Apple air tags

I'm not sure what that refers to, but I have an AirTag in my car and, when we were in the UK and Italy last year, I was able to "see" my AirTag (via the Find My app) parked in front of our house from 5,600 miles away.

An Apple Air Tag works by bouncing off iPhones (does not have to be your iPhone). If there is no iPhone around, it isn’t helpful. That being said, more often than not, someone with an iPhone will walk past the Air tag (in a car, your suitcase, or on your key ring). Once that happens, you have a location.

I have used mine frequently, since my suitcase has a way of taking trips of its own. And I love being able to see where it is. Are they perfect? No. But are they extremely useful? I think so.

That is not correct. What would be the point of having it? For my lack of any ability to give a technical explanation, the info is gathered as other iPhones are near it, so perhaps that is what you are misunderstanding. It's not your phone that has to be within 10 meters of where the air tag is.

It worked perfectly fine for tracking our luggage for a recent international flight. Though Delta did a great job with sending luggage updates as well. When I really needed it was when I had to drop off my husband at a massive medical facility with many, many buildings while in France; then I had to park the car and try to figure out where he was; I couldn't get it to track his backpack. It was maddening. Probably bad signals in the hospital. But in a foreign country, unfamiliar with the lay of the land and a language barrier, and in need of urgent medical attention; it really would have been so great if it had worked. So it's not perfect.

Thank you. I did not realize any iPhone could provide the information on location using Find My App. I was assuming my iPhone had to be nearby. I think I now understand! Will give them a try.

I recently purchased Air Tags for an upcoming trip. They seem to be working well in my tests. Perhaps the 10 meter "rule" applies to being able to hone in to the EXACT location of the tag from your phone. For example, I can see the location of the tag when it's miles away from me, but the information is not specific. But let's say I need to find something I know is nearby, like a set of car keys in my home. My phone will pick up the signal if I'm close enough to the tag and guide me to it. I can also send an audio signal to help me find the tag/keys.

The only time our AirTags have not worked well was in Mexico, not showing our bags until they were loaded onto the plane, and they were picked up by iPhones belonging to passengers. We realized that the dead zone issue was that many people in Mexico use android phones…useless for picking up AirTags.

When we were coming home on a British Air flight from London Heathrow last year, well over 100 passengers’ luggage was left behind at the airport (wouldn’t you think someone might have noticed a half full cargo area?? :)). I noticed that my Findmy app kept showing “Last seen at Terminal 5”, but of course, assumed it was just a glitch. Nope…we all queued up in Seattle as BA tried to figure out what to do…especially for those of us traveling on to another airport. The really nice thing was that the next day when the bags left Heathrow, we were able to follow their progress with the AirTags…across the Atlantic, over Greenland…and all the way to our local airport.

And our son and daughter-in-law have an AirTag on their elderly, deaf Labrador who tends to wander…

Just used my AirTags for the first time on a trip. They worked great and gave me assurance my bags were actually with me as I changed planes, but they're certainly not a "necessity" for me. Now that I'm home I'll need to figure out how to repurpose them (OK - one went on my golf bag).

I think they meant 10m when you are setting it up and linking to your computer.

I find that, in the US at least, my AirTags will often show my bag at the last airport tarmac or at the present airport tarmac, but I've learned to ignore it as it will show up on my iPhone just about when it is being spit out onto the carousel. So, don't immediately panic if it reveals the last airport. I think a lot of luggage personnel...blank on their real titles...don't carry their iPhones or don't have them on while working.

Now that I'm home I'll need to figure out how to repurpose them.

I keep one attached to my keys. If you ever misplace them, you can use your phone to signal the airtag to play a sound.

Yes I have one on my keys too, and also on my dog's collar and grandson's school backpack.