You’ll soon be able to find your keys and wallet with your iPhone

How many times have you frantically searched your home, car, purse or pockets for a missing set of keys or your wallet? It’s so frustrating, and it always seems to happen when you’re running late.

There are numerous products on the market to help locate misplaced items, but Apple has now joined the field. The company announced on April 20 that they’d developed puck-like location trackers called AirTags that let you use your iPhone to keep tabs on those important items that seem to disappear at the most inconvenient times.

Your iPhone 11 or 12 can connect to any item you can attach a disc-shaped AirTag to — from keys to backpacks and even umbrellas — by using the iPhone’s built-in Find My app to point you to the location of your lost item.

How Do Apple AirTags Work?

Each Apple AirTag is a small, battery-operated location device. It pairs with your iPhone 11 or 12 through Bluetooth; AirTags also have a U1 ultra-wideband chip that lets UWB iPhones (11 and 12 models) precisely locate the AirTag. New AirTags pair just like AirPods. All you need to do is bring an AirTag close to the iPhone and it will automatically connect.

From there, you have a fully customizable experience to label what item the AirTag will track. The AirTags system has a number of default descriptions, including keys and items of clothing, like a jacket. However, you can also type in your own description to make it personalized.

After your AirTags are set up, the items will appear in your Find My app. Each item will be individually listed, along with its last known location.

If you cannot find an item with an AirTag on it, simply use the Find My app to locate it, and the AirTag will play a sound from its built-in speaker. Apple has also integrated Ask Siri to help find lost items to make tracking them down even easier.

If you left your AirTagged item somewhere, simply go to your Find My app, select the missing item and put it into Lost mode. You can retrace your steps, and when you get into range, the AirTag will alert you. Or, if another Apple user finds your AirTagged item, the finder can tap it on their own iPhone to find your contact information and let you know it’s been located.

AirTags can also use voice technology to help pinpoint an item’s location, guiding users with vision impairment to their lost belongings with verbal directions.

Apple AirTags can be slipped into pockets of bags or wallets. Apple has made several different AirTag accessories, including keychains, bag charms and travel tags, that let you easily attach your tracking device to whatever you want to keep tabs on.

The batteries in AirTags should last for more than a year, Apple says. AirTags take CR2032 batteries, which are widely available, and you can replace them yourself, no trip to the Apple store needed.

How Much Will Apple AirTags Cost?

Customers can purchase an individual AirTag for $29 or a four-pack for $99. Starting April 30, Apple AirTags will be sold on Apple’s website, the App Store and at Apple Store locations and authorized resellers. You’ll have to buy keychains and other accessories separately; they start at $12.95.

Any customer who purchases an AirTag from Apple or the App Store can add personalized engraving for free, which includes text and a selection of 31 different emojis.