AirTags are a handy way to keep track of important items, but stalkers and thieves have used them to track people, not objects. Fortunately, Apple has released an official app on the Google Play Store to let users know when an AirTag has been following them.
Now that Google’s Find My Device network has launched and Android has a similar alert system for unknown trackers, the app may seem a little redundant, but in case you feel safer having both options available, let’s break down how to use Apple’s Tracker Detect app on your Android phone.
For more, check out the newly announced Android features for May 2024 and how Android 15 changes the way you use your phone.
Use Tracker Detect on Android to find AirTags
The Tracker Detect app, available for free on the Google Play Store, lets you use your Android to find and track items that work with Apple’s Find My network, such as AirTags, and that are separated from their owner for at least 15 minutes. An Apple ID account is not required.
Simply press Scan and search for nearby AirTags.
Nelson Aguilar/KeynoteUSA
After downloading Tracker Detect, turn on Bluetooth, open the app, accept the terms and conditions and tap the blue icon. Scan Button to search for nearby items. If this is your first time using Tracker Detect, you will be prompted to give the app access to Bluetooth, which is required to find your AirTags.
Your Android phone will scan for up to a minute, and if it finds an AirTag near you, it will appear as “Unknown AirTag.” If it doesn’t find anything, you can try scanning again, especially since the tracker must be separated from its owner for at least 15 minutes for it to appear.
What to do if an AirTag is following you
If Tracker Detect detects an AirTag that has been following you for at least 10 minutes, the app will let you play a sound from the AirTag so you can more easily find the physical tracker.
If you find your AirTag, it’s up to you how you want to proceed. If your AirTag is accidentally with you, meaning it’s not being used to track you, and Lost Mode is on, you can tap and hold your NFC-enabled Android device on the white side of the device to learn more about how to return it.
However, if the AirTag is being used to track you, you can also view the serial number by tapping your phone on it, which can be useful if you’re thinking about contacting law enforcement and need proof of identity for who might be stalking you. You can also remove the back cover and look inside the AirTag to find the serial number.
The AirTag can be deactivated by removing the CR2032 battery.
Patrick Holland/KeynoteUSA
How to deactivate an AirTag
If you want to turn off the AirTag and stop it from tracking you, Tracker Detect will give you a brief but concise summary on how to disable it:
Removing the battery will notify the owner that the AirTag has been disabled, so be careful.
Unfortunately, Tracker Detect lacks some of the features that are natively available on the iPhone, the most important of which is automatic background scanning. In Tracker Detect, you have to manually scan the AirTags every time, which can be a pain if you’re constantly worried about being tracked. But again, with Google’s Find My Device network and Android’s ability to do this now, it’s a little less of a concern.
For more tech tips, check out the YouTube Music feature that lets you hum a song to identify it and how to get Microsoft 365 for free.
Keynote USA News
For Latest Apple News. Follow © Keynote USA News on Twitter Or Google News.
