Before you invest: What's so good about the Apple AirTag?

Everyone has their own travel hacks: pack a toothbrush in your carry-on, use a hydrating sheet mask on long hauls and request a special meal to ensure you're first served at mealtime. In recent years, a popular hack has been adding an Apple AirTag to your luggage.

Designed to help you keep track of your belongings and find them when lost, the AirTag has recently grown in popularity, with research revealing the US $3.88 billion market for AirTags is expected to grow by 25 per cent by 2031.  

But what is an AirTag? Does it actually find your things and is it safe to use in the age of data hacking and cyber privacy concerns?

We're here to answer those questions and show why you need an AirTag ahead of your next holiday or to help never lose your keys again.

NOTE: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.

Apple AirTag  

Single pack: was $49, now $404-pack: was $165, now $147

What is an AirTag?

The Apple AirTag is a tracking device you can attach to your keys, bags, wallets and luggage to help you find lost belongings. Each Apple AirTag measures 3.2cm x 3.2cm and weighs just 11g, so it can easily be added to any item.

READ MORE: AirPods, iPads and iMacs now discounted in massive sale  

How does an AirTag track my lost items?

When paired with your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, your AirTag will appear on the Find My app. If you have misplaced your item nearby, your device will use Ultra Wideband technology to help recover it. Ultra Wideband technology is a short-range radio system that uses radar imaging to communicate.

Using your iPhone's Precision Finding function (compatible with iPhone 11 and above), it will pinpoint the direction of the item and its distance away. 

It also has a built-in speaker which can play a sound to help you identify where the item is when close by. Apple's virtual assistant Siri can also be helpful – if you are looking for your keys, simply say "Hey Siri, find my keys" and it will make the sound through the speaker.

When you've left something far behind, you can easily source it through the Find My network. AirTags are built with a secure Bluetooth signal that can be detected and picked up by Apple devices close to it using the Find My network. When the Apple device picks up the signal it will share the AirTags location with iCloud. This will then send the location information to your Find My app where you can see it on a map.

The Find My network is completely encrypted and anonymous and will not share any of the data connected to your devices. It will also not waste any additional battery life.

Like other Apple devices, AirTags can be set to Lost Mode. Lost Mode will remotely lock your device with a password or passcode and ensure no one can gain access to your device or any information stored.

When using Lost Mode with your AirTag, you will receive a notification on your Apple device if it has been detected through the Find My network. If someone finds your AirTag, you can allow your contact information to be shared with their device when they tap it on their phone. The information is transferred to their phone using the same technology used to pay for items with their phone when shopping.

A single AirTag can be used to find the items belonging to several people, with the iOS 17 update now letting you share it with five Find My profiles – so items that everyone uses in the house can be found by anyone.

Each AirTag is water-resistant and has up to a year of battery power. When the battery needs changing, you will be notified.

Is it safe to use? Will my data be shared? 

Hacking and data breaches are constantly in the news, so it's common to worry about your privacy when using any new device. For peace of mind, location data is never stored on the AirTag and any devices connected have their location data encrypted to remain anonymous.

To prevent tracking from external sources, if an AirTag that isn't paired with your Apple device is detected nearby and is travelling with you, you will be alerted. The AirTag will also sound its alarm if you haven't been able to find it. 

These alerts will only appear if the AirTag is separated from the original paired Apple device, so if you are with a friend who has their AirTag and paired their device with them, you won't receive this alert.

You can buy your Apple AirTag in a single-pack or 4-pack here: 

Apple AirTag  

Single pack for $404-Pack for $147

You can also buy an AirTag keyring:

Belkin Apple AirTag Holder with Strap 

Here for $19.95

T Tersely Leather AirTag Case, 4-Pack 

Get four for $12.95

Bellroy Tag Case 

Buy here for $35

elago Handheld Gaming Console Apple AirTag Keychain 

On sale for $21.99

elago Ice Cream Apple AirTag Keychain 

Get yours for $19.99

Looking for an alternative? Check out some more top-quality trackers below:

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 

Single pack on sale for $45.214-Pack on sale for $127

eufy Security SmartTrack Card 

Get it today for $60

ATUVOS Item Finder 

Single pack on sale for $16.992-Pack on sale for $30.994-Pack on sale for $66.98

Chipolo Card Spot 

Buy yours here!

Tile Mate + Slim 

Buy here for $99.95

READ NEXT: Never lose your luggage again with these affordable trackers