---
title: "Losing an AirTag"
url: https://perrotta.dev/2025/09/losing-an-airtag/
last_updated: 2025-09-21
---


A friend lost his [AirTag](https://www.apple.com/airtag/) today.

It was unfortunate. On the bright side, the item the AirTag was attached to was
not misplaced.

The best course of action at this point is to simply let go[^1]. This may be a
good opportunity to downsize (do you really need {N} air tags?). Or it could be
a good time to buy a new one.

**Why?** There simply isn't
[much](https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/iphone/iph1b451b75f/ios) you can
do.

In the best-case scenario you can play detective and retrieve the AirTag
yourself[^4]. Follow ~~your heart~~ the directions in the "Find My" app and hope
for the best. If it's in the open, you're golden; if it ended up in a private
  property, good luck.

In the second best-case scenario, when a good[^2] samaritan is involved, you can
have your AirTag opt into sharing your contact information (phone number or
email), so that folks can reach out to you to arrange[^3] a return. This can be
done via the "Find My" app.

There are no other good scenarios, and this is what happened today.

**In this case**: Do not disconnect the AirTag from your account. Hold on firmly
to it. Let it go from your mind but do not, under any circumstances, let it go
from your Apple account. If you do so, you'll allow others to adopt the AirTag
for themselves. If you do not do so, the AirTag can only be used as a paper
  weight: it's completely worthless as a tech gadget for as long as it's still
  associated with you, and only you, its original and sole proprietor.

[^1]: The situation would have been _waaaay_ different should the tracked item
    have been lost as well.

[^2]: Being good is not enough, the samaritan needs to be an Apple user as well.

[^3]: Depending on the country where you live, such an arrangement may or may
    not be free. _Oh well_.

[^4]: I did this once. Thank goodness the AirTag was on the floor where I
    originally dropped it.