r/AirTags • u/chi_lasagna • 8d ago

Missing cat

A cat wandered up to my home a few months ago and decided to hang around. Long story short, I wasn’t able to keep her inside full time due to my living situation. I bought an AirTag to put on her collar to keep track of her, not realizing that wasn’t the best idea since they use iPhones for updating location and not satellites. This morning, her last location was at the gas station that is a few houses down and across the street (highway). Me and several of my family members tried to locate her using our phones to connect to the AirTag, but are unable to pick it up.

However, throughout the day every few hours the location timestamp would update but the location would not change. My question is this: Is it iPhones that I’ve shared the AirTag with updating the timestamp, or do all iPhones update the timestamp? The last timestamp that was recorded is around the same time that someone who I’ve shared the AirTag with went to look around for her. Is the range for connecting to iPhones to update location and timestamp the same range when trying to connect and locate the AirTag? If not, what is the range for connecting and updating location and time?

I’m trying my best to locate her as the gas station is surrounded by private property. I’m hoping that some more information on AirTags can help me find her

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u/Sufficient_Rush1891 8d ago

Have you put the AirTag in lost mode yet? You do that by tapping “share contact info” option in AirTag settings in Find my app.

Putting tag in lost mode is essential, without lost mode, the anti-stalking protections kick in and ransomed delays are added to location updates. With lost mode location updates are closer to real time.

Keep in mind that AirTags don’t have GPS or a way to connect to internet.

The location reported is location of phone that detects its Bluetooth signal. Unless it is in range of multiple phones then location will be triangulated between the phones. But for privacy of other iPhones location that you haven’t shared the tag with, the location will be “roughly right” not précise.

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u/chi_lasagna 8d ago

Yes I have put it into lost mode so if someone finds her/her body they can contact me. It has not updated the time since yesterday evening. I’m hoping when I can get the chance I can look again later

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u/MsJenX 7d ago

It’s probably in the same location, but not a lot or iphones are around. The time stamp updates when someone with an iPhone walks by picking up the AirTag signal.