5 creative ways to use an AirTag

Key Takeaways

• AirTags can be used to track pets, providing peace of mind and the ability to locate them easily through the Find My app.
• Attaching an AirTag to valuable packages can help prevent loss or theft during shipping, allowing you to track its location and monitor its journey.
• AirTags are useful for tracking young children, ensuring their safety in crowded places or during travel.

Apple AirTags are highly-capable, coin-sized trackers that rely on the Find My network. This means that as long as a new iPhone model is around, your AirTag’s location will continue to update on the map. So, considering the iPhone’s global popularity, AirTags and Find My devices are pretty much the most powerful trackers of this kind around.

Typically, users attach AirTags to their keys, wallets, and handbags. However, there are several creative ways to further utilize Apple’s tracker, and we will be listing five of them below.

5 For pet collars

For when your fur babies go astray

Apple didn’t design AirTags for pet tracking. The company mentions that they were built to find personal items. Nonetheless, they’re solid for monitoring the location of your dog or cat. These trackers have an IP67 rating, which makes them resistant to water and dust. This means that even if your pets get muddy, dirty, or wet, the AirTags should still function normally. It also means you can safely shower them with the tracker attached.

There are numerous stories on the web about AirTags helping people find their lost fur babies, and I used to attach one to each of my dogs’ collars before we had to go our separate ways. Back then, a friend once texted me while I was in a different part of the city, saying that they saw one of my dogs wandering down the street. I immediately checked the Find My app, and I could see that both of my dogs were at home, and the wandering dog turned out to be a similar-looking stray.

Had I not had AirTags on their collars, I would’ve worried until I reached my house. Had it been my dog wandering, I would’ve been able to locate him easily by checking the map. It truly helps for peace of mind.

4 When mailing valuable items

Shipping companies sometimes lose packages

We’ve probably all heard some horror stories revolving around lost or stolen packages. While some packages may be insured, some items are invaluable, and trying to get helpful answers from customer support when a package is lost can be tiresome. That’s why attaching an AirTag to the packaged item is not a bad idea. You can even share the AirTag’s live location with the recipient, so you’ll both know its whereabouts. If something goes wrong during the shipment process, you can pinpoint the package’s location and determine which transfer unit it was left.

Once the package arrives, the other recipient can remove the battery to preserve its power until they need to ship you something back. Alternatively, you could disconnect it from your Apple ID so they could pair it with theirs and use it to track their belongings.

3 To track your toddlers

It’s better to be safe than sorry

Another solid use for AirTags is for tracking your youngsters. Whether you’re traveling, walking in a crowded street, or sending them to preschool, an AirTag could help you locate your missing child if something goes wrong. You could leave it in one of their pockets or place it in their backpack if they wear one. However, depending on your child’s age, you may want to conceal it properly to ensure it’s completely out of their sight or reach. You wouldn’t want them to tamper with or try to swallow it.

2 When traveling

You can confirm that your luggage has made it through

Luggage tracking is another handy use case for the AirTag. Luggage-related errors often occur at airports. Sometimes, bags get left behind, and sometimes, they go to the wrong destination. Leaving an AirTag in your bag can help you confirm that your bag has made it onto the plane or that it has reached the correct destination. You can even rely on Precise Finding to locate it on the baggage carousel when you arrive at the destination’s airport.

1 As an anti-theft measure for vehicles

AirTags have helped numerous people recover their stolen cars

We’ve read stories about people finding lost cars, trucks, or bikes, thanks to AirTags. While thieves can scan the vehicle and detect a hidden AirTag, it might not occur to many of them. It’s smart to drop one in a hidden spot that is not easily accessible or visible. However, if someone steals your car, you will have to track it quickly, as the AirTag will eventually start emitting sounds that could alert the thief about its presence. And if they happen to be an iPhone user, iOS will likely notify them about the AirTag following them around.

With Find My network integration, AirTags can be super reliable

AirTags are a double-edged sword. While they’re very handy for tracking all sorts of personal items, bad apples can also abuse their power. Considering Find My network’s broad reach, it’s easy to track anything or anyone at pretty much all times. So, make sure you only attach them to personal belongings or pets. And if an adult is involved in the tracking process, ensure that it’s explicitly communicated and they’re on the same page.