Wearables

iOS 17 AirTag Not Working with iPhone: Here’s How to Make It Work!

By Liam NathanielPosted on
AirTag iOS 17 Sharing Glitch Heres How to Make It Work 1

Updated to iOS 17 and now AirTag sharing is broken? Don’t worry, some simple troubleshooting steps can get it working properly again.

One of the handiest AirTag features is sharing ownership with family and friends, allowing you to securely keep track of items together. But after installing iOS 17, you may get errors when trying to view the location of a shared AirTag. Understandably annoying!

Problem Description

“After updating to iOS 17, I suddenly can’t view my wife’s shared AirTag anymore. I’ve restarted, updated the Find My app, signed out of iCloud, but nothing fixes it! This is so aggravating…who knows how long until Apple patches this. I may just stick with iOS 16 until it’s resolved.”

Thankfully, with some targeted troubleshooting, you can typically resolve AirTag sharing issues introduced in major iOS updates like iOS 17. Follow along below and you’ll have shared AirTags working smoothly again in no time.

Why Does AirTag Sharing Break with iOS 17?

There are a few potential triggers for AirTag sharing problems after an iOS update:

  • Bug in iOS 17 causes issues managing sharing permissions
  • AirTag firmware needs updating for full compatibility
  • Find My app requires latest version to sync properly
  • Corrupt user data or settings need refreshing

Since the architecture changes over time, bugs commonly occur after big iOS releases until the software stabilizes.

Troubleshooting Tips to Fix iOS 17 AirTag Sharing Glitches

To get shared AirTag functionality working properly again, try the following workarounds:

1st solution: Update iPhone and AirTags to latest firmware versions.

Apple recently pushes an emergency update (iOS 17.0.1) to address widespread issues following the major iOS 17 update rollout. This latest firmware version likely contains the required patch for AirTag sharing glitches. Thus, update your iPhone and Airtags, if you haven’t already.

To update your iPhone and AirTag firmware, you can do the following:

A. iPhone firmware

  1. Connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi network.
  2. Open the Settings app.
  3. Tap General.
  4. Tap Software Update.
  5. If an update is available, tap Download and Install.
  6. Enter your passcode if prompted.
  7. Your iPhone will download and install the update. Once the update is complete, your iPhone will restart.

B. AirTag firmware

  1. Place your AirTag within Bluetooth range of your iPhone.
  2. Open the Find My app.
  3. Tap the Items tab.
  4. Tap your AirTag.
  5. If a firmware update is available, tap the update notification.
  6. Tap Update to confirm.

2nd solution: Remove and re-add sharing privileges between owners.

Removing and re-adding sharing privileges between AirTag owners works by revoking or granting access to the AirTag’s location data. This can be done through the Find My app.

To remove and re-add sharing privileges for your Apple AirTag, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Find My app.
  2. Tap the Items tab.
  3. Tap the AirTag that you want to manage sharing privileges for.
  4. Tap the People tab.
  5. To remove a person’s sharing privileges, tap the Remove button next to their name.
  6. To re-add a person’s sharing privileges, tap the Add button and then select the person you want to share with.

Important notes:

  • You can only share an AirTag with people who are also using the Find My app.
  • People who you share your AirTag with will be able to see its location on a map.
  • You can revoke a person’s sharing privileges at any time.

3rd solution: Sign out of iCloud account and sign back in to refresh.

Signing out of your iCloud account and signing back in is a way to refresh your iCloud connection and potentially fix any problems that you may be having with iCloud.

To sign out of your iCloud account on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Settings > Your Name.
  2. Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
  3. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.
  4. If you want to keep a copy of your iCloud data on your device, tap Keep a Copy.
  5. Tap Sign Out again to confirm.

To sign back into your iCloud account, follow these steps:

  1. Go to Settings > Sign In to Your Device.
  2. Enter your Apple ID and password.
  3. Tap Sign In.
  4. Choose which iCloud features you want to enable.
  5. Tap Done.

If you have two-factor authentication enabled, you will also need to enter a six-digit code that is sent to your trusted device.

4th solution: Reset Network Settings to wipe stale configurations.

Resetting the network settings on your AirTag will clear all of its network settings, including its Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings. This can help to fix problems with your AirTag, such as if it is not connecting to your iCloud account or if it is not showing up in the Find My app.

To reset the network settings on your Apple AirTag, follow these steps:

  1. Place your AirTag within Bluetooth range of your iPhone.
  2. Open the Find My app.
  3. Tap the Items tab.
  4. Tap your AirTag.
  5. Scroll down and tap Reset.
  6. Tap Reset Network Settings to confirm.

Your AirTag will restart and its network settings will be reset to their defaults.

Important notes:

  • Resetting your AirTag’s network settings will not erase any of your personal data.
  • However, you will need to reconnect your AirTag to your iCloud account after resetting its network settings.

5th solution: Unpair then re-pair AirTags to start fresh.

Unpairing and re-pairing AirTags is a way to reset your AirTag and start fresh. This can be helpful if you are having problems with your AirTag, such as if it is not connecting to your iCloud account or if it is not showing up in the Find My app.

To unpair an AirTag:

  1. Place your AirTag within Bluetooth range of your iPhone.
  2. Open the Find My app.
  3. Tap the Items tab.
  4. Tap the AirTag that you want to unpair.
  5. Scroll down and tap Remove Item.
  6. Tap Remove to confirm.

To re-pair an AirTag:

  1. Place your AirTag within Bluetooth range of your iPhone.
  2. Open the Find My app.
  3. Tap the + button in the top-right corner.
  4. Tap Add Item.
  5. Tap AirTag.
  6. Hold your AirTag next to your iPhone and follow the on-screen instructions.

Important notes:

  • You can only unpair and re-pair AirTags that are paired to your iCloud account.
  • When you unpair an AirTag, it will no longer be trackable in the Find My app.
  • To re-pair an AirTag, you must be within Bluetooth range of the AirTag.

One of these steps typically does the trick to restore sharing.

Preventing Future AirTag Sharing Issues

Once fixed, avoid future sharing problems by:

  • Keeping your iPhone and AirTags updated
  • Periodically reviewing and re-adding shared AirTags
  • Backing up your iPhone before major iOS updates
  • Reporting any persistent bugs to Apple

Staying vigilant maintains smooth sharing, so be sure to observe the aforementioned guidelines to prevent ending up facing the same issue.

iOS 17 AirTag Problem Fixed!

While AirTag sharing other post-update issues after an iOS update are frustrating, stay positive! Methodically re-adding shares, updating firmware, resetting networks, and contacting Apple Support will help get to the bottom of most problems. With concerted effort, you’ll have shared AirTags working seamlessly again in no time on iOS 17.

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