Android Customers: Tips on how to Discover Out if an AirTag Is Monitoring You and What to Do

AirTags are one the best methods to maintain monitor of your necessary gadgets. At all times dropping your keys? Misplace your baggage? Add an AirTag keyring to your keychain or slip one in your suitcase and you will at all times have the ability to hold monitor of them. At $30 a pop, the comfort you get out of them can be a no-brainer. All that stated, it is also simple and handy for dangerous actors to make use of AirTags for extra nefarious functions. 

Whereas iPhones have a built-in strategy to notify a consumer in the event that they’re being tracked by an unknown AirTag, folks utilizing Android telephones had been initially left in the dead of night. Fortunately, Apple launched an app to the Google Play Retailer to deal with this referred to as Tracker Detect.

Since then, Google has launched its personal Discover My System community, which helps unknown tracker detection, although some could also be extra comfy with having each apps working alongside one another. Beneath, we’ll present you how one can determine an unknown AirTag that is been monitoring you and what you are able to do about it. 

For extra, take a look at Apple’s Discover My vs Google’s Discover My System community.

Use Tracker Detect on Android to scan for AirTags

The Tracker Detect app, accessible within the Google Play Retailer without cost, permits you to use your Android to seek for and monitor gadgets that work with Apple’s Discover My community, reminiscent of AirTags, and are separated from their proprietor for no less than quarter-hour. No Apple ID account is required.

After downloading Tracker Detect, activate Bluetooth, open the applying, conform to the phrases and circumstances, and faucet the blue Scan button to seek for close by gadgets. If that is your first time utilizing Tracker Detect, you may be prompted to provide the app entry to Bluetooth, which it wants to seek out any AirTags.

Your Android telephone will scan for as much as a minute, and if it finds an AirTag close to you, it should seem as “Unknown Airtag.” In the event you do not discover something, you may attempt the scan once more, particularly as a result of the tracker have to be separated from its proprietor for no less than quarter-hour to look.

What ought to I do if an AirTag is following me?

If Tracker Detect notices an AirTag that is been following you for no less than 10 minutes, the app will then assist you to play a sound from the AirTag so that you could extra simply discover the bodily tracker.

In the event you do discover the AirTag, it is as much as you on the way you need to proceed. If the AirTag is with you accidentally, which means it isn’t getting used to observe you, and “Misplaced Mode” is enabled, you may faucet and maintain your NFC-compatible Android to the white aspect of the tag to get extra info on how one can return it.

Nevertheless, if the AirTag is getting used to trace you, you too can view the serial quantity by tapping it along with your telephone, which could show helpful in the event you’re contemplating contacting regulation enforcement and require ID proof of who is likely to be stalking you. You may also take the again cowl aside and look contained in the AirTag to seek out the serial quantity.

How do I disable an AirTag?

If you wish to shut down the AirTag and cease if from monitoring you, Tracker Detect will present a short however concise abstract on how one can disable it:

1. Press down on the chrome steel again cowl of the AirTag.
2. Rotate the duvet counter-clockwise till it stops.
3. Launch your fingers and the duvet will come off.
4. Take away the button cell battery.

Eradicating the battery will notify the proprietor that the AirTag has been disabled, so be warned.

Sadly, Tracker Detect lacks a few of the options which are accessible natively on the iPhone — most significantly, automated background scans. On Tracker Detect, you should manually scan for AirTags every time, which could be a nuisance in the event you’re continuously apprehensive about being tracked. However once more, with Google’s Discover My System community and Android’s potential to do that now, it is a bit much less of a fear.

For extra, do not miss the iOS 18 cheat sheet and all the brand new options coming to your iPhone.