AirTag Issues (Noises, Beeping, Checked Out)


AirTags are tiny and round Apple products that users place on some items to help locate them. They usually have a small battery that can last a year until you replace it as your iPhone directs. If you are a new user keen on how the system operates, there is a lot more about AirTags that you should know.

So, does AirTag make a sound? When the AirTag is put on an item, the AirTag uses sound from its in-built speaker to help you locate it whenever it is nearby. You can then follow the beep and know its exact location. It will ring the whole time if you have lost the item and you can easily retrieve it with the help of an iPhone. However, if the sound is not too loud, an alternative would be to use the Find My app or ask Siri to redirect you.

AirTags use sound to help you locate lost items. You can place AirTags on wallets, keys, or any other item you are likely to misplace. They are an affordable way to track down missing items thanks to the Find My app feature. You may ask how this is possible, hoping that the gadget emits sound to notify you of its location.

When you hook it to another object, the AirTag can play a sound from its in-built speaker allowing you to follow the beep and find the item. You can otherwise go to the Find My application or ask Siri to help you track whatever you have lost.

For instance, you can give Siri a command asking it to find your wallet, and the AirTag will make a sound if it is around. If close enough, you can follow the sound and find the item with the attached tag. 

Apple often comes up with impressive inventions that improve daily life, and the AirTag is an excellent example. If you are pretty forgetful and spend a long time trying to relocate your lost items, Apple will do it for you in the shortest time possible. Thanks to the shape and size, it comes as four tiny pieces that you can place anywhere. They are also easy to set up, and you can control everything from your smartphone.

The tags’ working principle is to send Bluetooth signals that devices around can detect using the Find My system. The gadget will then submit the location of whatever you are looking for to iCloud and display its exact location using a map.

The Find My feature offers various ways for you to find lost items based on how far they are. Generally, if you are sure that the tag is around, you can be confident that you will hear it make a sound and pin its location.

On the contrary, whatever you are looking for may be far such that you cannot hear it ping. Luckily, there is a workaround known as Precision Finding. This system deploys Apple’s UI chip to help track the AirTag from a distance where you cannot hear the sound.

The app displays the item’s location on your iPhone as long as it is still around. It will guide you and give your precise directions until you find it. Otherwise, if the AirTag is too far, you can use the Find My app.

Why Does My AirTag Keep Making Noise?

An AirTag may be useful, but some users report issues like making unnecessary sounds when moving it or picking it up. Sometimes, it randomly pings on its own even without handling it. If you have the same problem, here are logical reasons and effective fixes to try.

Apple’s AirTag trackers are designed to make sounds when confirming pairing and when helping the owner locate attached items. However, if your gadget keeps making unnecessary sounds, there are high chances that the AirTag has a system glitch. In such a case, the battery will drain unless you fix the problem, forcing you to replace it. Luckily, you can troubleshoot by resetting or updating the software.

AirTags are still new-generation gadgets, hence are susceptible to occasional bugs. Of late, many users have reported problems with the tags making random sounds when they move them or put them close to their phones.

Perhaps you have the same issue where you hear pings a few times an hour, even when no one has handled it. Usually, the tags should beep if you detach them from the iPhone, relocate them, or play sound from the app.

If this happens to you, there may be a glitch in the tags, and it is advisable to fix it, or it will affect the batteries. First, always ensure that the AirTag is linked to your iPhone via Bluetooth; otherwise, it will keep making sounds due to lost connections. Secondly, you can remove the tracker then set it up afresh. Click the Find My app and your AirTag and select Remove Item.

After confirming, you can force close and reboot your phone to eliminate any glitches and finally connect the two again. Alternatively, you can reset the tracker by removing the battery from the back and reattaching it until it makes a sound. You can repeat the process a couple more times until the fifth trial, where you will hear the gadget making a different noise.

What If You Find a Lost AirTag Making a Sound?

It is possible to run into another Apple user’s lost AirTag making sounds while still attached to something. It means that the owner is looking for it, and you may want to be kind to reunite it with the user or disable it and mute the noise. The following are some handy tips in case you find an orphaned AirTag.

When finding a lost AirTag making a sound, you can place your iPhone on the white area of the AirTag for a while until you notice a notification popping up. You can tap the text on the screen and follow the instructions. It will direct you to a website with all the information about the tag.

If it has been missing for a while, the owner must have labeled it as lost. There should be details about its serial number and the owner’s information. You can use the provided numbers to locate the tag’s owner and find a way to return the AirTag and the attached item.

The AirTags working principle is to help you locate items that you often lose, like keys. Such things are often nearby, only that you forget where you placed them. However, it doesn’t mean that you cannot lose a tagged item far from home or leave it in a different location.

In this case, you cannot hear the sound or use the app to view it accurately. Your tag will be lost, and the first thing to do is to mark it as missing. If you are lucky, another person will hear the sound and locate it.

Luckily, each tag has a serial number, and registering it attaches it to your details. Therefore, a kind iPhone user can help you trace it and reunite it with you according to the information you noted on the website.

On the downside, an AirTag can be a malicious device if in the wrong hands. Another owner can place it near you, hoping that you will pick it up. They can then use it to track your movements, but you can disable it if it seems suspicious. You may get an alert on your phone that an AirTag is on your trail.

You can then click on the notification and tap continue. The system will give you some instructions on how to disable the AirTag. Once you do this, you will automatically shut down the device to prevent transmitting any data about its location.

Why Is My AirTag Beeping?

You may keep misplacing your valuables in your car or at home, and Apple has figured out an excellent way to locate them using AirTag. This device effectively tracks various items, saving you a lot of time that you would have to spend to search manually. If you are new to the whole AirTag concept, you may have many questions about how it works.

An AirTag beeps after being away or if it disconnects from your iPhone for over eight hours; it may also ring randomly whenever you pick the attached item to indicate that something is interfering with it. Additionally, it will beep when whatever you place it on is on the move, say someone has stolen it. It can also be an issue with a loose battery or outdated firmware.  

The tracking device is quite reliable and rarely functions abnormally. It connects to your iPhone through a Bluetooth linking system such that it will assume that you have lost the item whenever it cannot read your phone and begin to ring.

An AirTag will also ring because it is running on outdated firmware. Generally, older versions develop bugs that can interfere with the system, causing it to misbehave. The hitches will create issues on the speaker, causing it to ring unintentionally.

Moreover, AirTag can beep when it has battery issues or if the linked item is stolen (it will keep making sounds until the owner finds it). All the above problems are easily fixable even without the help of a professional.

Therefore, always ensure that the AirTag tethers to your iPhone’s Bluetooth since it is the only way the two communicate. Additionally, you can reset the AirTag by removing and reinstalling its battery or updating the tracking device to the current version. Outdated firmware is vulnerable to bugs; therefore, it can develop problems that can interfere with operating the system.

Can You Mute AirTag Speaker?

AirTag not only functions as an item finder, but users can deploy it as a tracker on belongings when they want to monitor their movements. The device has a small speaker that rings to direct you to your lost item, but sometimes you may want to silence the beep. If you don’t want to hear the noise, you may need to find ways to mute it.

You can silence the AirTag device by removing the speaker manually and muting it permanently. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t have such an inbuilt feature on the device, and the only way to go is to disassemble the whole gadget until you find the speaker.

Remove it carefully to avoid cutting essential wires that you may need to reuse if you change your mind later. A muted AirTag won’t ring and can be handy in silently tracking someone.

The AirTag doesn’t have a feature to mute it remotely from your iPhone or the device, and the last resort is to remove the speaker from the tracker. This way, you will have silenced it indefinitely, allowing you to track anyone or anything effortlessly and in silence. If you are monitoring someone with the latest iPhone, they can receive a notification about the presence of an AirTag.

It alerts that someone is following them, although they cannot pinpoint the device’s exact location. To detach the speaker from the AirTag, you need a flat head screwdriver, sharp precision tweezers, and super glue for reassembling the top cover when you finish. Sometimes you may also need a heat gun to dry out any dampness inside the gadget. With all the tools ready, you can now begin the process.

First, you can remove the battery then use the equipment to disassemble the AirTags main cover. Do this gently along the edges to avoid breaking the device in the process. Once done, you can start removing the speaker using the tweezers carefully to avoid damaging it or any other connected cable. After detaching it, you can now assemble the device, seal it tight without the speaker, and test whether it works on mute.

Wrap Up

If you tend to lose essential items in your house or the car, you will be glad that Apple has invented the AirTag. It is a tiny gadget that you hook onto things to track their movements and location. Its main principle involves using sound to help direct you to the lost item. Besides this, the Find My app also enables you to locate the object’s exact location.

The AirTag will beep when you lose the item, and hopefully, a kind person may find it and reunite you. It is also possible for the tracker to beep if there are system bugs. In this case, you can update it or reset it to operate as usual. Lastly, if you don’t want the AirTag to keep beeping, you can remove the speaker, and it will work silently.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is a technology expert based in the UK, with experience across a number of technology areas from phones, tablets, computers to gaming.

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