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7 surprisingly useful things you can do with Apple AirTags

It turns out these little tracking devices can do a lot more than help find your keys

By Marcus MilliganPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
Top Story - February 2022
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Apple AirTags are little coin-shaped item trackers that use a combination of Bluetooth, NFC, and Ultra Wideband technology to help you locate lost or stolen belongings like keys or backpacks. Since AirTags went on sale last year people have thought of all kinds of useful, fun, and unusual things to do with the $29 tracking device. Here are 7 handy uses for these little homing devices, but first….

How do AirTags work?

Let’s imagine you lose your keys that have an AirTag attached to them, you would then open the Find My app on your Apple device, tap on the items tab, and you would be shown the location of your keys on a map.

This whole system relies on the huge amount of iPhones around the world, as AirTags doesn’t have their own GPS or cellular connection. So whenever an iPhone comes within Bluetooth range of an AirTag the location of your item is encrypted and securely sent to the Find My network, all without the passing iPhone user knowing anything happened.

Once you’re in close proximity to your item, think in a store or your home, the U1 chip inside the AirTag comes into play to guide you to the exact location. As longer as you have a iPhone 11 or newer it will direct you to within inches of your missing items.

1. Keep track of your pets

Pet trackers have been available for a long time but they are often large, expensive, or even require a subscription to get the most out of them. An AirTag won’t quit match the range of a GPS tracker but would be a simple and affordable way to keep track of your fury friend, and it won’t even matter if they end up splashing in muddy puddles thanks to IP67 water resistance.

2. Attach to your bike, scooter, or skateboard

There isn’t always a secure place to leave your bike while at work, school, or simply just popping into a store, so it could be very useful to know it’s location just by looking at your iPhone. All you need to do is find a little hiding place for your AirTag, maybe under the seat or back of the handlebars, and it could save the day if your bike ever gets stolen, or next time you forget which street you left it on.

3. Find your luggage at the airport

Travelling through a busy airport can be stressful, especially if you’re with family or young children, so why not take a little bit of the stress away by tracking your luggage. Not only will it be useful if your bags are lost or stolen but it could also make collecting your belongings from the carousel that little bit easier.

4. Keep track of your children

The first thing I need to say is that AirTags are definitely NOT intended for tracking people and you should never do so without permission. With that being said, it’s a slightly different situation when it comes to your own children. If you’re at a large event, or in a crowded airport, having a AirTag in your child’s pocket could turn out to be very convenient if you lose sight of them.

5. Never forget where you parked your car

You may already have a AirTag on your car keys but it could potentially be even more useful to keep one inside your car. Not only could it be used to track down your motor if it got stolen, but it could also save you from endlessly walking around parking lots if or when you forget where you parked.

6. Track valuable packages

If you have ever had a package lost during shipping then you’ll know how much of a pain it can be looking at tracking numbers or contact the shipping companies customer service department. So if you have some AirTags laying around consider including one in the package next time you’re sending a valuable item or important document.

7. Help keep track of your medical needs

All the things mentioned on this list have the potential to be useful and save you time, but this one could be genuinely lifesaving. If you have some medication or medical device that you might need at a moment’s notice then a AirTag could be the perfect way to make sure you always have the important items with you.

Bonus uses

There is almost an unlimited amount of things you could do with AirTags, here’s some more everyday items that you could attach them to.

🔑 Keys

💳 Wallet

🎒 Backpack

💻 Laptop

🎧 Headphones

🌂 Umbrella

🚁 Drone

Disclaimer: the author of this article has no responsibility for damage or loss caused by carrying out actions mentioned in this article. Always check and follow local laws.

tech
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About the Creator

Marcus Milligan

You can find more of my work and contact information at marcusmilligan.com

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  • Justine Crowley5 months ago

    Amazing. I knew that they can track your luggage while flying, which is more important now if you travel. I knew that they can track your keys, yet I learnt a few new things about them today, thanks to you. I did not know that they can track your pets. That is genius.

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