Exactly. Right now I only have one AirTag and it travels with me on my car keys. But I was thinking of getting another one for a backpack that I use occasionally. I did not expect that it would beep if I left it at home, untouched, based on Apple's description of how AirTags work (which I have no reason to doubt other than what I have read in this thread). But if it beeps when my phone is away, that would be a show stopper for me. It would drive our pets up the wall unless I buried the AirTag in a blanket or pile of linens.
And to think I can no longer leave my stuff at the office? It starts beeping like crazy when I am not there!
- Thread starter dontwalkhand
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Maconplasma
Cancelled
There is no such notification option for Airtags.In that circumstance you actually should have been notified that you left the bag behind (unless you've disabled that notification)
(my watch normally notifies me just as I leave the lobby if I've left my iPhone behind)
Maconplasma
Cancelled
You're limiting the entire point. Forget about leaving stuff at home. People leave important things at the coffee house, a restaurant, a meeting, a gathering. The possibilities are limitless.
Maconplasma
Cancelled
Really? Seriously? People can barely hear them as it is from a different room in the house. If your neighbors can hear the Airtags beep from inside your house enough to annoy them then you've got the PRO version of Airtags that nobody else has. 🙄
Understood, but what you and the OP are saying conflicts with Apple's support page that says the tag must move before it starts beeping. If it works as you say then Apple's support page is incorrect, and I will have to figure out who is correct before I buy more of these things.
fischersd
macrumors 603
Maconplasma
Cancelled
Uh yes I prefer to run Current OS’s Not betas. 😊"Notify when left behind"
Sorry - I guess you're not running iOS 15 yet.
Maconplasma
Cancelled
Yes I see what you’re saying. Perhaps it’s best to contact Apple for complete clarification before buying. This doesn’t affect my usage for Airtag but since it does affect you I recommend you reach out to Apple.
Geckotek
macrumors G3
Yes, this makes me so sad. I was ready to dump Tile for the AirTags as I assumed Apple would do it much better. Sadly that didn't turn out to be the case. At least they are finally adding "left behind" in iOS 15. I recall arguing with Tile how this very useful feature was missing from their products and their competitors already had it. They finally released it as a beta and then a paid premium feature. UGH
Tumbleweed666
macrumors 68000
Someone puts an airtag in stalkees bag.Hmm, I thought they only did that if they were IN MOVEMENT and away from your iPhone. But according to this article, they'll "beep if they are away from their owner's iPhone - at a random time between eight and 24 hours - to alert people nearby."
Apple updates AirTags after stalking fears
Critics say the miniature trackers could be used to secretly monitor people's location.www.bbc.com
Makes no sense to me. How could a stationary AirTag be used to stalk anyone?
When the stalkee is home, the bag remains stationary. Stalkee is unaware they are being stalked.
Airtag beeps to notify stalkee.
Last edited:
usagora
macrumors 601
Huh? Why would you want a lost device to draw attention to itself? I thought the whole point was that YOU can track it yourself using the Find My network if you've lost something.
No, that's precisely what Apple says it should do because it's designed to prevent unwanted tracking (not theft).
The beeping only occurs AFTER it has been traveling with someone/something while away from you. The OP is simply leaving something behind (intentionally) and it is NOT traveling (in movement) while away from him.
See above. His AirTag isn't in movement and thus cannot possibly be used to stalk anyone.
So, in summary, according to Apple, the only time the AirTag is designed to emit a sound is when you ping it yourself or if the AirTag detects it's potentially being used to stalk someone.
usagora
macrumors 601
But that's not what's happening in the OP's case. The AirTag isn't moving while away from his iPhone. If the AirTag never moves from where the OP last left it, then obviously it's impossible for it to be stalking anyone.
Tumbleweed666
macrumors 68000
What about loss? Take the OP, his bag is usually in two locations, home and office. But say he lost it somewhere else. He wants it to be ready to go not have to trigger it on and off each time he takes it somewhere.
Maconplasma
Cancelled
You’re making up a scenario for the OP. He was talking about leaving his stuff at home. 🙄
usagora
macrumors 601
@Maconplasma I'm glad you found my posts humorous, but since I see no reply from you, I'll assume you agree with the points I made. If not, then it would sure be helpful for you to explain how what I said was wrong.
Apples n' Stone
macrumors 65816
Having not got an Airtag yet I’d be interested to hear what your findings are, as I too would intend to leave airtags at home quite frequently!
having to set it up again etc would somewhat ruin the benefits.
having to set it up again etc would somewhat ruin the benefits.
fischersd
macrumors 603
Actually, Apple intends that lost devices draw attention to themselves - so they become found. It's also why when the airtag is in lost mode, if you tap it with any device that supports NFC, you will get the owners contact information. This is the primary use case for AirTags - finding lost things.
Original behaviour of the airtag (as written on the Apple website) is certainly changing - you can't count on the marketing information on the website to keep pace with these changes - there will be disparity.
Lastly - "If the AirTag never moves from where the OP last left it, then obviously it's impossible for it to be stalking anyone." You're REALLY giving a lot of credit for a tiny little device that doesn't have any GPS built into it. There's lots of scenarios where the airtag won't detect any movement, but is actually in motion.
It has an accelerometer to detect motion. https://www.ifixit.com/News/50145/airtag-teardown-part-one-yeah-this-tracks
And I'm not relying on marketing info - I'm looking at the support page. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212227
usagora
macrumors 601
To me, they might as well have it say out loud, "Hey, please steal me!" I understand that it will send an alert and start beeping eventually if it's in movement away from its owner (because they have to be concerned about stalking), but I'm talking about stationary objects.
Lost Mode has to be activated by the user - which means obviously they already know they lost it. And the NFC contact info is an optional message the user specifies when they activate Lost Mode.
Do you have a link to current, "proper" documentation then that described the intended behavior as you have? I've looked at Apple's support documentation and can't find anything that says a stationary AirTag is supposed to start beeping. If that's what they intend, then it's not well thought-out at all. For instance, let's say someone rotates using 3 different purses/bags etc. throughout the week and has an AirTag in all 3. So you're saying it's Apple's intended operation for the two AirTags in the bags/etc. they leave at home (that haven't been moved at all) to start beeping non-stop until someone removes the batteries? You'd think they'd at least let you specify "safe" locations to disable such behavior (e.g. Home, Office, etc.) if that's the case.
Source? I mean, I guess if someone picks up an AirTag in the middle of the desert or otherwise rural areas with no other devices around, that's true, but I can't imagine that being the case in any populated area.
fischersd
macrumors 603
Honestly (I'm sure @Maconplasma likely had the same thought) - already answered your questions - you still don't get it, it's not my responsibility to guide you to the answers.
fischersd
macrumors 603
The accelerometer won't do anything for you when you're not experiencing acceleration. Gee, anyone moving at a constant speed?
usagora
macrumors 601
That's clearly a cop-out. I've already told you I've looked for this information on Apple's website, and can't find anything that states that AirTags are intended to behave in the manner you describe. If it's there and I'm somehow not seeing it, it should be very easy for you to post a link to it. I'm more than willing to admit I'm wrong about what Apple intends, but not based on what random people on a forum assert, but based on what Apple themselves have said/published.
Even if you don't want to back up your claims, surely you can at least agree that my bag/purse example would be non-ideal at best and highly annoying at worst? Surely you don't think it's reasonable to have to carry every AirTag'd item you own with you at all times in order to prevent them from beeping.
EDIT: all I hear are crickets . . . shocker. "We have no answer to what he said, so let's just post passive-aggressive LMAO reactions instead"
Last edited:
The accelerometer will detect motion when the tag is picked up or rotated or moved. Just like picking up an iPhone will wake it up.
I agree with you. There is no support for the claim that the tag should start beeping even if it never moves from the last time it was in contact with the owner's device. If it has never been moved then it is not stalking. I can understand that it would make a sound after it has been moved (consistent with Apple's description), but not before it has been moved.
I only have one AirTag right now but I guess I will have to test it for myself to see who is right, Apple or the internet.