The release of AirTags by Apple enable people to keep track of their important items that lack smart features. Some of this items include bags, wallets, bicycles, cameras. By now you know that you will have to connect the AirTag to your Apple ID on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad for it to work. But is there a limit on the number of AirTags you can connect to your Apple ID?
Yes. Apple allows you to connect up to 16 items on your Apple ID. If you try to exceed the 16 items, you will get a notification “ Cannot add AirTag, remove one or more to connect”. Sometimes this error might happen even in cases where you only have one AirTag. What might be the reason for this kind of error?
Keep reading this guide to learn how Apple ID and AirTags work. By the end of the guide, you will learn trick of having more than the 16 AirTags if you have more items to track.
Is there a limit to how many AirTags you can connect?
Apple has a rule that you can only track 16 items using your Apple ID. They have a restricted the AirTag to be connected to one device. This is not to mean you cannot track more than 16 of your items with AirTags. The limit is for formalities but there is always something you can do to work around this restrictions.
For starters, Apple AirTags are very affordable. One AirTag retails at $29. While a pack of four AirTags go for $99. With this affordability and many items that need to be tracked, you can own even 50 AirTags of you can. There is however, a limitations to having all this AirTags.
You cannot connect all the 50 AirTags to one Apple ID. Apple limits you to connect only 16 items on one Apple ID. If you try connecting more AirTags you will get the: “Cannot add AirTag, remove one or more to connect” error. Sometimes this error might even occur even if you are trying to connect one AirTag. What might be the reason for this.
Apple counts other devices that are connected to your Apple ID as AirTags. So, if you have connected 16 other items on your Apple ID, your AirTag will not connect. You can solve the issue by removing other items. But if all the items are of importance, you can always make things work for you.
1. Open a new Apple ID account
Although, Apple restricts the number of items that can be connected to One Apple ID, it does not prohibit you to open a new Apple ID. Opening an Apple ID is totally free.
- Go to Apple store on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
- Tap the sign-in button.
- Tap create new Apple ID. You will not see this option if you are still signed-in on iCloud. Sign out of iCloud before trying to create a new account.
- Enter your billing details to purchase premium services. You can opt to enter the details later.
- Enter you contact information and your email for verification code.
- The email you enter will be your new Apple ID.
Even if you open another Apple ID account, you will not be able to use both accounts on one device at the same time. You can make the accounts work for you by signing out of one account then signing in on the other.
For this to work, you can choose your main Apple ID account for the commonly used AirTags.
2. Remove some of the items
If some of the items are just filling your Apple ID account and are not in use, you can remove those items from your Apple ID.
3. Using other compatible devices
If you have Airtags that are attached to items that are shared with other family members, you can opt to connect the AirTags to one of your family members device. This will be possible only if they have iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad with iOS 14.50 and later versions.
Remember, you will have to remove the AirTag from your device for it to connect to theirs.
Although sharing AirTags might pose a lot of issues, at the end of the day it is possible. So, if you are worried about how you will make sharing AirTags work, this AirTag family-sharing guide will be of so much help.
Can you track one AirTag with two devices?
No. You cannot connect one AirTag to two Apple devices. Am AirTag is connected to an Apple ID, which is connected to an iCloud. The iCloud account allows your AirTag to upload the location history for the sake of tracking.
So, there is no possible way, you can connect the same AirTag to two different devices. If you try to connect the AirTag to two devices, you will be restricted.
In instances where you want to give your AirTag to someone else in your family, you will need to remove the AirTag from your Apple ID for them to connect it to theirs.
- After disconnecting the AirTag from your Account, you might be forced to factory reset the AirTag for it to connect.
- Remove the AirTag by removing the battery and replacing it five times. On your last attempt, the AirTag will produce a sound that indicates it has been reset and connected.
- Ensure the other person’s Apple device is compatible with AirTags and that it has not reached the limit of 16 items.
- Enable Bluetooth, two-factor authentication, and Find my app.
- Bring the AirTag closer to the AirTag for connection.
- Once the AirTag is connected rename it and save the details.
If you want to take the AirTag back, you will need to repeat the process. But this time from the other person’s iPhone and connecting it to yours.
There are instances where the AirTag will be gone for a few minutes or hours. In such instances, you can opt to not to remove the AirTag from your account, but disable the safety alert feature.
Disabling safety alert feature will prevent the common pop-up notifications alerting you of a possible stalker.
- Go to Find My app on your device.
- On the bottom of the page, you will find a ME tab.
- Tap on the tab and you will find the “item safety alert” switch.
- Tap on the switch and slide it to switch off the safety alert.
- You will the repeat the process when turning the safety alert back. But this time slide the switch to the opposite direction.
Since Apple does not allow you to register an AirTag to two different devices, how will you recover your AirTag if you lose both your AirTag and the connected iPhone?
Recovering your AirTag and your iPhone is not very hard. If you know your Apple ID account information and password, you can login to another Apple device to track your devices.
Unless you had disconnected your AirTag from your iPhone, the location history is still saved on your iCloud account connected to your Apple ID.
- Once you have registered your Apple ID on another Apple device, you can go ahead and download find my app on the device. You will be asked if the Apple ID account should be disconnected on the other device. Press yes to continue.
- Here you will get all the items connected to your Apple ID.
- If your AirTag come in close proximity to another iPhone with enabled Find My Network feature, the location history will be updated to your iCloud account.
- You can the go to the map and see where your AirTag is.
- If you are using iPhone 11 and latest versions, you can take advantage of precision finding. Precision finding will give you the exact distance and direction you need to move to reach your AirTag.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to get to your AirTag. Once you retrieve your AirTag and iPhone, you will need to logout from the device to reconnect back to yours.
How to connect multiple devices to one Apple ID?
Since you know the limit of AirTags per Apple ID is 16, you can then connect each AirTag you have to your Apple ID. If you have let’s say 6 AirTags and you need to connect them to your Apple ID, it is possible provided the other Apple devices connected to your Apple ID do not exceed 16.
- Make sure your AirTag is ready for connection before trying to connect it. Open the battery compartment and return the battery to test if it’s working. It will produce a sound when returning it if it is working.
- Make sure your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad have an iOS 14.50 or later versions.
- Ensure that you are not using a managed Apple ID. Managed Apple ID will not allow you to connect your AirTags.
- Enable Bluetooth, two-factor authentication, and Find My app.
- Once your AirTag and the iPhone are ready, bring the AirTag closer to your iPhone.
- If the iPhone detects the AirTag, you will see the AirTag advertising itself before it is connected.
- The process will take a few seconds. So, if it does not connect, there is an issue with your AirTag or your iPhone.
- Once the AirTag is connected, you will rename the item for the purpose of identification.
- Press done. And test if the AirTag is working.
- If you have multiple AirTags, you will need to put the other AirTags a bit further from your iPhone and pair each independently.
Once you have paired all your AirTags with your Apple ID, you will always be capable of telling where your device is at all times.
The location history of your AirTag will be updated periodically provided the iPhone is at range.
I have see cases where people fear that hackers are using AirTag location history to stalker users. Apple has come to disregard this allegations by proving once you have enabled two-factor authentication, no one can access your information. Furthermore, AirTags don’t have a screen and don’t have your personal information.
To neutralize the doubt of being stalked, Apple came up with new firmware updates for your AirTag that happens automatically provided your AirTag come in close proximity to an iPhone.
If you want to learn about all the safety precautions set by Apple for AirTag users, subscribe to this page.
Conclusion
Apple has restricted the number of AirTags that can be connected to an Apple ID account to 16. This include other devices such as Airpods. So, if you have more that 16 items, you will have to chose which items are of importance.
If all the items need to be tracked, you can create another Apple ID and connect them to your new Apple ID. The guide above offers other solutions you can follow to make tracking your items easy.
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