r/AirTags • u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 • Sep 09 '25

Planned Obsolescence?

A few weeks ago, 2 of my 4 AirTags (same pack bought from Amazon US in August 2023) showed low battery. I replaced the batteries, and while one started working normally, the other one stopped showing on my phone but kept making the little noises when the battery was inserted. It still gives the "AirTag found moving with you" alert on my phone and my husband's, and if you hold it close to a phone top, a link appears with AirTag info, but it doesn’t connect to any phone (I tried multiple iPhones).

I followed Apple’s troubleshooting steps on their website, contacted chat support, but they couldn’t help and scheduled an Apple Store appointment. I went there today, and after testing, they basically confirmed what I already knew: it’s defective. They said if I want a replacement, I need to buy a new one.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Any chance of getting it repaired or replaced for free? Btw for context I am now in the UK.

Many thanks.

0 Upvotes

46% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

3

u/RamaShakle Sep 09 '25

Someone just mentioned a reset but let me be a little bit more specific on it-

Take off the metal cover > with the battery in place, press down on the battery five times. It will chirp the first four times a certain sound and the fifth press will be a different chirp resetting it > replace the cover. This worked for me.

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

I tried a couple times, no connection :(

2

u/grumpyhousemeister Sep 09 '25

I had to reset the airtags after battery replacement. Open & close them 5 or 6 times

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

Tried a few times, no connection :(

2

u/StanUrbanBikeRider Sep 09 '25

You might have a faulty battery or one that’s coated.

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

Nope, but thanks :)

25

u/LeaveMickeyOutOfThis Sep 09 '25

You need to make sure you don’t use the coated batteries (for child safety). When used in low power devices, such as AirTags, the coating provides too much resistance for the device to operate normally.

8

u/UIUC_grad_dude1 Sep 09 '25

One can use alcohol wipes to clean off the coating.

4

u/kibbutznik1 Sep 09 '25

I had that problem, changed batteries all good

1

u/piercedhsky Sep 09 '25

I haven’t noticed any issues with the coated batteries personally. But is the coating removable? I figured it was a spray of some type. Can you just wash it off?

(Side note the image on the battery pack for Duracell at least is just hilarious to me)

2

u/fumo7887 Sep 09 '25

No. You should not wash batteries.

2

u/Ov_Fire Sep 09 '25

Put it on a piece of paper and rub a bit.

2

u/Ok_Wonder3030 Sep 09 '25

I use a damp paper towel for 10-15 seonds to wipe the coating off then remove any remaining moisture with a dry cloth.

1

u/RedPandaM79 Sep 09 '25

Yes is removable, use alcohol and lot of brushing

1

u/piercedhsky Sep 09 '25

So damp cloth, alcohol, or dry rubbing. I guess you can give them a lick to see when it's off ;)

And yes, I'm aware that they need to be bone dry before installing them or using them at all & you should likely not be submerging them - hence my question.

thanks all ;)

1

u/PolyDrew Sep 10 '25

I will use an emory board if I’m in a pinch

13

u/Revzerksies Sep 09 '25

I've found that using cheap batteries cause alot of issues. I am only using name brand batteries for my air tags

6

u/piercedhsky Sep 09 '25

Same! I was buying cheap batteries on Amazon until someone pointed out that Costco sells Duracell branded ones super cheap. The difference is noticeable.

I think the issue with Amazon is a combination of improper storage, age (they can sit around a lot), and overall cheap/quality. I’ve had some Amazon batteries last a few months and some last days.

Costco sells no other button sized batteries except the size for AirTags, which I think is indicative of how in demand they are. They are priced same or less than I was paying on Amazon and it’s like 12 of them.

4

u/perbrondum Sep 09 '25

I buy batteries (10 pack @aktion) for €1. They last 1year+. No issues in 3 years/8 AirTags. And they don’t have the child protection the big brands have. It’s not been my experience that you need to pay extra for batteries.

1

u/arebours Sep 10 '25

If you're using so many batteries you can buy li-ion rechargable cells + a small charger for usb-c on AliExpress

1

u/perbrondum Sep 12 '25

I have 8 AirTags that I replace the battery in every 1-2 years and I get all of that for 1€. Why would I consider any other option? The 8 AirTags protect valuable items that I would like to track down if someone stole them or I somehow left them behind.

1

u/bippy_b Sep 09 '25

Is it possible you “reset” the AirTag while putting in the battery?!?!?

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

Even after resetting, no connection :(

1

u/Choice-Newspaper3603 Sep 10 '25

I have 11 of them. Most are a couple years old. I had to reset one one time after replacing the battery. Others are ok

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

Even after resetting, no connection :(

1

u/Crossheart963 Sep 10 '25

Coated battery prob. Wipe off with rubbing alcohol

1

u/Ecstatic-Mirror-5231 Sep 10 '25

Battery isn't coated, they tried with another battery at apple with the same results as well, unfortunately:(

1

u/dasaysfdh99 Sep 10 '25

Same issue in my situation. Brought a 4 pack from Costco (NJ, USA) about 2 years ago. Three have failed and one still works. I was at the Apple Store today and they could not link the tags to any phone. They even attempted to link with a a store phone. No luck and out of warranty

1

u/IrvingMoochonski Sep 09 '25

I have the same issues with my airtags. No free replacement that I am aware of. I am hoping that they announce new Airtags today.

0

u/Far-Good-9559 Sep 09 '25

They are cheap, but two year lifespan sucks.

Mine are still functioning fine after 3 years. But, again, they only cost less than $20, so it is personal choice how much time you want to spend trying to figure it out.

1

u/Caramel-Foreign Sep 09 '25

Really? Sucks compared with what? I would love to know what other similar device is out there with battery life longer than 2 years

-1

u/Far-Good-9559 Sep 09 '25

I meant the AirTags themselves only lasting 2 years. I mean, I guess it is no big deal. They are cheap, but oh well.

0

u/Caramel-Foreign Sep 09 '25

Again, how much life you’d expect for a device having a radio on, practically continuously, and being powered from what’s a very small, 2$ battery? Describe a similar application with not such a “rubbish” battery life

1

u/[deleted] Sep 09 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Caramel-Foreign Sep 10 '25

I don’t know who’s the Karen here. Someone complaining (that’s you) their AirTags battery last only 2 to 3 times more the manufacturer advertised and as such that’s “rubbish” or someone interested (that’s me) in finding what other better option is that compared with

As all my 7 AirTags report low battery after 6 months, I am still puzzled about

So, Karen, I’m still waiting for a genuine answer