Whether you’re handing in an AirTag or trying to resolve pairing issues, knowing how to properly reset Apple’s Item Tracker will ensure that you can easily set it up on your new iPhone.
Each AirTag can only be linked to one Apple Account. If you want to gift your AirTag to another person, you will need to reset it. Although it takes a bit of effort, the whole process can be done in about a minute.
Before you begin, we strongly recommend that all small children and pets be out of the area during the AirTag reset. AirTags, for all their usefulness, pose a shocking danger and can cause internal damage if they pass through the digestive tract.
How to reset AirTag 2
- Hold your AirTag with the silver battery cover facing up
- Press firmly with your thumbs down on the battery cover and rotate the cover clockwise until it releases from the AirTag
- Remove the battery and wait five seconds
- Replace the battery – it will make a sound to let you know it is connected
- Repeat the process four more times for a total of five removals and insertions
- On the fifth, the AirTag will make another sound to indicate that it has been reset – AirTag 2 may take longer to make a sound, you may have to wait up to 12 seconds
- Replace the battery cover
- Using firm pressure, rotate the battery cover clockwise until it fits securely into the AirTag
If you’ve had your AirTag for a while, it’s a great time to replace the battery. The Apple AirTag uses a standard CR2032 battery, but Apple recommends that you buy one without the bitter coating, as it can interfere with the connection.
Once everything is reset, you will need to pair your AirTag with your chosen device. Your iPhone should automatically detect the AirTag.
If it doesn’t, don’t worry. Just go to the Find app and tap the Add button – it looks like a plus sign.
You will need to tap connect when prompted. From there, your iPhone will guide you through the process of pairing the AirTag with your device.
Getting to know AirTag
If you’re not sure what generation of AirTag you have, we also have an easy way to find out.
Turn the AirTag so that the silver battery cover is facing you. If the text is in capital letters and the phrase “Designed by Apple in California” is missing, it is a second-generation AirTag.
If you see capital letters and “Designed by Apple in California” around the Apple logo, you have a genuine AirTag. Fortunately, the pairing process between the two is roughly equivalent.