In summary:
- Apple released firmware update 3.0.45 for second-generation AirTags to improve the unwanted tracking sound, making unknown devices easier to locate.
- Macworld reports this enhancement mirrors a similar 2022 update for original AirTags and helps prevent stalking by making tracking devices more discoverable.
- The update occurs automatically when AirTags are near an iPhone, strengthening user safety and security features for the tracking accessories.
Apple’s AirTags have a host of privacy and security features, including notifications when an AirTag that isn’t yours (or one you have permitted) is seen traveling with you. In such a case, you can locate the offending AirTag with Precision Finding and cause it to make a beeping noise. It’s an important security feature to help prevent people from placing an AirTag on you to track your whereabouts.
A new firmware update, version 3.0.45, improves this feature by updating the sound to make it easier to locate. This only applies to the new 2nd-gen AirTags. Apple’s official release notes are as follows:
Updates the unwanted tracking sound to more easily locate an unknown AirTag during Precision Finding.
Bug fixes and other improvements.
It’s not clear how Apple has changed the tracking sound, but it appears to be similar to the update Apple delivered to the original AirTag in 2022. Back then, Apple adjusted the tone sequence to make unknown AirTags easier to find. Like Apple’s other accessories, there is no way to force your AirTags to update. You just have to have them within Bluetooth range of your iPhone and wait for it to happen.
If you want to see the firmware version of your AirTags, follow these steps:
- Open the Find My app.
- Tap the Items tab.
- Select your AirTag in the list of items.
- Tap the name of your AirTag, and the serial number and firmware version will appear.
Author: Jason Cross, Senior Editor, Macworld
Jason has written about technology for more than 25 years - first in the gaming press, then focusing on enthusiast PCs and general technology. He enjoys learning how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.