If these don't work, it may be damaged
Apple AirTags are incredibly useful if you want to keep tabs on your bag, car keys, or anything else you can find a way to stick an AirTag on. However, sometimes these nifty gadgets don’t seem to work.
If you’re getting an AirTag not reachable move around to connect error, there are many different explanations for why this is happening. Some are just a normal part of how AirTags work. But in some cases, it’s a sign that something more serious is wrong. We’ll help you fix AirTag problems like this.
Table of Contents
Does Your Phone Have Precision Finding?
There are two ways to track an AirTag. The first is that the tag pings a nearby device that’s part of the Find My network, and that device’s location is reported as the tag’s location. The other way is to use the Precision Finding feature, which uses the ultra-wideband chip in the AirTag to tell the iPhone exactly where it is in relation to it. So you’ll get a precise reading of direction and distance.
However, for this to work, the iPhone in question must have a corresponding UWB chip of its own. Precision Finding is compatible with the following iPhone models:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
If you don’t have one of these phones or a newer model that’s been released since this article was written, you can’t use this feature at all. You can’t even use it on the latest M2 iPads, Apple Watches, or any MacBooks. We tried!
Instead of the “Find Nearby” button, you’ll see a “Directions” button, which will take you to your Maps app to direct you to the general location of the tag. However, AirTag users can still activate the beeping sound whether they have a UWB chip or not! This will still help you locate the tag by ear, if not by eye.
Assuming you have an iPhone compatible with precision finding, let’s have a look at some things you can try if you get the “AirTag not reachable” error.
Force Reset the Find My App
Don’t assume immediately that it’s the AirTag at fault. The problem might actually be with the Find My app. As with any app that misbehaves on an iPhone, the first step is to force close the app and restart it.
To do this, swipe up from the bottom of the iPhone’s screen to reveal the app switcher. Then swipe left or right until you see the Find My app. If it was the last app you opened, it should already be visible.
Swipe the app up and off the screen to force close it. Then open it again, and try to find your AirTag again.
The Airtag Is Out Of Range
AirTag’s use a very low-powered type of Bluetooth signal. If they didn’t, the battery couldn’t last as long as it does. Unfortunately, this means their effective Bluetooth range for precision finding is, at best, 33 feet.
If you’re further away than this, you may still catch some signal if conditions are just right, but don’t bet on it!
This also means that someone with an iOS or macOS Apple device has to pass within 33 feet of your AirTag for it to be pinged on Apple’s network. This is why the error message asks you to move around to connect. You might actually be quite close to the AirTag, and by just moving a few feet you could get into range and find AirTags that were invisible a minute before.
To avoid this in future, make sure the “Notify When Left Behind” option is activated in the Find My app under the item’s settings. This means you’ll get push notifications the minute the AirTag moves out of close range.
The AirTag Signal Is Being Blocked
The range of an AirTag on paper assumes that there’s nothing between you and the tag to affect the signal. However, it’s not hard for objects between you and the tag to weaken the signal so much that you can’t detect it.
Just like with range, you need to move around to find a gap where the signal can get through to your position. Alternatively, if you see any likely culprits around that might be blocking the signal, either move them or try to move around them.
You might also want to try taking the AirTag out of any holder that you’ve placed it in. It may be that some third-party AirTag holders from Amazon or other online stores could be interfering with the tag. The fastest way to know is to take it out, assuming you haven’t already lost it!
Radio Interference
Suppose there’s a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth device around. In that case, they could be drowning out the much weaker signal of the AirTag. Other sources of electromagnetic radiation can also make it difficult for your iPhone to find the AirTag’s signal. Unless you can disable those devices or wait for the source of EM interference to pass, there’s not much you can do here.
The AirTag Battery Needs a Replacement
In general, the battery inside an AirTag should last about a year. That said, the time period can be shorter, and you’ll notice that not all of your AirTags last the same time. If the tag has been pinged a lot or you beep it a lot, the battery will run down more quickly.
The AirTag uses the common CR2032 battery and is quite easy to replace:
- Press down on the silver part of the AirPad with the Apple logo.
- Rotate it counter-clockwise.
- Remove the cover and the battery.
- Insert the new battery.
- Replace the cover, and rotate it clockwise until it’s secured in place.
Be sure to close the AirTag properly since its water resistance relies on it.
Remove and Re-Add the AirTag to Your Apple ID
If you have the AirTag in your possession and you’re getting the error, one potential fix is to remove it from your Apple ID and then add it back again.
- Open Find My App.
- Select Items.
- Tap on the AirTag.
- At the bottom of the screen, select Remove Item.
After confirming the removal, simply bring the tag close to your phone, and a message to add it again will pop up on your iPhone. Follow the instructions and try to track it again.
You Might Need More Light
If you’re tracking an AirTag with precision tracking using directions on your iPhone screen, you may also see an error telling you there’s not enough light This is so that Apple’s augmented reality software can make sense of what the camera is seeing and direct you to the AirTag.
In this case the simple solution is to increase the amount of light in the room. If that’s not possible, you can use the flashlight button on the tracking screen to switch on your phone’s light.
Put the AirTag Into Lost Mode
If you can’t find your AirTag because it really is too far away and it hasn’t been pinged by anyone else, then the next best option is to put it into Lost Mode. In this mode you’ll be notified as soon as a compatible device comes within range of the tag.
To enable Lost Mode:
- Open the Find My App.
- Under the Items tab, look for your lost item and select it.
- Scroll down to Lost Mode.
- Select Enable and follow the instructions.
If you haven’t set a name and phone number, you should do so as soon as possible under lost mode. Alternatively, check that the one you’ve set previously is still correct. You can also set or change the message that will appear if someone scans the tag with their device.
Hard Reset Your AirTag
If you’ve found your AirTag the old-fashioned way, or you had it, and you were testing it when you encountered this error, it’s worth doing a factory reset on the AirTag to see if this solves the issue.
Be aware that resetting an AirTag will take it back to factory settings, so you’ll have to set it up again from scratch. Here’s how to hard reset AirTags:
- Press down on the battery cover (the bit with the Apple Logo) and rotate it counter-clockwise.
- Remove both the cover and the battery underneath.
- Put the battery back in and press down until you hear a sound indicating that the battery is connected.
- After the sound ends, remove and replace the battery four more times for a total of five times. On the fifth battery insertion, the sound should be different from the other four times. This means the AirTag is ready to be paired again.
- Replace the battery cover and rotate it clockwise to secure it.
After setting the AirTag up again, try to track it and see if the error has occurred again.
Your AirTag May Be Damaged
Whether your AirTag is in range or not, if none of the previous solutions work, it’s possible that the AirTag itself is damaged. Check the AirTag for any visible signs of damage, such as cracks, dents, or water damage.
If there’s visible damage, contact Apple Support to see if you can get a replacement. If the damage is not visible, but you suspect it may be a hardware issue, you can also contact Apple Support for assistance. They may be able to diagnose the problem and provide a solution.
