Do Apple AirTags Work With Android?
AirTags are different from other Bluetooth trackers like Tile because they rely on Apple’s U1 chip to provide complete functionality. Functionality is limited in iPhones that lack the U1 chip, and it’s even more limited in non-Apple devices. You need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to set up AirTags because they require the Find My app that’s only available for Apple devices. You also need an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to put AirTags into Lost Mode or find your AirTags on a map because both of those functions require the Find My app. Apple released an Android app called Tracker Detect, which tracks item trackers and works with Apple’s Find My network. It won’t do so automatically; you have to prompt it to detect trackers.
How to Use AirTags With Android
Since the Find My app isn’t available for Android, you can’t do much with AirTags and an Android phone. You can scan for an AirTag using the Tracker Detect app mentioned above. It will check for trackers that are outside the Bluetooth range of the owner’s device. If the app detects an AirTag or other item tracker that’s near you for at least ten minutes, you can have it play a sound to help you find it. The app helps find AirTags you’ve misplaced and detects AirTags that someone might be using to track you. Open the app and tap Scan—tap Stop Scanning to stop. Previously, the only way to do that was to install a Bluetooth scanner on your Android phone. The other way you can use AirTags with Android is to scan a lost AirTag if you happen to find one. It still isn’t as robust as it would be if you were using an iPhone, but it does allow you to see the phone number or message that the AirTag owner entered when they put their AirTag into Lost Mode, so it may help you reunite the AirTag, and its connected item, with the owner.
How to Scan For AirTags With Android
The Find My app allows iPhones to scan for AirTags to a high degree of precision if the iPhone has the U1 chip or to a lesser degree of accuracy if it doesn’t have that chip. To scan for AirTags with Android, you need to install a Bluetooth scanner app. With a Bluetooth scanner app, you can look for an unnamed Bluetooth device manufactured by Apple and use the signal strength of that device to locate it. Here’s how to scan for AirTags with Android:
How to Scan an AirTag With Android
AirTags are designed to be scanned with any phone that has an NFC reader, so you can scan a lost AirTag with an Android phone. Here’s how to scan an AirTag with an Android phone:
AirTag Alternatives For Android Users
If you’re primarily an Android user or use a mix of Android and Apple devices, the fact AirTags don’t really work with Android can be an issue. While AirTags work great with Apple devices, functionality is severely limited with Android phones. Other Bluetooth trackers, like Tile and Galaxy SmartTag, provide better Android integration than AirTag. These alternatives also work just as well with Apple devices as they do with Android, although they lack the Precision Finding feature that you get when you use an AirTag with an iPhone with the U1 chip. If you don’t have a newer iPhone, or you want to use your Bluetooth trackers with a variety of devices, then platform-agnostic options like Tile and Galaxy SmartTag will provide a better experience.
