How to find out if your Android phone is being tracked by AirTag and what to do

AirTags are a super convenient way to track important items, but stalkers and thieves use them to track people rather than items. Luckily, Apple has launched an official app on the Google Play Store that notifies users when AirTags are tracking them.

Now that Google’s own Find My Device network has launched and Android has a similar unknown tracker alert system, the app may feel a bit redundant, but if you feel safer having both options, we’ll Details on how to use Apple’s Tracker Detect app on your Android phone.

For more information, check out what’s new in Android for May 2024 and how Android 15 will change the way you use your phone.

Scan for AirTags with Tracker Detect on Android

The Tracker Detect app, available for free on the Google Play Store, lets you use your Android device to search for and track items (such as AirTags) that are compatible with Apple’s Find My network and remain separated from their owners for at least 15 minutes. No Apple ID account required.

After downloading Tracker Detect, turn on Bluetooth, open the app, agree to the terms and conditions, and tap the blue scanning button to search for nearby items. If this is your first time using Tracker Detect, you will be prompted to grant the app permission to access Bluetooth, which the app needs to find any AirTags.

Your Android phone will scan for up to a minute, and if it finds an Airtag near you, it will appear as “Unknown Airtag.” If you don’t find anything, you can try the scan again, especially since the tracker must be separated from its owner for at least 15 minutes before it appears.

What to do if an AirTag is tracking you

If Tracker Detect detects that the AirTag has been tracking you for at least 10 minutes, the app will allow you to play a sound from the AirTag so you can find the physical tracker more easily.

If you do find the AirTags, it’s up to you how to proceed. If an AirTag unexpectedly appears next to you, meaning it’s not being used to track you and Lost Mode is enabled, you can tap and hold your NFC-compatible Android device on the white side of the tag to get instructions on how to More information on tracking.

However, if the AirTags are used to track you, you can also view the serial number by tapping it with your phone, which may be useful if you are considering contacting law enforcement and need identification of who may be tracking you. You can also remove the back cover and look inside the AirTag to find the serial number.

How to deactivate AirTags

If you want to turn off AirTag and stop tracking you, Tracker Detect provides a short and concise summary of how to deactivate it:

1. Press down on the AirTag’s stainless steel back cover.
2. Turn the cap counterclockwise until it stops.
3. Release your finger and the cap will come off.
4. Remove the button battery.

Removing the battery will notify the owner that the AirTag is deactivated, so please be aware.

Unfortunately, Tracker Detect lacks some features; Available natively on iPhone – Best of all, automatic background scanning. On Tracker Detect, you have to manually scan for AirTags every time, which can be troublesome if you’re constantly worried about being tracked. But again, with Google’s Find My Device web and Android now able to do this, it’s less of a worry.

For more tech tips, check out the YouTube Music feature that lets you hum a song to identify it, and how to get Microsoft 365 for free.