When the Apple AirTag merchandise tracker launched, it might solely hyperlink to 1 particular person. Apple is now increasing that, enabling as much as 5 individuals to trace every tag.
Right here’s methods to share an AirTag with household or mates.
Important limitation goes away
Apple’s AirTag is a small gadget that makes use of wi-fi tech to make it findable. Connect one to your keys or baggage and you’ll find them in the event that they go lacking with the Discover My app in your iPhone. However at launch, it had a big limitation: Just one particular person might use an AirTag. A pair or household couldn’t share one hooked up to a set of automotive keys or a pet.
That’s altering. With iOS 17 or iPadOS 17, a small group can every use Precision Discovering to find the machine. Or they’ll play a sound to pinpoint the situation of their shared AirTag.
Consider the individuals that you simply’ve shared entry with as secondary customers. They will use the FindMy app to find an AirTag, however can’t arrange alerts to be warned in the event that they get too far-off from it. As Apple places it, “Nobody who shares this AirTag will get notified when it’s close to them.”
However there’s an necessary caveat earlier than we get began: This function requires iOS 17 or iPadOS 17. These are out, and also you’ll have to improve your iPhone and/or iPad earlier than this trick will work.
The way to share an Apple AirTag
Picture: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Sharing the situation of Apple’s tracker tag is easy. Simply stroll by the steps.
First off, open the Discover My software on an iPhone or iPad. Then faucet on the Gadgets tag on the backside of the display. Notice that something that seems on the ensuing listing might be shared, whether or not it’s an AirTag or a third-party accent that makes use of Apple’s Discover My system. This implies you can not share the situation of a Mac or AirPods.
Select an merchandise by tapping on it. On the ensuing display, scroll all the way down to Share this AirTag and faucet on Add Individual.
That may open an inventory of individuals you’ve contacted just lately. If the particular person you need to share the tag with isn’t on there, hit the + image on the high of the display to open your tackle e-book and discover them there. Faucet on the e-mail tackle they use as their Apple ID.
This raises an necessary level: AirTags can solely be tracked by Apple gadgets. You may’t share a tag with an Android consumer. In addition they must be working iOS 17 or iPadOS 17.
You may add a number of individuals directly — as much as a complete of 5, with you counting as one. When you’ve chosen the particular person or group to share with, they’ll seem on an inventory. Faucet on the Ship button.
Picture: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The particular person (or individuals) will then be displayed on the web page within the Discover My app for the AirTag or different machine. You might have the choice to faucet on their title on this listing to take away them from the sharing listing in a while.
And that’s it — you’re accomplished.
This text was first printed in June 2023. It’s been up to date after the discharge of iOS 17.