Detecting unwanted trackers
Apple designed AirTags and the Find My network to help users keep track of belongings and—at the same time—discourage unwanted tracking. To further help safeguard that no device is unknowingly tracking users, Apple and Google created an industry standard. With it, users (both iOS and Android) can be alerted if they are being tracked.
If you feel your safety is at risk, contact your local law enforcement. If the item is an Apple product, law enforcement can work with Apple to request information related to the item. You might need to provide the AirTag, AirPods, Find My network accessory, and the device's serial number.
Unwanted tracking alert software availability:
Unwanted tracking alerts for AirTags and other Find My accessories are available on iPhone or iPad running iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5, or later.
Unwanted tracking alerts for unknown Bluetooth tracking devices that are compatible with the Detecting Unwanted Location Trackers industry specification are available on iPhones running iOS 17.5 or later.
Google provides unwanted tracking detection on devices with Android 6.0 or later.
Find out how: To view a task below, select the plus button next to its title.
If you get an unwanted tracking alert
Follow these steps to find the item:
Tap the alert.
Tap continue and then tap Play Sound, or, if you available, tap Find Nearby to use Precision Finding to help you locate the unknown item.
If the option to play a sound isn’t available or if you’re unable to locate the item with Precision Finding, the item may not be near you anymore. If you believe the item is still with you, look through your belongings to try to locate it. Check on your person, or in anything in your possession that could contain this device. It could be in an item that you don’t check often, like a jacket pocket, the outer compartment of a bag, or your vehicle. If you can’t find the device and if you feel your safety is at risk, go to a safe public location and contact law enforcement.
If you previously received an alert and want to review the information again
Do one of the following:
On your iPhone or iPad: Open the Find My app , then tap Items, then tap Items Detected With You.
On your Mac: Open the Find My app , click Items, then click Items Detected With You.
To learn more, see the Apple Support article What to do if you get an alert that an AirTag, Find My network accessory, or set of AirPods is with you.
If you find an AirTag, Find My accessory, or compatible Bluetooth tracking device
Follow these steps to get information about it:
Hold the top of your iPhone or near the item until a notification appears.
Tap the notification. This opens a website that provides information about the item, including:
Serial number or device ID
Last four digits of the phone number or an obfuscated email address of the person who registered it. This can help you identify the owner, if you know them.
If the owner marked the item as lost, you might see a message with information about how to contact the owner.
If you are concerned the item might be being used to track you
Take a screenshot of the item and owner information for your records.
Disable the device and stop it from sharing it’s location by tapping Instructions to Disable and following the on screen steps.
If you feel your safety is at risk, contact your local law enforcement. If the item is an Apple product, law enforcement can work with Apple to request information related to the item. You might need to provide the AirTag, AirPods, Find My network accessory, and the device’s serial number.
After the item is disabled, the owner can no longer get updates on its current location. You will also no longer receive any unwanted tracking alerts for this item.
Check for AirTags or Find My accessories using an Android device
Visit the Find Unknown Trackers support page for more information on how to check for unwanted tracking on Android devices.
If you hear an AirTag make a sound
When moved, any AirTag separated for a period of time from the person who registered it makes a sound to alert those nearby. If you find an AirTag after hearing it make a sound, you can use any device that has near-field communication (NFC) technology, such as an iPhone or Android phone, to see if its owner marked it as lost and help return it. If you feel your safety is at risk, you can contact your local law enforcement, who can work with Apple. You might need to provide the AirTag or its serial number.
AirTag item sharing
Item Sharing allows AirTag owners to share the item with up to five people at a time. Borrowers can:
See the location of the AirTag in Find My
Use Precision Finding to locate the AirTag
Play a sound if the AirTag is lost
Be notified when someone new has joined the sharing group
See each member of the sharing group’s Apple ID or Contact Information if the other member is saved to their Contacts
Note: Borrowers can’t see which borrower has the AirTag
Because everyone in the sharing group can see the location of the AirTag, unwanted tracking alerts for that AirTag are suppressed for all sharing group members. When someone leaves the sharing group or when the item owner removes them from the group, they’re unable to view the location of the AirTag, and unwanted tracking alerts resume.
To learn more, see Share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPhone in the iPhone User Guide.
Remove yourself from a Sharing Group using Safety Check
Note: After you remove yourself, you can’t see the location of the AirTag, and unwanted tracking alerts resume. You may want to see if the AirTag is near you before removing yourself from the share.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
Tap Manage Sharing & Access.
Tap Items > Stop Sharing.
Remove yourself from a Sharing Group using Find My
Note: After you remove yourself, you can’t see the location of the AirTag, and unwanted tracking alerts resume. You may want to see if the AirTag is near you before removing yourself from the share.
Open the Find My app .
Tap Items, and tap the item you’d like to remove yourself from.
Tap Remove.
Remove others from a share using Safety Check
Tap Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
Tap Manage Sharing & Access > Continue.
Tap the name of the person whom you’d like to stop sharing with, then tap Review Sharing.
Tap Items, and tap Stop Sharing.
Remove others from a share using Find My
Open the Find My app .
Tap Items, then tap the Item name.
Tap the name of the sharee whom you’d like to remove.
Tap Remove > Stop Sharing.