Although the tracking device designed to locate personal belongings like backpacks, luggage, wallets, and more, there are people who misuse its functions. Soon after Apple released AirTag in 2021, cases of stalkers or bad actors tracking people without their consent started to pop up on the internet. To prevent unwanted tracking, Apple has a feature that lets s find out if an AirTag or other Find My network accessory is nearby.
It is important to note that it's not just AirTag, but other Apple accessories, such as AirPods, that can their location to the Find My network. This makes them easier to track, but at the same time, people can use these accessories to keep tabs on others. To prevent this, Apple released an unwanted tracking notification system, which notifies s if an unknown AirTag is moving with them over time. However, s must ensure that Location Services, Find My iPhone, and Significant Locations are enabled to receive such alerts. Bluetooth and Tracking Notifications in the Find My app should also be active.
How Apple Notifies You About A Nearby AirTag
When all these settings are in place, s' Apple devices running iOS 14.5 or iPadOS 14.5 or later will notify s if an unknown AirTag is traveling with them. On its page, Apple mentions that s are notified of unwanted tracking in two ways. First, they get an alert on their Apple device that reads, "AirTag found moving with you." Tapping this alert opens the Find My app that displays a map of "where the Airtag, Find My network accessory, or set of AirPods" have been observed with the , along with available actions.
Depending on the distance between the and the AirTag, the Find My app shows multiple actions when it detects unwanted tracking. On an iPhone that s ultra-wideband, s should be able to locate the unknown AirTag through Precision Finding. If the AirTag is within Bluetooth range of the iPhone, s can play a sound to get an idea of its position. Once s locate the AirTag, they can hold the top of their iPhone or other NFC-capable smartphone near the white side of the AirTag and tap the notification on the screen.
The notification contains a link to a website that displays vital information about the AirTag, including its serial number and the last digits of the owner's phone number. If the AirTag has been marked lost, the website will provide the required information to its owner. If not, s can disable the AirTag on the same website by tapping 'Instructions to disable' so that it can't share the location with its owner anymore. If Android s are suspicious about an AirTag tracking them, they can the Tracker Detect app from Play Store to locate and disable it.
At any given time, several AirTag s could be in proximity to each other, which is normal. However, when a Find My network accessory is not traveling with its owner but with someone else, the unwanted tracking notification kicks in. It's also possible that an AirTag or Find My compatible accessory could be attached to an item, such as a bag that s have borrowed from someone else.
Source: Apple