You can find an AirTag on a car by using a Bluetooth scanning app to detect its signal or by conducting a thorough physical search of the vehicle's exterior and interior.
AirTags are small tracking devices designed by Apple. While primarily intended for tracking personal items, they can potentially be used for unwanted tracking. Understanding how they work helps in locating one.
How AirTags Work
AirTags use Bluetooth signals to connect to Apple's Find My Network. When an AirTag is nearby, it anonymously sends out a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected by nearby Apple devices on the Find My network. These devices then send the AirTag's location to iCloud, which you can see on a map in the Find My app.
Methods to Find an AirTag on Your Car
Finding an AirTag covertly placed on your car requires a combination of technological detection and manual inspection.
Using Bluetooth Scanning Apps
Since AirTags emit Bluetooth signals, specialized apps can help you detect their presence nearby.
- For iPhone Users: Apple's Find My app has built-in features to detect unknown AirTags moving with you over time. If an unknown AirTag is detected, your iPhone will eventually notify you. You can also manually scan for unknown AirTags in the Find My app under the "Items" tab by selecting "Identify Found Item" or checking the "Items Detected With You" list.
- For Android Users: You can use Bluetooth tracking apps to scan for any unknown AirTags in your vicinity. Apple has released a specific tracker detection app called "Tracker Detect" for Android. If you have an Android phone, download the app to detect the AirTag which can be found at the Google Play store. This app allows you to manually scan for AirTags or Find My enabled devices that are separated from their owner and traveling with you.
Using these apps involves walking around your vehicle to see if a signal is detected. The app might provide a signal strength indicator to help you pinpoint the AirTag's location once detected.
Conducting a Physical Search
AirTags are small (about the size of a quarter) and can be hidden in various places. A thorough physical search is crucial, especially in hard-to-see areas.
Consider these common hiding spots on a car:
- Exterior:
- Inside or attached to wheel wells
- Under bumpers (front and rear)
- Attached to the vehicle's frame underneath
- Inside the fuel filler door/area
- Behind license plates
- Around the hitch receiver
- In or on roof racks
- Inside exterior compartments or body panels that can be easily opened
- Interior:
- Underneath seats
- Inside the glove compartment
- In storage pockets in doors or seatbacks
- Inside the trunk, especially in spare tire compartments or storage areas
- Attached to wiring harnesses under the dashboard
- Hidden inside fuse boxes (ensure the car is off before checking)
- Taped inside plastic coverings or panels
Perform your search in a quiet location where you can listen for a potential sound. While AirTags are designed to play a sound when separated from their owner for an extended period (to alert someone if they are being tracked), a malicious user might try to disable or muffle this sound. Even a faint chirp could help locate it.
Combining both using a scanning app and performing a detailed physical inspection provides the best chance of finding an AirTag on your car.
