AirTags: How and When Your Device Updates Its Location

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Discover how your AirTag lets you know where it is located
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Are you a new AirTag owner (or are considering buying one) and wondered how often your AirTag updates location? The answer is "it depends." Your AirTag can update every 60 to 120 seconds, though it all depends on where your AirTag is located and how close it is to other iPhones or Apple devices. In this article we'll go over how often an AirTag updates its location, the AirTag's range, and if your AirTag keeps a history of its locations for you to browse.

Things You Should Know

  • AirTags use Bluetooth signals to communicate with nearby iPhones or other Apple devices to update their location.
  • While AirTags don't have their own defined range, they work within iPhone Bluetooth range, which is about 33 feet.
  • Neither AirTags nor the Find My app keep a location history for your AirTag as a security measure to prevent illegal tracking.
Section 1 of 3:

How often does an AirTag update its location?

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    However, how often the location is updated depends on how many iPhones in the Find My network are nearby.
    • AirTags are not real-time trackers. They don't broadcast their location, but instead send out Bluetooth signals that are detected by other iPhones that have Find My iPhone switched on in their settings. This information is relayed to you via the Find My app on your phone. [1]
    • If your AirTag is in a busy area surrounded by other iPhones, its location can be updated every one to two minutes. However, if your AirTag is in a secluded area without much foot traffic, its location may never update due to lack of nearby iPhones.
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Section 2 of 3:

AirTag Range

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    As long as your AirTag is in Bluetooth range of any iPhone or Apple device in the Find My network, it will passively communicate with you.
    • Bluetooth range varies, but an iPhone's range is about 33 feet (10 meters). This distance may be impacted if there's something blocking the device, such as a wall. [2]
Section 3 of 3:

Can I check an AirTag's location history?

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    You can only see the location your AirTag is currently in, or the location where it was when it last pinged a nearby iPhone or Apple device. This is a security measure to ensure AirTags cannot be used as a tracking device.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.apple.com/airtag/
      2. ↑ support.apple.com/guide/iphone/bluetooth-accessories-iph3c50f191/ios

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