You’re staring at your iPhone and there it is. That annoying little notification telling you your AirTag battery is low. It feels like you just bought the thing, doesn't it? But honestly, these tiny trackers usually last about a year, and when they hit that wall, they just stop being reliable. You don’t want to be the person who loses their keys in a crowded airport only to realize the tracker died three days ago.
Most people panic a bit. They look at the smooth, polished stainless steel and think, "Wait, how do I actually get inside this thing?" There are no screws. There’s no obvious hinge. It looks like a solid piece of Apple-engineered magic.
Changing the battery is actually dead simple, but if you do it wrong, you’ll scratch the hell out of the casing or, worse, snap the internal plastic clips. Here is the real-world way to handle it.
The Cr-2032 Problem Everyone Ignores
First things first. You need a battery. Specifically, a CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery.
But here is the catch that trips up almost everyone: Bitter coatings. Companies like Duracell often coat their coin batteries in a bitter-tasting substance (denatonium benzoate) to stop toddlers from eating them. It’s a great safety feature. It’s also a nightmare for AirTags. Apple’s official support documentation specifically warns that the coating can interfere with the battery contacts. If you pop a "child-safe" battery in there, your AirTag might just stay dead.
If you bought the bitter ones, you have to literally scrub that coating off with an alcohol wipe before it’ll work. Or, just buy the "basic" ones that don't have the sticker or the coating. It’s a weirdly specific hurdle, but it’s usually why people think their AirTag is broken after a battery swap.
How Do You Change Battery in AirTag Step-by-Step
Stop poking at it with a screwdriver. You don't need tools.
Lay the AirTag down on a flat surface with the silver stainless steel battery cover facing up. Take two fingers—usually your thumbs work best—and press down firmly on that silver cap. While pressing down, rotate the cover counterclockwise.
It won’t move much. Maybe a quarter turn.
Once it stops rotating, lift your thumbs. The silver cap should just pop right off. If it feels stuck, you probably didn't press down hard enough while turning. The tension is what keeps it water-resistant, so it's meant to be a bit snug.
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Inside, you’ll see the old battery. Pop it out. You might need to tilt the AirTag over or use a fingernail. Replace it with your new CR2032 battery, making sure the positive (+) side is facing up toward you. You should see the etched text on the battery looking back at you.
The Chirp of Success
When you press the new battery down, the AirTag should make a faint, high-pitched "chirp" sound. That’s the device booting up. If you don't hear that sound, the battery isn't making contact. Check for that bitter coating I mentioned or make sure the battery is seated flat.
Now, put the cover back on. Align the three tabs on the cover with the slots on the AirTag. Press down firmly and rotate it clockwise until it clicks into place and won't turn anymore.
Dealing With "AirTag Not Reachable" Errors
Sometimes you swap the battery and the Find My app still says "Low Battery." It's frustrating.
Electronics are finicky. The app doesn't always refresh the battery status instantly. Often, you need to walk away from the AirTag and come back, or trigger a "Play Sound" command to force the hardware to check in with the network.
If it still shows as low, you might have a "dud" battery. Even new batteries can lose charge sitting on a shelf at a big-box store for three years. If you're using a battery from a pack of ten you bought in 2021, that’s probably your culprit.
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Longevity and Maintenance
How long should this new one last? Apple says a year. In my experience, if you use the "Play Sound" feature a lot—maybe you're always losing your remote in the couch cushions—you’ll get closer to nine months.
Also, while you have the cover off, take a look at the seal. AirTags are IP67 rated. That means they can handle being dropped in a puddle or a shallow pool for a bit. But if the rubber O-ring inside looks cracked or there’s a bunch of pocket lint jammed in the grooves, that water resistance is gone. Clean it out with a dry Q-tip. Don't use water or soap.
A Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
If you’ve followed the steps and things still feel "off," check these three things:
- The Tab Alignment: The silver cover has tiny feet. If one is bent, the cover won't sit flush, and water will get in.
- The Battery Brand: Some off-brand CR2032s are a fraction of a millimeter thinner than name brands. This can cause intermittent connections where the AirTag works one minute and disappears the next. Stick to Panasonic, Sony, or Energizer if you can.
- Resetting the AirTag: If the battery is definitely good but the AirTag won't connect, you can factory reset it. This involves pressing the battery down and removing it five times in a row until you hear a different chime. It's a pain, but it fixes most firmware hangs.
What to Do With the Old Battery
Please don't just toss the old coin battery in the trash. These things are incredibly dangerous if they end up in a landfill or, worse, swallowed by a pet. Most Best Buy locations or local hardware stores have a specific bin for lithium battery recycling.
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Once the new battery is in and the chirping sound has played, your Find My app should update within a few minutes. You're good for another 300-plus days of tracking.
To ensure the best performance moving forward, open the Find My app, tap on Items, select your AirTag, and double-check that the low battery icon has disappeared. If it has, you're all set. If the icon persists for more than an hour despite the AirTag being functional, try restarting your iPhone to clear the cached status. For those who frequently travel, it’s a smart move to keep a spare, non-coated CR2032 battery in your travel bag, as these always seem to die at the most inconvenient times imaginable.