Airtag check in time

[nzh999]

Hi,

Hopefully a straightforward question (!)

How often does an Airtag 'check in' when it separated from the paired phone? Or does it only do this when checked via the Find My app?

Thanks,
Neil.

 

[waw74]

How often does an Airtag 'check in' when it separated from the paired phone?

they don't specify, but it's multiple times per hour,

does it only do this when checked via the Find My app?

that's the whole point, your phone doesn't have to be close. it uses the "find my networK"
the tags send out a ping, that's picked up by any apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) even if it's owned by someone else. Those are then forwarded to apple, and in turn, you can see the location that was logged.
Phones will also store the messages till they get signal, so if you drop your keys while hiking in the middle of nowhere, and someone with an iPhone comes along later, their phone will hold on to that ping until it gets back to cell service.

the pings are fully secured from end to end, and they change their IDs, so someone can't identify you by the ID coming off the tag, And the location is encrypted till it gets to you, even apple supposedly can't see it.

 

[nzh999]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I have a broad understanding on how they work (but thanks for the extra info) and having not owned an Airtag before I was trying to get a sense of what was 'normal' behaviour.

For example, the airtag I have is registered to my Apple ID. If my son goes for a walk for 20-30 minute taking my Airtag and his iPhone with him (for airtag connectivity) the phone location updates in Find My, but the airtag doesn't move - it thinks it is still with me at the starting location. Is this normal? Should I expect the Airtag to ping in that timeframe? Precision finding when the device is nearby works fine, so I don't think the Airtag itself is faulty.

Thanks.

 

[fischersd]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I have a broad understanding on how they work (but thanks for the extra info) and having not owned an Airtag before I was trying to get a sense of what was 'normal' behaviour.

For example, the airtag I have is registered to my Apple ID. If my son goes for a walk for 20-30 minute taking my Airtag and his iPhone with him (for airtag connectivity) the phone location updates in Find My, but the airtag doesn't move - it thinks it is still with me at the starting location. Is this normal? Should I expect the Airtag to ping in that timeframe? Precision finding when the device is nearby works fine, so I don't think the Airtag itself is faulty.

Thanks.

I haven't seen anywhere that Apple has posted what algorithm they use for how often AirTags will send updates.

Apple employees that do participate in the forums here would never post information that hasn't been publicized (well, not unless they're an idiot) - doing so can cost them their jobs.

You also didn't state some pertinent info on the test you did. Your son has cellular data? Bluetooth is turned on? His phone isn't also using your Apple ID?

If your son's phone doesn't have cellular data turned on, then the location of the AirTag would only be sent when they had an alternate data path (Wifi) - if they didn't have that until they get home, then it would appear that the AirTag never left, in all likelihood.

 

[nzh999]

I haven't seen anywhere that Apple has posted what algorithm they use for how often AirTags will send updates.

Apple employees that do participate in the forums here would never post information that hasn't been publicized (well, not unless they're an idiot) - doing so can cost them their jobs.

You also didn't state some pertinent info on the test you did. Your son has cellular data? Bluetooth is turned on? His phone isn't also using your Apple ID?

If your son's phone doesn't have cellular data turned on, then the location of the AirTag would only be sent when they had an alternate data path (Wifi) - if they didn't have that until they get home, then it would appear that the AirTag never left, in all likelihood.

Hi,

To clarify I’m not expecting or asking the exact algorithm timings, just whether the behaviour I’ve seen with the Airtag is ‘normal’

My sons phone has mobile data, Bluetooth on and is signed into his own Apple ID

thanks,
Neil

 

[JMZ727]

Is there any way to shut off the AirTag from making a noise after being left behind? The noise is annoying as I have these AirTag attached to many devices not all that are with me. Every day or so if I do move an AirTag that I haven't been around the thing does its jingle and its very annoying.

I also know that people are placing these on their pet's collars, especially cats incase they slip out and hide. Then when these people go on vacation the pets are horrified after they are gone for a few days and now their collars are constantly going off every time they move. A lot of people don't even know this is happening and I can only imagine the mental issues this might cause their pets. I can see how this looks to be a great way to track pets, but unless you can turn this off, its not a good idea to attach them to living creatures.

The only work around I found was to physically remove the speaker on any AirTag that is going to be annoying in this way. The only downside is that you'll no longer be able to intentionally make the AirTag sound its notification, but you can at least still see where it last was detected by a device, in the "Find My" App.

-Jason