Apple AirTag review (2025): Pocketable convenience

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Apple launched its AirTag back in 2021, and it was a massive success. It wasn’t the first Bluetooth Tracker on the market, but it made the technology much more accessible to a lot more people.

Since then, both Samsung and Motorola have launched rival Bluetooth trackers, and brands like Tile have updated their offerings to be much more competitive.

So, do the AirTags still hold up in 2025? Do these simple discs still offer enough to warrant picking some up?

The answer is definitely yes, though with more competitors, the decision maybe isn’t as straightforward as it was back in 2021.

What does the AirTag offer?

An AirTag is a simple puck, measuring in at 31.9 × 31.9 × 8 mm and weighing just 11 grams. Its sole purpose is to be attached to something, so you can track its location if you misplace it.

Think items like house keys, or luggage, or your bike, or your umbrella. You attach an AirTag to each of those items and, should you lose it, you can use the “Find My” app on an Apple device to locate the object in question.

That sounds pretty straightforward, but there are a couple of cool technologies inside to make that possible.

The first is Ultra-Wideband, which allows for super precise location tracking. When you’re looking for an AirTag, and you’re reasonably close, the Find My app on iOS will put an arrow on the screen, pointing you in the direction of the AirTag, until your phone is right on top of it.

The second is the Find My network, which uses the millions of iOS devices in the world to help locate objects that aren’t in your immediate vicinity.

So let’s say an airline loses your luggage. When a baggage handler with an iPhone walks within range of the AirTag in your bag, it will detect the location of the AirTag with Bluetooth, and you will be able to see it on a map. Importantly, though, the luggage handler won’t see it on their phone.

Each AirTag is powered by a single CR2032 replaceable battery, which lasts about a year. There’s also a small speaker in each AirTag, so you can play a chime to help you find it when it’s nearby, but you just can’t see it.

What does the AirTag do well?

Apple’s network of connected iOS devices means finding your lost products is fast and convenient. The fact that there are so many iPhones out there gives Apple a massive advantage in this – finding an AirTag is typically quicker than other trackers like the Moto Tag or the Tile trackers I’ve played around with.

Apple’s user interface in the Find My app is also far superior to that of the Android Find My Devices platform. Having an arrow appear on-screen that adjusts direction to help you find the precise location of an AirTag is so much more useful than the gradual filling of a shape you get on Android’s platform.

Setting up an AirTag is simplicity itself. When you take it out of the box, it has a small plastic strip blocking the connector and when you remove that plastic; it activates the tracker, popping it in pairing mode. On your iPhone, you’ll be prompted to set it up.

You can track up to 16 devices connected to a single iCloud account, and you can easily share location for tags with loved ones easily through the app. This makes it extremely useful if you wanted to use one on a pet collar, for example.

If you lose an AirTag, you can easily flag that item as lost. Then, if someone finds the tag, they can scan the tag via NFT to get your contact details, allowing them to find a way to return it easily. Because the AirTag is tied to your account, they can’t steal it and wipe it either, making it a robust solution for keeping tabs on your stuff.

What could the AirTag improve?

The simplicity of the AirTag’s design is a double-edged sword. It is small, and compact and looks good, but to attach it to most things, you need an accessory.

There is no shortage of accessories on offer, and that range allows for a nice range of versatility, from using an AirTag as a keyring to keeping an AirTag in your pet’s collar.

But it’s also an extra expense on top of a product that isn’t the cheapest option in the category.

It’s also – unsurprisingly – exclusive to Apple devices. There’s no way for Android phone owners to use an AirTag effectively, which means you need to commit to the entirety of the Apple ecosystem to take advantage of the benefits of the AirTag.

A quick note on privacy

When Apple first launched the AirTag back in 2021, it didn’t really offer any notable privacy options, which allowed for bad actors to use AirTags to track people against their will.

Obviously, this isn’t ideal. Apple has worked with Google to come up with an industry standard for privacy for Bluetooth trackers. On both iOS and Android, your device will notify you if it notices you’ve been travelling with a tracker not associated with your personal iCloud or Android account.

It works across both platforms, so your iPhone or Android device will detect the presence of an AirTag travelling with you. From the alert, you’ll be able to view a map of where the item travelled with you, and then potentially play a sound alert from the device.

If it’s an AirTag, you can also use the Ultra-Wideband to find its exact location.

But if you can’t find the device of you feel your safety is at risk, Apple suggests you go to a safe public location and contact law enforcement.

Verdict

The AirTag is an accessory designed not to be used. If you never lose anything, you won’t really get any benefit from having a tracker attached.

But for peace of mind, the AirTag does a brilliant job of being able to track and find your devices. It’s easy to use, accurate and reliable and has a one-year battery life. It also lets you easily replace the battery, which is quite unique for an Apple device.

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Apple AirTag

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