What you’re dealing with
Anything beyond that range depends on a crowd-sourced network, not on Bluetooth itself. That is why AirTag is the strongest choice for travel specifically.
| Broadcasts as | Whatever tag you put inside, AirTag, Tile, Chipolo |
|---|---|
| Typical battery | Roughly a year on a coin cell tag |
| Findable by scan | Yes, while powered on |
| Search window | Days to weeks |
Once the battery is gone: Coin-cell tags last about a year, so a tag placed at the start of the year is still working at the end of it.
Where it usually is
The carousel, one belt over
More common than losing a bag entirely.
Hotel luggage storage
Behind twenty other cases.
A taxi or transfer boot
The most common permanent loss on a trip.
How to search for it
- Check the last-seen map firstBefore you search a room, find out which building. A pin saves you from searching the right way in the wrong place.
- Scan from the middle of the roomNote everything that appears, then select the device you want so the rest of the list drops away.
- Walk and watch the signalSweep in a straight line, give each position a few seconds, and turn 90 degrees when the reading stops rising.
- Search inside things, not across themA strong signal with nothing visible means it is underneath or inside something. Fabric and metal block Bluetooth badly.
Tips specific to luggage
- Put the tag inside the case, not on the handle. Handle tags get removed.
- Scan at baggage reclaim before you queue at the desk, a strong signal means the bag is in the hall.
Other things people lose
The same method applies to these, with different battery windows and different hiding places.
- How to find a pet tracker or collar tag, Months on a coin cell tag
- How to find a Chipolo or budget Bluetooth tag, Six months to two years on a coin cell
- How to find lost AirPods Max, About 20 hours
- How to find a lost GoPro or action camera, 1 to 2 hours recording
- How to find a lost game controller, 10 to 40 hours in use
- Bluetooth scanner for iPhone, Scan tab
- How to find something you left on a train
- All device guides, the complete list
Common questions
Can a Bluetooth tag track my bag to another country?
Not by itself. Bluetooth reaches tens of metres. Long-distance location comes from a crowd-sourced network of other people’s phones, which is where AirTag has the advantage.