How to locate AirTag correctly on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12

If you have set up AirTag and attached it to something, you can track the said object in the ‌Find My app if you forget it. ‌Find My‌ uses Bluetooth signal from AirTag to transfer its location back to owner. However, in addition to Bluetooth, each AirTag is also equipped with a U1 Ultra Wideband chip and on devices also has a U1 chip, which has an exact search feature that allows you to more accurately determine the distance and direction of the AirTag lost when it is in scope.

If you are looking for a lost item and own the ‌iPhone 11‌ or 12, the exact search feature will direct you to the exact location of the lost AirTag using the camera sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope, with guidance provided through sound, feel and intuitive feedback. Here's how.

How to precisely locate the position of AirTag

Open the Find My app on iPhone.

Click Items.

Select the AirTag you want to find the exact location.

How to locate AirTag correctly on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 Picture 1

Select Find. It will show Nearby if exact search is enabled.

How to locate AirTag correctly on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 Picture 2

Now start moving around to locate the AirTag and follow the on-screen instructions. You will see an arrow pointing in the direction of the AirTag, approximate distance tells you its distance and note if it is on another floor.

When you approach an object, you will feel your phone vibrate and will hear an audible signal that you are near the object you are looking for. The AirTag graphics on ‌iPhone‌ will also change as you get closer to it. Exact search disappears once you successfully locate the AirTag card or your Apple devices are very close together.

How to locate AirTag correctly on iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 Picture 3

Note that Ultra Wideband is not widely supported worldwide, so exact search won't work in some countries.

David Pac

Update 06 May 2021