How to get the latest AirTag firmware update

Update AirTag firmware is easy. But it requires patience.
Photo: Cult of Mac

AirTag users will surely want the latest firmware for the item tracker. Turns out updating the software on the tiny gadget is both easy and hard — you don’t have to jump through hoops, but neither do you have much control.

Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1: Be patient

You can’t manually start a firmware update on an AirTag. All you can do is put the tracker near the iPhone it’s paired with and wait.

Apple just released the very first update, so no one has figured out if there’s some trick to getting the latest firmware more quickly. But it’s unlikely.

AirPods headphones also make users be patient. These accessories get software updates the same way — put them near an iPhone and wait. And no one has ever found a trick for speeding up the process.

How to be sure an AirTag has the latest firmware update

AirTag users can at least easily find out if they have the latest firmware.

1. Open the Find My application on an iPhone or iPad and go to the Items tab.
2. Tap on an AirTag in the list of Items.
3. Here’s the tricky part: Tap on the battery icon for the AirTag. That will display the AirTag’s serial number and firmware version.

Tap on the battery indicator to see the firmware version.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s tracker debuted running version 1.0.225. Currently, the latest update is 1.0.276. That’s the version that debuted June 3, 2021, and includes a change to the audible alarm put in place to make AirTags harder to use to stalk people.

For more, read Apple’s guide to setting up AirTags.