Google offers peace of mind from AirTag stalkers with its new Android update

July 28, 2023 at 09:32AM

Scared of someone tracking you with an AirTag? Yes, AirTag, a device by Apple that was created to help users find a lost item and have peace of mind. However, in the hands of bad actors, it could and has become a cause of concern. There have been several reports about this. While Apple did come up with built-in features on iOS for alerting you of unknown trackers following you, Android didn’t have anything until now. 

With a new update, Android lets you detect and thwart unwanted tracking by AirTag and similar trackers. Google is releasing the update to Android 6.0 and above starting today that enables a new option within the Safety & Emergency setting. Let’s see how this thing works.

Android Unknown Trackers Alert

Unknown tracker alerts is an upcoming @Android feature where your phone alerts you *and* locates unfamiliar tracking tags that have been separated from their owners and are seen moving with you. Look out for more on this later this year. #GoogleIO pic.twitter.com/o2MjuETYXL

— Google (@Google) May 10, 2023

Once you have this update, you could go to the Android Settings menu > Safety and Emergency option > Unknown Tracker Alerts, and then tap on the “Scan now” option. This takes about 10 seconds to find the tracker snooping on your moves. 

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Additionally, the new Android feature can automatically scan and alert you if it detects an unfamiliar tracker near your phone. You could find that device and disable it. 

Tapping the notification shows you more details about the tracking device (like a serial number) and perhaps even the device owner. It gives you a map of where all this thing has travelled with you.  

To locate the tracker, you can hit on the “Play sound” option and you’ll hear a chirp coming from the tracker. It then gives you instructions for disabling the thing.

Now, even though, this is primarily a partnership between Google and Apple, other players like Samsung, Tile, Eufy Security, Chipolo, and Pebblebee are also shown interest in drafting the aforementioned specifications. So, this feature should work to detect and disable trackers from these brands too. If they are supported at the moment isn’t clear.

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Finally, while we appreciate this feature’s potential to deter nefarious tracking by stalkers and abusers, this does aid thieves in disabling any tracker with the stolen item, and avert any attempts at recovering the same. Well, that’s the price you got to pay now.

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