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Reason077

macrumors 601
Original poster
Aug 14, 2007
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AirTag design flaw? It seems like the battery cover comes off much too easily! When I got home this evening and reached into my pocket for my keys, I found the AirTag battery cover and its battery had detached themselves.

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Yeah, warning!: They're delicate and quite easily broken. You have to treat them with kid gloves for them not to fall apart or break if squashed even a little bit!
 
I'm serious. Any squashing pressure on the tag, and the tiny board inside can fail. Hence returned for new ones.
Glad I saw this thread. These two reports are the first I have seen. I think the OP's may have been due to the holder. Will keep an eye on this to see if there end up being more reports on here. I have an Apple leather keychain for my Airtag. The other two are are each in a small sandwich bag in their respective places.
 
I'm serious. Any squashing pressure on the tag, and the tiny board inside can fail. Hence returned for new ones.
In your other thread you said that your Airtags were broken out of the box.
Now you seem to be suggesting that you have broken them yourself by exerting “squashing pressure on the tag”.

It is getting rather difficult to understand what is really happening to be frank.
 
In your other thread you said that your Airtags were broken out of the box.
Now you seem to be suggesting that you have broken them yourself by exerting “squashing pressure on the tag”.

It is getting rather difficult to understand what is really happening to be frank.
Next: “spontaneous” explosion.
 
life on a key ring is rough.
i have gone through a few garage door pendants and now dont put anything on the key ring, but maybe the keys.

good to know the airTags come apart easy. some how it doesn't surprise me tho.
 
life on a key ring is rough.
i have gone through a few garage door pendants and now dont put anything on the key ring, but maybe the keys.

good to know the airTags come apart easy. some how it doesn't surprise me tho.
I agree. I have seen YouTube videos where they clip an airtag on to a bunch of keys with god knows how many other things such as fluffy unicorns and lucky charms.
I can’tt see an airtag lasting long with that sort of daily abuse.
 
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I think the OP's may have been due to the holder.

I don’t think so. The Belkin keychain doesn’t put any real pressure on the AirTag. A loose AirTag in your pocket would have the same problem.

Certainly a rigid holder which fully covers/encloses the shiny side of the AirTag would be better, however, as it would prevent anything bumping against the battery cover and loosening it.

Note that my AirTag wasn’t broken in any way, it’s working perfectly after putting the battery back in. It’s just that the battery cover seems like it can loosen and undo itself a bit too easily!

If it happens again I might try putting a drop or two of Loctite in there.
 
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It is possible that while handling the Airtag you accidentally turned the back just enough but not quite enough to open it, and then being inside your pocket it jogged it loose. I opened one of mine because I was curious, and as I was closing it up I can see how the twist function, if not closed correctly, can lead to it popping open.
 
It is possible that while handling the Airtag you accidentally turned the back just enough but not quite enough to open it, and then being inside your pocket it jogged it loose. I opened one of mine because I was curious, and as I was closing it up I can see how the twist function, if not closed correctly, can lead to it popping open.

Yes, no doubt it got squeezed and jostled between my keys and other things in my pocket. I had never deliberately opened the battery case before I found it opened on it's own, however!
 
I have that same case and I noticed that the Airtag spins easier facing one way vs facing the other. I'm curious if you have it installed with the plastic side facing the internal rubber bumpers (battery plate facing away)?
 
I have that same case and I noticed that the Airtag spins easier facing one way vs facing the other. I'm curious if you have it installed with the plastic side facing the internal rubber bumpers (battery plate facing away)?
Yeah I was wondering whether OP had it installed the opposite way either. AFAIK the chrome part of the AirTag with the Apple logo should be on the same side of the keychain with the Belkin logo up top. From OP's photo it looks like he might have it installed backwards.

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Yeah I was wondering whether OP had it installed the opposite way either. AFAIK the chrome part of the AirTag with the Apple logo should be on the same side of the keychain with the Belkin logo up top. From OP's photo it looks like he might have it installed backwards.

Interesting! As far as I can see, each side of the Belkin keychain is pretty much identical (aside from the markings), so I don't think it would make any difference. The instructions also do not make any reference to one way being more correct than the other. But I will try reversing it to see if it makes any difference.
 
Interesting! As far as I can see, each side of the Belkin keychain is pretty much identical (aside from the markings), so I don't think it would make any difference. The instructions also do not make any reference to one way being more correct than the other. But I will try reversing it to see if it makes any difference.
I don't think the instructions do a good job explaining the orientation but it definitely shows the smaller, chrome part of the AirTags as facing the side with the Belkin logo. I'm guessing that side has a larger lip to keep the AirTag cover in place.
 

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Interesting! As far as I can see, each side of the Belkin keychain is pretty much identical (aside from the markings), so I don't think it would make any difference. The instructions also do not make any reference to one way being more correct than the other. But I will try reversing it to see if it makes any difference.

Similar, but there is only rubber on one side. Here’s a pic of mine. Not a night and day difference, but it’s worth a shot to try flipping it.
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Glad I saw this.
my AirTag fell apart inside the Belkin case and I’ve lost the battery and metal battery cover.
Apple kindly said they would replace the part at “full retail price” and I was thinking how generous that was.
 
I purchase 8 and 6 are on family key chains, 5 of which are dropped or thumped on its regularly with zero problems. The 6th one, on my key chain I carried in my Jens pocket with 6 keys and a flashlight on the ring and has been fine. The other 2 are on in iPad case and motorcycle and neither of these have given any issues. I will admit, even the roughly treated ones have not been beaten with a hammer, but none of them has come apart either. I did have to take a battery out ozone to establish the initial connection to my phone but it's been great since. Oh, and I got these the day they came out. Good luck.
 
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