Do AirTags Need to Be Charged? Answered

While there are several Bluetooth trackers available in the market, AirTags are one of the best options. They can track your valuable items like keys, luggage, wallet, and more. An AirTag requires power to work, but you can’t charge it like your other Apple devices. If you’ve just got an AirTag, you might be looking for a charging port to re-energize them. Now that you don’t find any charging port, you might be wondering if you can charge AirTags. Or maybe, you want to know how long an AirTag lasts. Whatever your concern is, you’ll get all your answers here.

Does an AirTag Need to Be Charged?

No, AirTags do not need charging. They are powered by a user-replaceable CR2032 lithium CV coin battery, commonly used in small electronic devices. They are popularly known as watch batteries or coin batteries. These batteries are available at most electronic and drug stores for a few bucks.

There’s no way to charge an AirTag. When it gets low on power, you have to replace the internal coin battery with a new one. You’ll know that it’s time to replace the AirTag battery when you see a notification on your iPhone or a low battery warning in the Find My app.

When buying a new set of batteries, remember that Apple recommends using a bitterant-coated CR2032 battery. One such example is the Duracell 2032 Lithium Coin Battery with Bitter Coating.

How Long Does AirTag Battery Last?

Apple claims that the battery in the AirTag should last “more than a year” for everyday usage, which is “four play sound events and one Precision Finding event per day”. How long your AirTag will last depends on how actively you’ve been using it to track your items. Also, which features you use for how much time also has an impact on the battery.

For instance, if you’ve lost your AirTag, you can use the Find My app to make it play a sound. You can keep playing the sound until you find your tracker. How much time your AirTag spends making a noise will also affect its battery life.

With an average usage, your AirTags should work properly for about a year (or even more) before you need to replace the battery. On the flip side, with heavy usage, your AirTags may last a lot less than a year.

Do AirTags Die?

If you don’t change your AirTag batteries when your iPhone notifies you or you see a Low Battery warning in the Find My app, your AirTag will eventually die. Since you can’t track a dead AirTag, make sure to keep an eye on those low-battery alerts and notifications.

Bear in mind that your AirTag will remain associated with your Apple ID, even after its battery dies unless you remove it.

How to Replace AirTag Battery

If your AirTags are low on charge, you must replace the battery so you can continue to track your items without any issues. Fortunately, replacing AirTag batteries is pretty easy and you can do it right at your home. The AirTag and its components are tiny, so the process is a bit fiddly. You’ll have to use both your hands. Before you begin, make sure to remove your AirTag from any mounts, keyring holders, or other accessories.

1. To change the AirTag battery, you need to flip the AirTag so the polished metal side is up.
2. Now, press down and twist it counterclockwise.
3. Remove the old battery and swap in a new one.
4. Now, position the lid back in place. When properly connected, you will hear a sound.

For detailed steps, head to our dedicated guide on how to replace the AirTag battery.

How Far Can You Track an AirTag?

You can track an AirTag miles away or in a different country as long as it is in the Bluetooth range of an Apple device on Find My network. It’s worth mentioning that the Find My network has over a billion devices. So, there is a high chance that an AirTag will come into contact with one of the devices and update its location in the Find My app. You won’t see the location updated in real-time, but you can have an idea of the AirTag’s location.

In case the AirTag is out of reach of the Find My network, you will only see its last known location in the Find My app. When the tracker comes in contact with an Apple device, this location will update automatically.

Talking about the range, Apple didn’t specify the exact Bluetooth range for an AirTag. That said, it is believed that an AirTag supports Bluetooth 5.0, the same standard supported by recent iPhones. Its Bluetooth range is around 30 feet.

We hope you’ve got answers to the common charging-related questions about AirTags. Now that you have all the information, make sure you check your AirTag’s battery to avoid being stuck with a dead AirTag. If you wish to unlock all the goodness of this smart tracker, we’ve shared 1o Best AirTag tips & tricks you should know.