How To Connect An Airtag To A Different Phone

To connect an AirTag to a different phone, the previous owner must first remove it from their Apple ID, and then the new owner can pair it. This process allows you to connect my AirTag to my phone after upgrading devices or passing the tracker to a family member.

Before you connect an AirTag to a different phone

An AirTag can only be registered to one Apple Account at a time. There are two distinct transfer paths depending on whether the previous owner is in Bluetooth range when they remove the AirTag. If they remove it while the AirTag is nearby, the new owner can pair it immediately. If the removal happens out of Bluetooth range, the AirTag must be manually reset before a new owner can connect it.

Check compatibility with the new phone

AirTags require an Apple ID and an iPhone or iPod touch with iOS 14.5 or later, or an iPad with iPadOS 14.5 or later. The AirTag (2nd generation) requires iOS or iPadOS 26.2.1 or later. Verify that the new phone has Bluetooth capabilities, as AirTags rely on Bluetooth to establish a connection. Precision Finding, which guides you to your AirTag, requires an iPhone 11 or later (excluding iPhone SE models) with a U1 chip. To check compatibility, go to the settings menu and navigate to the 'About' section to find the device model and operating system version.

Disconnect the AirTag from the current owner's Apple ID

The previous owner must remove the AirTag from their Apple ID using the Find My app. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Find My app on the iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap the "Items" tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select the AirTag you want to disconnect from the list of items.
4. Swipe up to see more options, then tap "Remove Item."
5. Confirm by tapping "Remove" when prompted.

The AirTag will no longer be tracked on that device. If the removal was done within Bluetooth range, the new owner can proceed to connect it. If the removal was done out of range, continue to the manual reset steps.

Manually reset the AirTag if required

A manual reset is necessary when the previous owner removed the AirTag from their Apple ID while out of Bluetooth range. To reset the AirTag:

1. Press down on the polished stainless steel battery cover and rotate it counterclockwise until it stops.
2. Remove the cover and the battery.
3. Replace the battery and press down until you hear a sound.
4. Repeat this process four more times, for a total of five times. The fifth sound will be different to confirm the reset.
5. Replace the cover by aligning the three tabs and rotating clockwise until it stops.

After a manual reset, the AirTag will lose any location history and personalized settings associated with it. After the manual reset, the AirTag is ready to be paired with a new phone.

Connect the AirTag to the new phone

To pair the AirTag with the new device, the new owner should follow these steps:

1. Hold the AirTag near the iPhone. When connecting the AirTag to the new phone, sign in to iCloud using the same Apple ID that was used to set up the AirTag on the previous phone.
2. Go to the Home Screen, and tap "Connect" on the screen that appears.
3. Choose a name for the AirTag.
4. Tap "Continue" to register it to the new Apple Account.
5. Tap "Finish" to complete the connection.

The AirTag is now paired with the new phone and will appear in the Find My app under the new Apple ID. After pairing, test the connection by making sure the AirTag's location is accurately displayed on the map and that you can track its movements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I connect an AirTag to a different phone without the previous owner?

No. The previous owner must first remove the AirTag from their Apple ID. Without this step, the AirTag remains locked to their account and cannot be paired with a different phone.

Will I lose any data or settings when connecting my AirTag to a different phone?

No. The AirTag keeps its settings and information stored within itself. Once connected to the new phone, it retains its previous settings and data, ready to be used without loss of information.

Can an AirTag be connected to two phones at the same time?

No. An AirTag cannot be simultaneously paired to two different iPhones under separate Apple IDs. The sharing feature introduced in iOS 17 allows multiple people to see an AirTag's location, but the AirTag itself remains registered to a single Apple ID.

Is there a limit to the number of phones I can connect an AirTag to over time?

No. There is no limit to the number of phones you can connect an AirTag to. You can switch between different phones as needed, as long as the previous owner removes it from their Apple ID each time.

What if I want to permanently disconnect my AirTag from a phone?

You can do so by removing it from the Find My app on that device.