Your AirTag is chirping. Or maybe you just got that annoying "Low Battery" notification on your iPhone while you’re trying to find your keys in a rush. It’s a tiny, silver disc, but getting the right batteries for apple tags is actually way more annoying than it should be. Most people think they can just grab any old 2032 off the shelf at CVS and call it a day. They're wrong. Honestly, if you buy the wrong one, your AirTag might not even turn on, and you’ll be left wondering if you broke the thing.
The AirTag uses a CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery. Standard stuff, right? Not really.
Why Some Batteries Simply Won't Work
Apple has a very specific beef with bitterants. If you’ve got kids or pets, you probably know about that "bitter coating" manufacturers like Duracell put on coin batteries to stop toddlers from swallowing them. It tastes like concentrated regret. It’s a great safety feature, but it’s the absolute nemesis of the AirTag.
Here is the deal: the coating is an insulator. Apple designed the battery terminal contacts in a way that the bitterant layer often aligns perfectly with the pins. This creates a barrier. No electricity flows. You pop the battery in, twist the chrome cover back on, and... nothing. No startup chime. No signal. You might think your AirTag is dead, but it’s just the coating.
If you are standing in an aisle looking at batteries for apple tags, look at the packaging. If it says "Bitter Coating" or shows a little "baby-safe" icon, put it back. Or, if you already bought them, you’re going to need some isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab to scrub that coating off the negative side of the battery. It’s a mess. Just buy the ones without the coating from the start.
The CR2032 Specs You Can't Ignore
Don't try to get clever with the numbers. A CR2025 looks similar but it’s thinner. It’ll rattle around in there and lose connection every time you drop your keys. You need the 2032. The "20" means it is 20mm in diameter, and the "32" means it is 3.2mm thick. That thickness is vital for the tension of the internal spring.
I’ve seen people try to use rechargeable LIR2032s. Don't do that. Those run at 3.6V or 3.7V, which is higher than the 3.0V the AirTag expects. You risk frying the board. Stick to the disposable lithium ones. They last about a year anyway, so the environmental trade-off for a tiny puck isn't as bad as it sounds.
Real-World Longevity and Cold Weather
Apple says these last a year. In my experience, that’s about right if you’re living in a temperate climate like California. But if you’re in Chicago or Maine? Cold kills lithium batteries. If you keep an AirTag in your car during a freezing winter, don't be surprised if you get a low battery warning after six months.
Lithium batteries rely on a chemical reaction to produce a current. When it gets freezing, that reaction slows down. The internal resistance goes up. The AirTag "thinks" the battery is dying because the voltage drops under the load of a Bluetooth ping. Sometimes, once the car warms up, the "Low Battery" warning disappears. But once that happens a few times, the capacity is permanently dinged.
Brands That Actually Fit and Work
You’d be surprised how much variance there is in the physical shape of a coin cell. Some have a slightly more pronounced "rim" on the negative side.
- Panasonic: This is actually what Apple ships inside the AirTag from the factory. They don't usually have the bitter coating if you buy the industrial bulk packs.
- Energizer: Their "Lithium" line is generally the gold standard. Just make sure you aren't grabbing the specialized "Child Shield" versions unless you're prepared to clean them.
- Sony/Murata: Reliable, cheap, and usually "clean" of coatings.
Avoid the "no-name" 20-packs you find for five bucks on sketchy marketplaces. They leak. I’ve opened up an AirTag after a year to find white crusty oxidation all over the pins because a cheap battery leaked its electrolytes. That’s a $29 mistake to save $0.50 on a battery.
How to Change the Battery Without Breaking the Clips
It’s a "push and twist" motion. Use your thumbs. Press down on the silver stainless steel battery cover and rotate counter-clockwise. It should pop up. If it’s stuck, it might be because of pocket lint or gunk.
When you put the new battery in, you should hear a "chirp." If you don't hear that sound, the battery isn't making contact. This is your first clue that the bitterant coating is blocking the signal. Once you hear the sound, put the cover back on, aligning the three tabs with the slots, and twist it clockwise until it stops.
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Does the Battery Level Matter?
Apple actually removed the specific battery percentage indicator in the Find My app a couple of years ago. Now, you just get a red battery icon when it's low. This was likely because voltage on coin cells stays "flat" for a long time and then drops off a cliff, making percentages notoriously inaccurate. If you see the red icon, you probably have two to three weeks of life left. Don't panic, but don't wait a month.
Managing Multiple Tags
If you’re like me and have ten of these things on everything from your dog to your camera bag, change them all at once. Seriously. Buying batteries for apple tags in bulk is cheaper, and it saves you the headache of getting a notification every three weeks for a different device. Set a "Battery Day" once a year. It’s easier.
One thing people forget is the "Precision Finding" feature. This uses the U1 chip (ultrawideband) and it sucks way more power than the standard Bluetooth beacon. If you’re constantly using your phone to "find" your keys behind the couch cushions, your battery is going to die way faster than the person who only uses the map.
Actionable Steps for AirTag Maintenance
Don't wait until you lose your luggage in an airport to realize the battery is dead. Check your Find My app today. If there is no "Low Battery" banner, you are fine, but keep a spare CR2032 (non-coated) in your glove box or junk drawer.
When you do replace the cell, take a second to wipe the inside of the AirTag with a dry cloth. Skin oils and dust can get inside the seal. Speaking of seals, the AirTag is IP67 rated, but that rubber O-ring can dry out. If it looks cracked, the water resistance is gone. A tiny bit of silicone grease can help, but honestly, most people just buy a new tag at that point.
The most important takeaway: if it’s a Duracell or any battery with a "bitter" warning, you must clean the negative terminal with alcohol before installation. Otherwise, you're just putting a dead weight inside your tracker. Buy a 5-pack of Panasonic or Energizer CR2032s without the child-safety coating, swap them in, and listen for that chime.