Do AirTags Work with Android?

Apple’s AirTags are small Bluetooth trackers that allow iPhone users to keep track of their belongings. While AirTags are designed to work best with iPhones, Android users can still take advantage of some AirTag features. Here’s what you can do with AirTags on Android phones.

AirTag Compatibility with Android Devices

Before using an AirTag with your Android phone, you first need to check if your device is compatible. Here are the requirements for basic AirTag compatibility with Android:

• Android 8.0 or later: AirTags require Android Oreo or newer versions to work. Older Android versions don’t have the necessary Bluetooth protocols.
• NFC support: To read details from a lost AirTag, your Android phone needs to have an NFC reader. Most modern Android phones support NFC for contactless payments.
• Location access: The AirTag needs location permissions to detect nearby tags. Make sure location access is enabled.
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth needs to be turned on to detect AirTags in your vicinity.

As long as your Android phone meets these requirements, you can scan and read AirTags to some extent. However, you won’t get the full AirTag experience offered on iPhones.

How to Use AirTag with Android with the Tracker Detect App

To scan for unknown AirTags that may be tracking you, you need to install Apple’s Tracker Detect app from the Play Store. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Play Store on your Android phone.
2. Search for “Tracker Detect“.
3. Download and install the Tracker Detect app published by Apple.
4. Open the Tracker Detect app and accept the permissions when prompted.

Tracker Detect allows you to manually scan for any foreign AirTags traveling with you. This protects against unwanted tracking attempts.

Scan For Nearby AirTags

Once you have the Tracker Detect app installed, you can scan for nearby AirTags not paired to your phone.

1. Open the Tracker Detect app.
2. Tap on “Scan”.
3. The app will scan for a few seconds and display any unpaired AirTags in your vicinity.
4. If you find an unknown AirTag, you can play a sound on it to locate it after 10 minutes of traveling together.
5. You can also learn about the AirTag’s owner to return it.
6. If needed, you can disable the AirTag by removing its battery.

The Tracker Detect app only scans when manually prompted, so remember to occasionally open the app and scan if you’re concerned about unknown AirTags.

Read AirTags Using NFC

If you find a lost AirTag, you can read details about its owner using your Android phone’s NFC reader. Just hold the white side of the AirTag to the NFC reader on your phone.

Here are the steps:

1. Make sure NFC is enabled on your Android phone.
2. Hold the white plastic side of the AirTag to the NFC reader on your phone. This is often on the back.
3. Your phone will read the NFC tag and show information about the AirTag owner.
4. You can then contact the owner to return their lost AirTag.

Reading an AirTag via NFC works even if the tag is not in Lost Mode. This allows anyone who finds an AirTag to identify its owner.

Limitations of AirTags on Android

While AirTags offer limited functionality on Android, there are still significant limitations compared to using them with an iPhone:

• No pairing: You cannot pair an AirTag with an Android phone. Pairing requires an iPhone or iPad running iOS 14.5 or later.
• No tracking: Android devices cannot track paired AirTags in real-time like the Find My app on iPhones. You can only detect nearby unpaired tags.
• No Precision Finding: The Precision Finding feature that guides you to an exact AirTag location only works on newer iPhones with a U1 chip.
• Manual scanning: You have to manually scan for unknown AirTags using the Tracker Detect app on Android. iPhones automatically detect foreign tags.
• Limited range: AirTags are meant to be tracked over long distances using Apple’s Find My network. On Android, you can only detect tags within Bluetooth range.

So, while AirTags offer some useful functionality for Android users, the experience is significantly limited compared to iPhone owners.

Tips for Using AirTags With Android

Here are some tips to get the most out of AirTags with your Android phone:

• Occasionally scan for unknown AirTags if you’re concerned about unwanted tracking.
• Use AirTags in Lost Mode if you lose an item so anyone can read info to contact you.
• Hold lost AirTags to your phone’s NFC reader to identify the owner.
• Look into cross-platform trackers like Tile if you need full tracking features.
• Update to Android 12 or later to get unknown tracker detection and alerts.
• Disable NFC and Bluetooth when not in use to improve privacy and battery life.
• Report any unknown AirTags traveling with you to Apple for investigation.

Final Words

While AirTags are designed for iPhones, Android users can still detect, scan, and read basic information from AirTags using NFC and Bluetooth. However, you won’t get the full tracking and location features offered on iOS.

For Android owners who only occasionally need to interact with an AirTag, the limited functionality is decent. But frequent trackers should look into a cross-platform alternative that offers better Android integration.