Probably the biggest highlight of the Apple AirTag is the Precision Finding feature that makes it dead simple to locate misplaced items. Thanks to Ultra-wideband Technology, Precision Finding is able to more accurately determine the distance and direction of a tagged item within the range. Fusing input from key components like accelerometer, gyroscope, and iPhone’s camera, it guides you towards the tagged item using haptics, sound, and pretty impressive visual feedback. That said, unfortunately, Apple AirTag Precision Finding is not working for a large number of iPhone users. If you are one of them, we have got you covered with viable solutions to fix the AirTag Precision Finding not working issue.
In a typical Apple fashion, the company has not yet divulged detail about the range of AirTag. Considering that the maximum Bluetooth range is around 100 meters, so we guess a misplaced AirTag should be trackable at least to that distance. Therefore, you should keep in mind this range of the AirTag while trying to locate a tagged item like your bag, wallet, and more. Enough talk, let’s get on with the troubleshooting guide!
- Be Sure Ultra-Wideband Technology is Not Restricted in Your Country
- Make Sure U1 Chip is Enabled on Your iPhone
- AirTag “Signal is Weak” Error: Reset Wi-Fi/ Cellular/ Bluetooth Connection
- Hard Reset Your iPhone
- Turn On/ Off Location Services
- Allow Location Access to Find My
- Factory Reset Your AirTag
- Update Your iPhone’s Software
1. Be Sure Ultra-Wideband Technology is Not Restricted in Your Country
U1 (also known as UWB, ultra-wideband, and ultra band) chip is the heart of AirTag’s Precision Finding feature. Using ultra-wideband technology, the U1 chip is able to precisely locate and communicate with other U1-equipped devices such as iPhone 11 and 12. Unfortunately, ultra-wideband technology has been blocked in some countries and regions due to security concerns.
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Paraguay
- Russia
- Solomon Islands
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
2. Make Sure U1 Chip is Enabled on Your iPhone
As outlined above, the ultra-wideband chip plays a vital role in making the Precision Finding feature work on iPhones. Therefore, you should ensure that the U1 chip is enabled on your supported iPhone. We recently wrote a guide on how to disable the ultra-wideband chip, but it shows the steps you need to follow to reach the settings.
A handful of users have reported that the AirTag signal is too weak to let them locate nearby devices – even if they are well within the 100 meters range. Further, the weak AirTag signal also prevents them from using the Precision Finding feature, which is disappointing.
First, turn off Wi-Fi, cellular, and Bluetooth (Settings app -> Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Data). After that, reboot your smartphone and then turn on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Mobile Data once again. Then, check if AirTag’s signal is back to its usual self.
4. Hard Reset Your iPhone
As hard reset often helps troubleshoot random iOS issues, we should give it a chance as well. To do this, press the volume up button and then quickly press the volume down button. After that, hold down the power button until the screen goes black and the Apple logo shows up on the screen. Image Courtesy: Apple
If Apple AirTag Precision Finding continues to misbehave, try turning off/ on Location Services on your iPhone. Refreshing Location Services might fix the Precision Finding feature.
6. Allow Location Access to Find My
Needless to say but worth pointing out that Find My app needs to have complete access to your location to work properly. More importantly, you must give it permission to use your Precise Location as well. Else, it will continue to struggle, and so will AirTag.
If you haven’t yet found a fix for Precision Finding not working with your AirTag, go for Factory Reset. It’s one of the best AirTag tips and tricks, especially when dealing with complex issues. While factory reset might seem like a radical solution, it helped fix the nagging tracking issue with their item tracker.
To reset the Apple AirTag, launch the Find My app on your iPhone. After that, tap on the Items tab at the bottom and select the AirTag which you want to reset. Next, swipe up to bring up the AirTag settings. Here, tap on the Remove Item option.
If Precision Finding still doesn’t work in helping you locate a lost AirTag, there might be a software bug behind this issue. And in this scenario, a software update is undoubtedly your best bet. So go to Settings -> General -> Software Update. Now, iOS will check for an update. If any updates are available, hit the download and install option to upgrade to the latest version of iOS.
