirTag’s settings via the Find My app and it will prevent it from making a sound or sending you safety alerts.
Can my AirTag be stolen?
An AirTag that’s registered to you can’t be stolen and then used by someone else. That’s because in order to factory reset the AirTag, you need the consent of the person whose Apple ID it is filed under. If you don’t have that consent, all you can technically do is remove the AirTag’s battery. If you do this, the owner of the AirTag will only be able to see the AirTag’s last known location.
Can you use an AirTag find your phone?
If you attach an AirTag to a phone that doesn’t already support the FindMy app (like an older iPhone, or an Android phone), you’ll be able to find your phone via its attached AirTag by using any other device with the FindMy app, like another iPhone or an iPad, or by going to iCloud.com.
You are not able to use an individual AirTag to locate an iPhone that it is paired to.
Does an AirTag have a hole for a keychain, or any way to mount a clip or hook?
No, the intended way to use an AirTag as a keychain is to purchase an additional holder accessory, of which there are many. However, if you are daring, it is possible to drill a hole in an AirTag which can be used to attach it directly to a keychain. When done properly, this won’t actually impede the AirTag’s ability to function. But it may just be easier to buy a keychain, slip the AirTag in an already-existing. or even just use some tape.
