Found something?
Found an AirTag? Here's what to do.
The short answer: hold the top of your iPhone, or any phone that can read NFC tags, near the white side of the AirTag until a notification appears, then tap it. Apple says that opens a page with the AirTag's serial number and the last four digits of the owner's phone number, and if the owner marked it as lost, a message with how to contact them.
If you can't reach the owner that way, hand the AirTag (and whatever it's attached to) to the lost and found where you found it.
Checked on October 28, 2026 against Apple's support page on unknown AirTags. This is an independent guide from TangoTag, not Apple's.
If you just found one
- Look at what it's attached to. Keys, a bag or a wallet may carry a name, a business card or a lost-and-found sticker that's quicker than the AirTag itself.
- Tap it with your phone. Hold the top of your phone near the white side until a notification appears, then tap the notification.
- Read the page that opens. If the owner marked it as lost, you may see a message with how to contact them. If not, you see the serial number and the last four digits of their phone number, which helps if you know them. Apple suggests taking a screenshot.
- On an iPhone, you can also use Find My. Open the Items tab, scroll to the bottom and tap Identify Found Item.
- If none of that reaches them, hand it in where you found it: the shop, venue, airline or transit lost and found. The owner can see roughly where it is in their Find My app and will often go there.
If an AirTag is traveling with you
That's a different situation. If an AirTag that's separated from its owner is seen moving with you over time, an iPhone shows the alert "AirTag Found Moving With You." Phones running Android 6.0 or later can also notify you about an unknown tracker moving with you.
- To stop it sharing its location, tap the alert's Instructions to Disable and follow the steps. Apple says turning off Bluetooth or Location Services on your own phone does not stop the owner seeing its location.
- If you feel your safety is at risk, go to a safe public place and contact the police. Apple says law enforcement can request information about the AirTag from Apple, so keep the AirTag and its serial number.
If it has a QR sticker too
Some people put a lost-and-found sticker on the keys or bag as well. Point your phone camera at the QR code. If it's a TangoTag, the page lets you call, text or leave the owner a note, depending on what they chose, and they get it by email right away. You don't need an app or an account. See the page a finder gets.
Lose things yourself?
An AirTag shows you where something is; it doesn't tell the person holding it how to reach you unless you mark it as lost. A TangoTag sticker next to it does that from the start: anyone who finds your keys or bag scans it with any phone and can contact you, without seeing your number or address unless you choose to show them. TangoTag isn't a tracker, so the two work well together.
More guides: Found AirPods? · Found a wallet? · Lost something? Who has it
Questions
How do I find the owner of an AirTag I found?
Hold the top of your iPhone or an NFC-capable phone near the white side of the AirTag and tap the notification. Apple says the page shows its serial number and the last four digits of the owner's phone number, and a message with how to contact them if they marked it as lost.
Can an Android phone read a found AirTag?
Yes. Apple's instructions work with any NFC-capable smartphone: hold it near the white side of the AirTag until a notification appears.
What if an AirTag that isn't mine is moving with me?
Use the alert's Instructions to Disable to stop it sharing its location. If you feel unsafe, go to a safe public place and contact the police, and keep the AirTag.
Where should I hand in a found AirTag?
Where you found it: the shop, venue, airline or transit lost and found, together with whatever it's attached to. Otherwise the local police.