The Airtag was introduced by Apple in 2021 and quickly became a staple amongst buyers. The handy device uses Bluetooth technology to help you keep track of things you can commonly lose – keys, bags, wallets, and more. However, users quickly noted a common issue with the Airtag – it seems to make sounds for no reason.
Typically, an Apple Airtag will make a beeping or chirping sound for a few reasons. Some of these are:
- The security features are being triggered or are malfunctioning.
- The Airtag is not connecting correctly to your iPhone or device.
- A software update is needed to tackle bugs with older versions.
To stop your Airtag from randomly making noise, you must understand what is causing the issue. So, read on and delve deeper into what causes an Airtag to beep and what you can do to solve the problem.
Why Apple Airtags Make Noise
So what pushes an Airtag to make beeping noises? There may be several reasons why this is happening. After all, the device has the specific purpose of alerting you to lost items. Here are some of the top explanations to consider.
It Is Signaling A Lost Item
Airtags are designed to beep when separated from the user. If you come across a beeping Airtag in the wild – it’s just doing its job. However, there is something you can do.
- Hold your phone to the Airtag and tap the link that appears.
- The website will show you information about the device.
- If the device is indeed lost, you can contact the owner to bring them together again.
It May Be Tracking You
Are you hearing suspicious beeping, but it’s not coming from your device? It may also be possible that you have encountered an Airtag on you, but it doesn’t seem to be lost. Airtags like this can be dangerous as they transmit location data. However, there is an easy fix to this situation too.
- If you have an iPhone, a notification should pop up on your phone.
- When you tap the notification, you will see an option to disable tracking.
- Follow the recommended steps to ensure the Airtag does not record your location tracking data.
While this is an option only available to iPhone users at the time, Apple is also working on creating notifications like this for Android users.
You’ve Accidentally Started Lost Mode
One of the most common reasons an Airtag will start beeping unnecessarily even when it is next to you is you may have triggered lost mode. Because the device is on alert, it may start making noise every time you handle it. To fix this, all you need to do is go to the ‘Find My’ app on your phone and disable lost mode.
Alternatively, you may also have placed the device in something moving, such as a friend’s car. In that case, it will start beeping as it includes fail-safes to prevent theft.
The Connection To Your Phone Malfunctioned
One of the more common reasons your device may start beeping is that it is improperly connected to your phone. Luckily, there is an easy fix for this. Disconnect the device in your ‘Find My’ App and add it again as a new tracker. This move should solve a majority of issues relating to beeping Airtags.
Also, remember that your Airtag connects to your phone through a Bluetooth mechanism. If your connection gets lost, the device will start beeping. To avoid this issue, keep the Bluetooth connection on at all times.
The Airtag Is Not Updated
Apple keeps introducing firmware updates for Airtags to continue to improve its performance over time. However, unlike the updates on your phone, there is no way to trigger the update manually. Instead, you have to keep it close to your phone and make sure it can download updates.
You need to connect the device via Bluetooth and bring it close to your phone to make this happen. At the same time, make sure you are connected to the Internet and are charging your phone. If you do all of these steps regularly, your Airtag will continue to get new updates.
The Airtag Needs Resetting
One other measure you can take is to reset the Airtag entirely. The resetting is a process that can only happen by removing the battery, so proceed with caution. To reset your Airtag, you should:
- Press down the cover of your Airtag, and rotate it anticlockwise.
- Carefully pick up the cover and then the battery enclosed inside.
- Put the battery back in and take it out another four times.
- At the end of the reset, the Airtag will beep to let you know it is complete.
- Place the cover back on the body and connect the Airtag to your device again.
Other Actions To Take
If a beeping Airtag is giving you grief, one of the things you can do is to disable the security features altogether. However, this is a drastic action as safety alerts are necessary to keep you safe. You can turn off safety alerts by changing the settings on your Airtag.
One of the other options you can take is focusing on the Airtag speaker. The device comes with a speaker that allows you to follow alerts to find missing objects. While this is not a recommended action, some users resort to removing the speaker completely to remove the noise. The speakers on an Airtag cannot be disabled.
Conclusion
The Apple Airtag is a giant leap in innovation and continues to make users’ lives much more comfortable. Because of its versatile uses, you can genuinely get many benefits from this device. However, repeated beeps and chirps from an Airtag can become frustrating.
This noise can happen because it is alerting you to something or if it is in the wrong mode. Alternatively, it may be due to a bad connection between your phone and the Airtag itself. By understanding what an Airtag makes sounds for, you can react appropriately and find a way to correct the issue before it becomes a hassle.