AirTag almost empty? Apple removes battery icon in iOS 15.6
Apple removed the AirTag battery icon from the Find My app in iOS 15.6. We explain how you can find out if your AirTag is almost empty.
Read on after the ad.
Contents
AirTag battery icon
iOS 15.6 comes with an unpleasant surprise for many AirTag users: the current battery level of the tracker can no longer be checked. Apple removed the battery icon from the Find My app from the latest update, as well as iPadOS 15.6, macOS 12.5, and watchOS 8.7. The icon has also disappeared from the beta of iOS 16. Older versions of the operating systems, however, continue to show the charge level of the AirTag.
Warning when AirTag battery is low
But how do you find out if the AirTag’s battery needs to be replaced before it’s too late? Apple informs you that you will continue to receive a warning if the battery of the AirTag is low. In that case, a small red battery icon will also appear in the Find My app to remind you to change the battery.
It is also a feature – and not a bug – according to a support document from Apple. The company has removed references to the battery icon from the AirTag. A reason for the unexpected change has not yet been given.
It remains a guess, but there have been a number of reports in recent months that the charge level of the AirTags is displayed incorrectly. The only way to correct that was to reset the AirTag. Because of this, some users may have replaced the battery too early. Waste of money and for the environment.
AirTag with CR2032 Button Cell
Each AirTag contains the CR2032 (3V) coin cell battery. According to Apple, these usually need to be replaced after about a year, but in practice the batteries last considerably longer.
Replacing the battery also carries a small safety risk. Especially parents of small children should make sure that the AirTags are closed properly after replacing the battery, otherwise it is quite easy to get to the button cell. And children are naturally curious.
Apple also does not allow button cells with a so-called Bitrex coating to be used. These button cells, often with the extra mention ‘Baby Secure’ on the packaging, have a particularly bitter taste and make choking almost impossible. But unfortunately they don’t work well in AirTags.
