Apple has already said that AirTag batteries should last about a year, so if you purchased an AirTag shortly after launch, now is the time to check how much battery capacity you have left.
It's impossible to predict with certainty how long a battery will last, as it depends largely on how often the AirTag is actively used. When your AirTag's battery gets low enough to need replacing, your iPhone will usually notify you. However, that's the only notification you'll get. You'll be informed that the AirTag battery is low and you should replace it. But that's not much help if it happens while you're traveling. That said, especially if you purchased an AirTag shortly after its release, or if it's been a year since you bought it, you should check your battery manually.
How to check your AirTag's battery
- Open the “Find My” app on your iPhone.
- Tap Items in the bottom row.
- Tap one of the AirTags listed there.
- In the window that opens, look for a battery icon in the top header.
Apple doesn't offer a way to see the exact charge level of the battery, but only provides you with a symbol. So you can't see any percentages.
But you can easily tell when the charge level is too low. You could replace the battery immediately or keep a spare battery on hand – I would personally recommend the latter – Buy a button cell battery from Amazon.
Estimating your AirTag usage
Apple’s estimated battery life of one year is based on testing for a specific use case. The company explains in a support document:
Battery life is based on daily use of four tone playbacks and one precision search per day. Battery life varies depending on usage, environmental conditions, replacement battery manufacturer, and many other factors; actual results may vary.
However, it is possible that Apple has promised too little and delivered too much. In my case, some AirTags are still in the 90 - 100 percent range while others are in the 75 percent range. Only one AirTag is in the 25 percent zone. This is the one that I used for the numerous tip articles. I started using all of these AirTags immediately after they were launched on the market. So you can see that it may vary from user to user. Are you looking for suitable AirTag cases? Then take a look at Amazon. In our AirTag list you will find the trackers and accessories from Apple and third-party providers - enjoy browsing. (Photo by hadrian / Bigstockphoto)
