The Lost AirTag
The Lost AirTag
The Lost AirTag is Apple’s accessory for tracking your personal important items like keys or a bag. But what should you do if you find an AirTag that belongs to someone else, on an item that someone has lost or misplaced?
The AirTag contains a small Bluetooth radio that transmits to nearby iPhones and allows the owner of the AirTag to see where it is was last found on a map. Assuming there has been someone with an iPhone or other device on the Find My network in the vicinity, the owner of the AirTag should be able to locate it and know where their lost item is.
An AirTag will automatically start making a sound if it is out of range of its owner for a few days. This may help you find it in someone’s lost possessions, as you will be able to hear the chirping noise.
What to do if you find an item with an AirTag attached?
If you want to help return their lost item to its owner, the best option is to hold the AirTag close to your iPhone or Android phone, with the plastic white side facing towards you. This is because the AirTag includes an NFC chip in it so it can be read by any modern smartphone.
The AirTags NFC will direct you to a web page. This page will include information about the AirTag like its serial number. If the owner of the AirTag has put the tag into Lost Mode, they can provide a phone number and a message. This contact info will then appear on the web page when the AirTag is scanned so you can reach out to them.
What does ‘AirTag Found Moving With You’ mean?
If you see an AirTag Found Moving With You notification on your iPhone or iPad, it means that there is an AirTag nearby that is travelling with you. This could be because the owner is nearby or the tag Is attached to an item that you are borrowing.
You can disable these notifications for this tag by interacting with the alert and choose to Pause Safety Alerts for one day. If the tag is associated with someone in your family (that is, in the same Family Sharing group as you) you can disable Safety Alerts for that tag permanently.
If you are worried that someone is using the tag to track you nefariously, you can remove the battery of the AirTag to prevent it from sending its location over the Find My network. If necessary, local law enforcement can contact Apple and find out who the AirTag is registered to.