Apple has updated AirTags to help you find suspiciously placed tags

Apple is at present rolling out an extremely past due firmware update that makes it more straightforward to find obscure AirTags in your nearby area. This is part of the company’s efforts to prevent criminals from using the devices for stalking purposes.

An investigation published by The Washington Post in May 2021 demonstrated how simple it is to follow someone using an AirTag, which was the first sign of the stalking problem. The device can provide an accurate location and even an exact address to an iPhone every few minutes by being worn on a person.

The Precision Finding feature will now be able to “locate an unknown AirTag” if it detects one moving with you with Firmware Update 2.0.24 (opens in a new tab). Additionally, you will receive notifications on your iPhone stating “when an AirTag that’s separated from its owner is traveling with you” and that the AirTag will begin emitting a sound, purportedly to help you locate it. This is similar to what Apple did in April when it increased the volume of AirTags as part of the 1.0.301 update, so if this sounds familiar. This seems to be part of the company’s ongoing efforts to improve user safety by updating AirTags.

Firmware Update 2.0.36, which fixes a problem with the AirTag’s accelerometer “not activating in certain scenarios.” This fix will help your iPhone more accurately detect if your AirTag, or one placed upon your person, is moving.”

Upcoming fixes

To obtain these updates, all you need to do is position your AirTag within 33 feet of your iPhone in order for it to be within the Bluetooth signal’s maximum range. The firmware will be automatically downloaded. Nevertheless, there are some requirements.

According to the AirTag support, your device must be running iOS 16.2 or later. Additionally, in order to take advantage of the Precision Finding enhancements, you must own an iPhone model with Ultra Wideband, a technology that gives these smartphones spatial awareness. Most nations all over the planet support Ultra Wideband however know there is a small bunch that don’t, similar to Indonesia and Armenia.

AirTags have received the second and third updates in this latest batch of Firmware Update 1.0.301, which the company promised would be the first of four updates when it first started rolling them out in April. We inquired of Apple to provide us with information regarding the fourth. At a later date, we will update this story.

In the interim, be sure to check out TechRadar’s most recent list of the year’s best privacy tools.