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Apple's AirTags are the new craze in tiny accessories that can make a difference in your life. Just like the Tile tags before them and Samsung's recently-released Galaxy SmartTags, AirTags can be attached to your stuff to help you track it and — hopefully — find it if lost.
You've probably already seen the cool demos of an iPhone showing you exactly where its owner's keys are — the whole screen becomes this "find my lost item" compass and directs you straight to the respective AirTag. The tech required to achieve this is Apple's U1 chip — it's present inside the AirTags and you need one in your iPhone to get the precision item finder.
However, the models that do not have the U1 chip (anything older than iPhone 11) will not have the precision finder. They will still be able to tell you where your AirTag is on a map, and they will be able to activate the "Play Sound" feature — to have the AirTag announce itself — if they are in range.
So, pretty much, if you have used the Find My app to locate your iPad or your iPhone before — this is how it's going to look when tracking your AirTag with a non-U1 iPhone. You just get a blip on the map. Not ideal, and you are definitely not getting your AirTag money's worth, but hey — at least it's something.
Yes, you can use any iPad that supports iPadOS 14.5 and above to pair and find AirTags. However, keep in mind that no iPad has the U1 chip — not even the newest iPad Pros. This means that the iPads, too, lack precision finding. Which is kind of a shame — iPad Pros have a LiDAR sensor, which people are still struggling to find a use for, but not U1.
Can I use Apple Watch to find an AirTag?
Not really. The Find My app on the Apple Watch is limited only to finding your friends or sharing your own location. The Watch itself does not look for devices on the Find My network — not your iPhone, not your iPad, and definitely not your AirTag. Again, that's a missed opportunity — the Apple Watch 6 does have a U1 chip inside it. Maybe with the next WatchOS update?
Can I use a Mac to pair with and find AirTags?
Not at all. Despite the fact that your AirTag gets registered to your iCloud account, you can't do it through a Mac computer. You need an iOS or iPadOS device. The same goes for actually looking for your AirTag — the web-based version of Find My does not support AirTags. This means that — if you are out in the wild — you can't borrow a friend's phone to look for your own AirTag, too. You need to have your iPhone or iPad on you.
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Preslav, a member of the PhoneArena team since 2014, is a mobile technology enthusiast with a penchant for integrating tech into his hobbies and work. Whether it's writing articles on an iPad Pro, recording band rehearsals with multiple phones, or exploring the potential of mobile gaming through services like GeForce Now and Steam Link, Preslav's approach is hands-on and innovative. His balanced perspective allows him to appreciate both Android and iOS ecosystems, focusing on performance, camera quality, and user experience over brand loyalty.
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