How to Know If an AirTag Is Following You (iPhone & Android) & What to Do
“AirTag Found Moving With You” is a scary alert. There's almost always an innocent explanation (a friend's keys in your car), but you need to know how to check. The official steps for iPhone and Android, and what to do if it isn't innocent.
An AirTag has no GPS: it asks nearby iPhones to send its encrypted location to its owner. That makes it perfect for keys and dangerous in the hands of anyone who wants to follow a person. That's why Apple warns anyone carrying someone else's AirTag, and since May 2024 Android does too, under a shared standard for both.
The alerts you may see
- iPhone: “AirTag Found Moving With You,” “AirPods Detected,” or “Unknown Accessory Detected” (from the Find My network or other compatible Bluetooth accessories). iOS 14.5 or later.
- Android (6.0 or later): “[Item] is moving with you,” thanks to the specification Apple and Google published in 2024. You can also run a manual scan.
- An AirTag that has been away from its owner for a while plays a sound on its own.
What to do on iPhone, step by step (as Apple recommends)
- Tap the alert, then Play Sound to find it by ear.
- If your iPhone supports it, use Precision Finding: it shows the direction and distance to the AirTag.
- Check your pockets, the lining of your bag and, above all, the car (underbody, bumpers, trunk).
- When you have it, hold the top of your iPhone near the white side of the AirTag: the serial number and the last four digits of the owner's phone number will appear. Take a screenshot.
- To disable it, remove the battery (turn the metal cover). Turning off Bluetooth or Location on your iPhone won't help.
To check manually: Find My › Items › at the bottom, Unknown Items Detected With Me.
What to do on Android
Keep the unknown tracking alerts turned on (they're under Settings › Safety & emergency on most phones) and, if you're suspicious, run a manual scan from there. Apple also offers the Tracker Detect app on Google Play: if it detects a nearby device for at least 10 minutes, you can make it play a sound.
If it isn't innocent
Apple says it plainly: if you feel your safety is at risk, go to a public place and contact the police; they may ask for the serial number of the AirTag and of your phone. Each AirTag is linked to an Apple account, and Apple hands that data to the authorities with a valid request. In Spain, 112 for emergencies, 091 (National Police) and 062 (Guardia Civil), and 016 if it's your partner or ex-partner. Don't throw it away: it's evidence.
And the other way round: it's not for people
If you're thinking about putting an AirTag on your child or your mother, first read why Apple doesn't want that and what to do instead. An honest family location app is the opposite of a hidden AirTag: the person can see that they're sharing, with whom, and can stop at any time. Presence, not surveillance.
Sources
- Apple: what to do if you get an alert that an AirTag or accessory is moving with you
- Apple and Google: unwanted tracking alerts on iOS and Android (May 13, 2024)
- Apple: an update on AirTag and unwanted tracking (Feb 10, 2022)
