How to get alerts for unknown AirTags on an Android
Google has officially rolled out unknown tracker alerts, making it harder for people to covertly plant Apple AirTags on others.
The new feature, Google's Unknown Tracker Alerts, works as protection against AirTag stalking by allowing users to scan for nearby trackers with their Android device either manually or automatically. Right now, this feature only works on Apple AirTags, but Google plans to expand its capability.
It was first announced in May and, before this unexpected alliance between Apple and Google, Android users didn't get real-time alerts of people keeping track of their location in secret, unlike Apple owners. This feature could create a new industry standard to ensure people know when a tracker is following them.
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Here's how to manually scan for AirTags using Google's Unknown Tracker Alerts on your Android device, now that the feature has gone live, according to Google:
- 2 min
- Android phone
Step 1: On your device, tap Settings
Step 2: Tap Safety & Emergency and then Unknown tracker alerts
Step 3: Tap Scan now
You can also turn on "allow alerts" so that you receive alerts automatically.
If you have automatic unknown tracker alerts turned on, you'll receive a notification that an unknown tracker is traveling with you. Here's how to find an AirTag using Google's Unknown Tracker Alerts on your Android device, according to Google:
- 2 min
- Android phone
Step 1: Tap the tracker notification to open a map
Step 2: Tap Play sound and follow the sound made by the tracker to locate it
This will help you find where the tracker has been detected traveling with you by causing the tracker to make a sound. Important: The owner won’t be notified if you play the sound.
Step 3: After finding the tracker, tap Next steps. Follow the onscreen instructions
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
