Air Tag needs redesign, very difficult to open

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Level 1

20 points

Air Tag needs redesign, very difficult to open

Why is it SO difficult to open an Air Tag to change the battery? And why doesn’t Apple note in the instructions that it’s very difficult to do using your fingers, and that you will very likely need other materials in order to get it open, and also to get it closed?

I was worried that I was going to crush the Air Tag, or the battery, but finally got it to open up so I can change the battery. But now I can’t get it closed. VERY frustrating.

I searched online and realize you generally have to use a rubber gripper, or duct tape, or pliers, or similar, to open the Air Tag, and I’m realizing you also need one of those to close and secure the case.

As many others have noted in this forum, this is an *extremely* poor design and needs to be improved.

Apple: do better!

ps-I bought my air tags a while back so don’t remember if it was explicit and clear that Air Tags only work when you are in bluetooth range. If that’s the case, I wish I had stuck with my old Tiles! With those, you could make your phone ring if you misplaced your phone, something that Air Tags can’t do.

Posted on Mar 13, 2025 11:15 AM

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Answer 1

Tesserax

Level 10

157,878 points

Mar 13, 2025 11:33 AM in response to asha321

Two things:

Not everyone is having issues opening/closing the AirTag's battery cover. However, we do see folks here that do ... so, I'm not saying that it is not working for some.
We are not Apple employees here. Making statements, like: Apple: do better!, is not going to help you any. If you want Apple to know, use this link instead: Product Feedback - Apple

ps-I bought my air tags a while back so don’t remember if it was explicit and clear that Air Tags only work when you are in bluetooth range. If that’s the case, I wish I had stuck with my old Tiles! With those, you could make your phone ring if you misplaced your phone, something that Air Tags can’t do.

AirTags rely on Bluetooth. As such, they basically work as follows:

They can be "seen" in the Find My app on your iPhone if they are within Bluetooth range (30-40') of your phone.
Beyond that range, they participate in Apple's Find My network, which consists of literally millions of other iPhones. When the tag is outside the Bluetooth range of your phone, it works with that network. When another iPhone gets within range, it will send the tag's encrypted ID, along with the phone's GPS location, to the Apple servers over an Internet connection. In turn, your phone would get those updates connecting to those same servers.

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Answer 2

muguy

Level 10

91,172 points

Mar 13, 2025 11:32 AM in response to asha321

AirTags, like Tiles, work in bluetooth range of the device. Each leverages a network to find items misplaced farther afield. You can make either sound; AirTags can play a sound through the FindMy App.

You shouldn't need anything more than your hands to open the cover to replace the battery. How to replace the battery in your AirTag - Apple Support

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Answer 3

asha321 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 13, 2025 12:02 PM in response to muguy

Thanks for the feedback! Great to know that you don’t have to be within bluetooth range, and that it utilizes a huge network of all apple devices.

The instructions indicate you don’t need anything but your hands. But I saw a *lot* of other posts about this issue before I got to the Apple Community, and saw many posts on it here, so it’s not just me. At least this time. 🤓

I did wash my hands thoroughly and wipe the air tag down with alcohol and that finally worked, though it still required some effort. Maybe the metal tabs have gotten damaged somehow?

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Answer 4

asha321 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 13, 2025 12:10 PM in response to Tesserax

Thanks for the help and sorry! I didn’t mean to express my frustration at fellow community members. 🙈😬 The frustration grew as I read post after post after ingenious ways to get the case open, and just as important (and often more vexing) to get it closed. It baffled me that there were actually a *lot* of similar posts, especially before I came to the Apple Community. Though when I searched the Apple Community, there were still plenty of other with the same issue.

Maybe some Air Tags are faulty, or are susceptible to damage to the metal tabs inside? Which also seems like a design flaw.

If I had knows that sometimes they can be difficult to open and close, I would have felt more comfortable pushing a lot harder without worrying about damaging the Air Tag. Or would have know what to do it I still couldn’t get it open. A little info/instruction goes a long way.

Re. the comment asking Apple to do better, figured that an Apple employee participated in the forum, or at least would hope they do, both to answer questions which nobody in the community is able to, and also to get invaluable feedback.

Anyway, thanks for the link so I can provide that feedback directly to Apple. And thanks for the super prompt response, much appreciated!

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Air Tag needs redesign, very difficult to open

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