Apple Enhancing AirTags Anti-Stalking Measures With Android App and Shorter Sound Intervals

Apple is enhancing AirTags security to prevent stalking using the Bluetooth devices, Apple told CNET today. Apple is already sending out over-the-air updates to AirTags that will shorten the amount of time before an unknown AirTag alerts you if it is in your possession.

airtag in hand
At the current time, AirTags play a sound after three days of being away from their owner. After the update, AirTags will begin playing at a random time in a window after eight hours and within 24 hours.

Apple is also working to create an app for Android devices that will let them detect an unknown ‌AirTag‌ or Find My network-enabled item that is found to be traveling with them, which will prevent AirTags from being used to stalk Android users.

AirTags are designed to play a sound when away from their owner and will also alert iPhone owners if there's an unknown tag nearby, but Apple has been criticized because it's anti-stalking measures do not go far enough. The Washington Post's Geoffrey Fowler in May penned an article that outlined how AirTags could be used for covert stalking, and one of his main criticisms was the lack of alerts for ‌iPhone‌ users.

His other critique was that the three-day sound timer on AirTags resets whenever it's near the owner's phone, potentially allowing for spousal abuse and stalking, so Apple is working to address both of these issues.

The Android app will be released later this year, and the sound updates for AirTags will be automatically applied when an ‌AirTag‌ is near an ‌iPhone‌.

Popular Stories

ios 19 messages app

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:40 pm PDT by
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June. In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Revealed in Latest Leak

Wednesday July 16, 2025 6:50 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report includes ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Here's When to Expect the iOS 26 Public Beta

Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:07 am PDT by
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week. Apple will be releasing...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup

Wednesday July 16, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great. Top Tier Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone's Thickness and Price Range Detailed in New Reports

Wednesday July 16, 2025 11:31 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will likely have a starting price between $1,800 and $2,000 in the U.S., analysts at investment banking firm UBS said this week. If so, the foldable iPhone would cost more than a MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,599. With a starting price of at least $1,800, the foldable iPhone would be the most expensive iPhone model ever released, topping the Pro Max at...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...

Top Rated Comments

Dainin Avatar
54 months ago
These anti stalking measure changes are silly. 8 hours? I leave for the day to work and I’m going to get airtags randomly playing sounds at my house because I’m gone. It was just fine how it was.

As far as the android app, that is great.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
apparatchik Avatar
54 months ago
3 days was perfect, blame the overzealous journalist that over-blow non-issues, as if you could not buy a tracker for stalking purposes off Amazon.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
54 months ago
Is stalking really that big of a problem that Apple needs to make these changes?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kkspire Avatar
54 months ago

So what's the point of AirTags if all a thief has to do is open up his Find My app and see if there are any hidden AirTags on my laptop that he just stole? And if he forgets to check before running off with my stuff, my AirTag will alert him in 8 hours now instead of give me 3 days to find him and get my stuff back. I thought the whole point was to help me track my stuff, not help everyone else stop me from tracking my stuff.
It’s not a theft device. It’s a location device designed to help you locate wallets, keys, bags, etc around your home.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
omihek Avatar
54 months ago
So what's the point of AirTags if all a thief has to do is open up his Find My app and see if there are any hidden AirTags on my laptop that he just stole? And if he forgets to check before running off with my stuff, my AirTag will alert him in 8 hours now instead of give me 3 days to find him and get my stuff back. I thought the whole point was to help me track my stuff, not help everyone else stop me from tracking my stuff.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
081440 Avatar
54 months ago
This is where over the air updates, post purchase becomes a strange and complicated issue. I don't remember clicking a button that said Apple could reduce the capability of the devices I ordered after I paid for it... Yet are we are - paid for air-tags that now Apple has made less appealing because I have to worry about them beeping, or if I leave my computer bag in my friend's car while at the lake they'll now be notified that I was trying to stalk them or something after 8 hours.

That being said - if someone really wanted to stalk another person, there are literally thousands of cheap devices, GPS locators, etc. available on the web for those interested in such actions.

I also wonder how many people are now inspired to stalk their SO after reading all about these concerns about stalking.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)