Most people don't know this, how to properly AirTag a vehicle

This video shows the best way to add an Apple AirTag to your vehicle to prevent it from being found so you can locate the position on the vehicle; if you enjoyed the video, subscribe and like.
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[@craigsaunders3200]

I had a vehicle stolen which was Air-tagged. Police were able to recover it based on the location I got from the AirTag, but it was out by a small margin and updates of it's location were days apart. I did not put it in lost mode for fear of revealing it's location; I had not know how to disable the speaker, so this is a great piece of knowhow. Thanks! PS: Several other vehicles were recovered at the same time as a result 🙂

[@ahgflyguy]

"I did not put it in lost mode for fear of revealing it's location;" The airtag itself knows nothing of "lost mode" just like it knows nothing of its location. The Lost Mode setting just means that Apple's servers will forward any location packets with your Airtag's identifier (or your phone will go and look for those packets periodically). The airTag is completely unaware of the existence of a "lost mode". Also, a better piece of hardware to use for this is the Atuvos Tracker. It uses the same Find My network, but it doesn't have the precision finding feature which a thief could use to find it inside of your car (which is a feature Apple just enabled recently- allowing OTHER people to precision-locate YOUR tracker if they have stolen your item). So yeah. Atuvos (though the speaker is harder to disable than on an airtag). Or Chipolo.

[@HollywoodCharityAuctioncom]

@@ahgflyguy Atuvos Tracker should only be used as a backup - not instead, as it only has 400 ft range.

[@ahgflyguy]

@@HollywoodCharityAuctioncom you do realize that these all have about the same range, right? I’ve gotten an Atuvos signal picked up from 300 yards away (not 300 feet. Yards). The distance at which your (my) iPhone can connect to them is much shorter. But it was the same for the Atuvos and the AirTag. They all broadcast at the same power, once every 2 seconds, and they have similar antennas. Advertised range is not a deciding factor.

[@smgt90]

My cousin has had her car stolen twice. She managed to find it the two times thanks to the airtag.

[@AlabamaTree]

@Craig Saunders - if you didn’t put the tag into ‘lost mode’ and the police still found your vehicle why do you need to put it into ‘lost mode’ ? Sorry I’m a bit puzzled and just after some advice. I don’t want to take the speaker out if I don’t have to.

[@martinlohstroh]

You sound like Chris Fix.

[@joaopedroreis]

was about to comment the same thing!

[@kiidzbop2621]

Lol had to check the username to make sure this wasn't Chris fix

[@stanleymuravha6238]

Exactly man the moment he said “in the event”….. i was like is this chris fix new page

[@lior.camera]

Also the hand movements are the same

[@ni4nijustice855]

It's him guys

[@MartinSh429]

The problem is not the sound, it's the fact that tracker alarms the thief that a tracker is following them

[@malange42]

Key point.....surprised that no one has spoken to this issue

[@flash12319]

@@malange42agreed. I’d like more information on this

[@jayjay2k27]

anyway they still need to find it, if you hide it well enough.

[@u2feeder]

I guess if a thief has stolen your vehicle, knows there is an AirTag but can’t find it then the longer they can’t find it the more “hot” the vehicle becomes and the probability increases they’ll abandon it.

[@Sashazur]

Yes this is a flaw with the whole idea. But it’s better than no way to track your car at all.

[@krelllab6366]

Remember, the battery has to be changed once a year, make sure you can retrieve it later. A big negative with the Apple AirTag is the fact that it can often goes several HOURS without updating its location, even in an area packed with other iPhone users.

[@james_gatlin]

it will notify with about 2 months of life left

[@IDABAYAREA650I]

Ive haven’t experienced it for HOURS , might have a defective unit

[@jimj2683]

When you put it in lost mode, it will start updating its location every 2-3 minutes or more often.

[@IDABAYAREA650I]

@@jimj2683 *Interesting! Good to know! Thank you, i have one in my truck so Now i know if it ever gets stolen! 👍🏽*

[@1991NOS]

@@james_gatlin I feel like there must be a feasible way to apply dc power at all times. It would make it so much more enticing.

[@scottmcdonald3345]

Great video. Thank you for the step by step procedure. I am getting a new car soon and I was going to put an AirTag in it to protect it. I had no clue about disabling the speaker. Five stars. Thanks!

[@tkthree]

Just completed this on two AirTags, works like a charm. Used iFixit tweezers to pry. Cheers

[@mattving61]

Just did this and works great. Note to anyone doing this, be careful taking apart, the battery contacts are very small and bendable.

[@johng753]

Thanks for the very detailed instructions on how to use the Air Tag as an anti-theft device. I am going to put one in my car today.

[@phk818]

Great video! Super helpful. Step-by-step instructions worked perfect. Now I can track my car QUIETLY if its ever stolen. Thanks.

[@hcurtisshannon]

Great video! I didn't want to remove the speaker, though it looks relatively easy. What I did was place the airtag inside a first aid kit (closeable plastic box) and then put the box in the trunk area of my Forrester under towels and other clothing. Didn't hear a peep, and I think the range was improved over having it in the main seating area of the car.

[@OrionCorsari]

The problem with this approach is thieves will often start tossing loose stuff out of your vehicle. The most effective approach is silencing the tag and putting it someplace where the thief is highly unlikely to find it. The dome light is an excellent spot because it does not block RF transmission into the cars interior.

[@channelglenn]

Still very useful if you’ve forgotten where you’ve parked your car in a very large car park at a shopping mall

[@siesiechampion]

I just set off my car alarm to locate lol

[@Jefhee]

Bro thanks for this video. I got my car stolen 3 times in 3 months already because I rent them out via UberCarshare. Going to get the proper tracker, but for now, going to use this. Thankyou

[@greencandletrading3565]

The steering column area is a bad idea since the thief will most likely rip that panel off to break your ignition.

[@BraynerBR]

This video is awesome, lately I have not been driving my car as much, and every two days when I do drive it, the airtag is going off, i dont know for how long, and now I need to replace its battery! So I will remove the speaker as a bonus! I am the only person who drives it and just by sitting for a long time in the driveway, it keeps going off, it is only audible from the inside when I open it, and a thief will notice if stolen, will take like 10 minutes to reach it, but will hear it! thank you a lot, I have one hidden inside the metal panels in my car, and I need now to replace the battery, will take me a long time to remove it, but without the speaker I dont have to worry about putting it too deep into car metal panels lol

[@hugodacosta]

Nice looking FJ! Thanks for the tips using the Airtag, I will install one in my motorcycle.

[@em0_tion]

Short and sweet, straight to the point. 👌

[@lazul6611]

I have a BMW X5 35d with the Thule OEM rack crossbars. I put the AirTag in the plastic end housing of the cross bar which has a lock on it. Perfect.

[@georgejungle138]

Thanks ;)

[@Shambolicoholic]

A really great "how to" video. Every detail is laid out and so I finished in a few minutes. Thanks a lot!

[@guruoo]

Best place to hide a tracker like airtag in your car would be a spot high in the interior least obstructed by metal with line of sight to the outside. I'm thinking inside the center plastic mirror housing would be ideal. My second choice would be under top dash panel, or under window pillar cover. Think high, and open. Wireless signal is very directional, the closer to line of sight (still hidden) to all the other iphones, the better it will work. Good idea deleting the speaker, btw.

[@alienlatino2945]

I installed mine under the headrest cover of the front seat, this way it's in a high and very receptive position since all 4 windows are facing it.

[@steveshuffle]

how come removing the speaker is so good? Does it ring automatically under certain conditions?

[@maxx1nsane]

@@steveshuffle You can make it do a noise to find it easier. The idea is to be difficult to be found by "bad" people.

[@brianwest2775]

Test the possible locations to see which has the best range.

[@guruoo]

@@brianwest2775 Well, yeah. 🙄

[@Senna-xi1gr]

Cheers James. I will now buy as beforehand I was unsure because of the speaker letting the thief know where it was to damage it. Good work. 🏆👍

[@Phantastikal]

Its worth mentioning that the battery life is about a year on AirTags so you need to hide it in a place where you can get back to it to change the battery in the future.

[@Sashazur]

And if you lose it behind the seat like I did you so have to put up with months of low battery notifications from your phone before it finally dies.

[@Neodustin]

@@SashazurSorry, but that’s hysterical. Thanks for the laugh 😂

[@moorepower13]

It's a good idea just to change the battery on every oil change

[@J_Tombs]

Thanks for the tutorial James. Nice looking FJ BTW 👍🏼 And a great idea to hopefully find your vehicle if it gets stolen.

[@stevemahoney5209]

Hi. I'm in the UK and seriously thinking of using the airtag exactly how you've shown as a great alternative way of tracking your vehicle without expensive phone plans, as gps trackers usually use sim cards. Thanks for this v.informative video James 😀😀👍👍🎯

[@stevemahoney5209]

@Keltic D Cheers. All this info is correct but the air tag is a cheaper alternative that is very much worth considering and just may work 😀

[@HelplessHawk]

I was wondering that. It only tracks 30 meters from your phone so your relying on other people on the app searching for it and reporting it’s whereabouts?

[@stevemahoney5209]

​@@HelplessHawk I'm sure the Apple Tag reports it's location direct to your iPhone. You don't need to rely on people reporting it's whereabouts onto an app.

[@crystalparker9117]

@@HelplessHawk any apple device in the find my network within 33 feet automatically updates the owner of the AirTag to the last known location. It works really well I have many AirTags for my valuables, backpack, purse, wallet, car keys, car, even my pup who likes to escape whenever I’m not around. Best thing is, as more and more people get iPhones they will become much more reliable as a tracker because of more frequent pings

[@nirfz]

The problem i see with it, is that it relies on apple devices being in bluetooth range to update information. If let's say your car thief is an android user and no apple user is anywhere close nough, the airtag will do exactely nothing. And, i am not an expert in air tag stuff, but as far as i learned, if you are an apple user, and you are the only person near an airtag for long enough, (and not the actual owner of it) there will be an information on your phone at some point that there is an airtag near you that isn't yours. Also there is an even cheaper alternative if you still want to go that route: the manufacturer that makes these for apple sells their own ones which are easier to replace the battery by the user (different housing) but work the same way (only with apple devices as data transport medium). But i forgot the name of the manufacturer. (a working collegue of mine has one for his car keys and his wifes.)

[@Skysdalimit247]

The first part was helpful, thank you. I bought a fixture to use that helps you hide the air tag. So, I'm going to try and find a secret area to place it in the car.

[@gobrad]

As you placed the tag inside the car, would this not effect the signal? Should the tag be placed outside the car, as in the bumper etc? Just wondering! Thanks for the video 😎👍🏽

[@billmallman5780]

Thank you for the insight!

[@bahramrafiee2126]

Great video I was just looking for such a video Thanks bud

[@timz7548]

Might work great with a CR2032 to USB adapter that you could hook up somewhere in the vehicle. Hardwire a 12v to USB adapters and then you'd have unlimited battery life

[@georgelowe8583]

Thanks for the great video.

[@JoATTech]

Thx for the great tutorial. Removed 3 speakers flawlessly :D

[@mrmadisonlv]

Thanks for the epic hack fellow FJ owner! Like the unique way you painted you bumper wings and center strip 👍 👌

[@MR_THINQ]

One thought, make sure you can take the AirTag out again from where you’ve hidden it so you can replace its battery when it’s flat.

[@jonr1138]

Interesting. Great demo.

[@stereothrilla8374]

Ideally you want the device outside of your vehicle provided it will still be protected from the elements. Putting it outside of your vehicle gives the device the best chance of pinging people’s IOS devices which will give the device the best chance for updating its location accurately. This also means installing it inside or behind a material like plastic or rubber and not metal which will be less likely to interfere with the device’s transmission and reception range.

[@6XXBANSHEEXX8]

Good stuff, thanks!!

[@CAIOVSKY]

THANKS MATE, IT REALLY HELPED ME! GOD BLESS

[@renatojorgeribeirocasimiro854]

Best way, in my opinion, leave 2 inside car, 1 not well hidden for thiefs to find fast, and another well hidden

[@predatormc]

Good idea could even get a dummy/broken one for the easy to find one

[@andersemil5541]

You will get much more frequent updates if you place it right under the wind screen. Some cars such as Ford Focus have an easily removable cover where you can put it under so it sits right at the front.

[@alienlatino2945]

It's not necessary, these tags can be picked up from 250 to 300 ft away by other phones, a 5-ft shorter or longer distance won't make a difference, what makes the difference is that it's not obstructed by metal panels so don't put it under your hood or inside a door.

[@johnf.hebert1409]

@@alienlatino2945 my whole car is metal.

[@alienlatino2945]

@@johnf.hebert1409 Even the windows? Show me a pic.

[@richardjeun]

I just wanted to let you know that I have watched this informative video, a you tube video, that you have made, and it carefully thought me how to, exactly do what I need I need to do, which is to properly and carefully hide my tracker, that is a airtag tracker, which is made from apple company, that works with my iPhone, here on this earth and ….

[@Kung.Pao.Kitty.]

Your video was suggested for me to watch. I just purchased a 2011 FJ Cruiser. You better believe I'm doing this hack. She's my new baby.? ♥️

[@phillipkramer1897]

What do u think about putting 2 of them in it just incase they look for one and find it?

[@brianwest2775]

Test the range of the tag when outside/inside your car. There may be some hiding spots that are better than others for transmission that can catch phones that are further away.

[@MrsGbda]

Thank you for the awesome hack! Totally doing this with my Jeep Summit!

[@TurpentineCat]

It’s even good enough to be put in my Pagani!

[@mrjeff2396]

Best advice I could offer up is: 1. Yes, remover the speaker! 2. Use a fresh battery! (Also make a reminder of your phone/calendar/whatever to replace the battery in 11 months, don’t just test it!). 3. When you do hide the tag, use a piece of 3M double-sided tape and ensure the hiding area is cleaned first. 4. Check you are still receiving the signal at frequent intervals!

[@kenssato]

Merci beaucoup - hadn't thought of disabling the speaker until I saw this.

[@Michael-Elo]

Since Apple warned people if an AirTag which doesn't belong to them has an AirTag following them it's not a good choice. The new update allows not to be warned on the Tile trackers. But it's not on apples network. However I suggest placing it as far away from the driver as possible. Preferable wrapped with waterproof plastic bag in the bumper or under the car as far back as possible. Do remember to change the battery every year. Even though it will inform the thief that an AirTag is following you, a good idea would be to hide it a solid place that would take a special tool to remove when they find it, and always place more then just one.

[@marquisnelson9618]

Had that happen me recently someone followed me with AirTag how to stop it?

[@pinecedar180]

It will inform only from 8 to 24 hours and not before that "Currently, users will receive an alert at a random period between eight and 24 hours once an unknown AirTag has been detected traveling with them."

[@rventures1021]

Cool video with great ideas. Getting these for our ebikes.

[@desituber6055]

Ilike that speaker part ❤

[@MrGuru666999]

Some extra tips: - Dont leave the big shiny apple logo on the airtag, paint it with a mate color so it's hard to find with a flashlight. If you know electronics you can leave only the circuit so is harder to deduce wth is that. - Put it as far away from the metallic structure so it doesn't absorb the signal and allows a better range of comms. As higher as possible is better so it gets better GPS signal. If you know dlectronics you can boost the antennas.

[@techguydilan]

AirTags don't have their own GPS, they connect to any local iPhones via their bluetooth, and uses their GPS sensors. Other than that, you're spot on. But pretty much any place where it can get a good bluetooth connection to someone in the cab is okay. Also, I always wondered about setting up a VRM to output 3.2v and wiring it to the vehicle itself so it never runs out of battery.

[@notanotherutubeuser]

thanks this is really helpful i have a very rare and exprensive older cr and i was putting a at in it but now this is much better to remove the speaker

[@Jbiglin]

Great Vid. Nice Ride!

[@Santos-ek8md]

How long does a battery usually last you?

[@JonInLondon]

Would it get picked up more by other people if it wasn't surrounded by too much metal? So the inside the Roof or pillars would be good? Also an AirTag case that looks like a car key would be good for keyrings, or even in case someone finds the AirTag in a Car, they might keep it in case they find your "second car". Nice video, thanks.

[@TRIGGAMAN_LOCO]

Great vid. Thanks

[@philiptrump9590]

thanks Chris Fix !

[@KalpeshPatel78]

I glued mine (without removing the speaker) in the boot. It's in the boot-lid. Don't put in places that a thief or car-jacker might open up for parts or to steal stuff from the vehicle. Boot lid is something that most thieves won't touch unless he's stepping down the whole vehicle to its bare-bones. Plus, when its in the boot, the sound of the beeper in the Air-Tag is very faint or not noticeable at all if you're driving.

[@BigOsTaco]

What’s a “boot”? Besides this --> 👢

[@tailslapguru]

@@BigOsTacoI think British people call the trunk the boot, not sure though

[@BigOsTaco]

@@tailslapguru yes your correct. I looked it up

[@elsalvador007]

Looks easy. Thanks

[@Buharialtinee]

Thanks for sharing

[@armanitransport2604]

How long will it last before it needs a charge?

[@daniel600x1]

Thank you ChrisFix

[@Hammerz0738]

How about making the air tag speaker mute or not . I think Steve would approve 😊

[@shrs.3448]

amazing and helpful

[@matt08sydney]

Great Video thanks for the detailed information I just bought a 4 pack I will probably put 2 in my car in different places just to screw with the car thief 😂also better chance of pinging either side or ends of the vehicle I’m thinking put one in the outside plastic mirror would probably be a great spot and one in a more difficult to find location. If it lets the criminals know they are being tracked I don’t care more than likely they will get out of the vehicle as soon as they know it’s there. If there are 2 hidden tags then they won’t hang around hopefully they leave the vehicle before damaging it

[@RoboNurse84]

That’s a really good idea! If you put 2 or more air tags in the vehicle you can at least scare the thieves by having one play the alarm and the other(s) silent and hidden in a different location. The thieves might quickly abandon the vehicle if they think they’re being tracked instead of taking it somewhere further away.

[@Steve-007]

Better to use a Tile and an AirTag than 2 Tiles or 2 AirTags

[@angelodilaura8290]

Thanks you’re great!

[@rafael2661]

A very well made video! Thank you Sir 🙌

[@luqmannurhakim6876]

When we cannot hear the sound, a supported iPhone model with Ultra Wideband, can also tap Find Nearby to use Precision Finding to help you locate the unknown AirTag.

[@zerobow9413]

it has to be high up on a window etc so you can get a good signal out for max tracking

[@princesslana2c]

I like the idea of beeping for suitcase or purse... But love the idea of being silent in car... I don't want thief to know we are tracking!

[@KettlesVids]

Great video! JEALOUS of the FJ. The only thing is finding a good spot that is still accessible when you need to change the battery.

[@james_gatlin]

Thanks, and good point 👍

[@Soothsayer210]

Thx. for the video, that was great info. Can you tell me if i can use this to track my Cat.? I have an outdoor cat and i was thinking of putting this in his collar in case he gets lost. Will it work?

[@shaf3006]

Stick the AirTag with double side tape,I think the headrest would make a good place as it’s not hot or direct sunlight

[@davidwill1320]

You can get 3rd party cases, in a variety of colors, that have an adhesive back. If nothing else, it prevents the tag from bouncing around while driving.

[@normanrechtman3885]

They sell AirTag holders that have double sided 3M tape to mount it places a thief would have a have time finding

[@theprada2126]

Nice super easy Video Thanks

[@martin5988]

My car was stolen 1 month ago, I wish I saw this video earlier. Thanks for the tutorial

[@em0_tion]

Wouldn't have changed a damn thing. Seeing is not doing or foreseeing, so don't sweat it. 😉 And I hope you've reported it and the cops will find those bastards and your car. 🙏✌

[@pinecedar180]

@@em0_tion lets be honest and not lie to people, it WOULD have helped most definitely but yes its ok, its the past. Lets look to the future

[@garyschmelz6728]

Good idea, but never put anything in the steering column. Also don’t put it too close to the exterior metal as the metal can interfere with the tag’s signal and may make the triangulation more difficult. Although it will still be close enough to spot you vehicle.

[@bulldogs32]

what app is that you using for the airtag finder?

[@deejayitalo]

I think a nice thing to do would be adding a different bigger battery with a charging module. Every time the car starts, the battery charges.

[@charlesebyjr2925]

I’m impressed 😊

[@condor5635]

Excellent video thank you very much. IfIf a thief is an iPhone user, is there anyway they can detect the presence of one of these devices in the car even though the speaker has been removed?

[@pinecedar180]

after 8 to 24 hours, yes, they could be alerted and possibly be able to see where its located

[@condor5635]

@@pinecedar180 I took out the speaker in mine and hid it. There’s no way they’ll find it in my car and less they spend hours and the iPhone allows them to detect within a foot or 2

[@texastim5687]

What is the app that you are using

[@kirkanswer9815]

What App are you using?

[@tejaspics]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@bobkoch3513]

Thanks for the information. I was hoping one could remove the speaker and it would still work.

[@davidrobins4025]

Good information - thanks.

[@james_gatlin]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jpbeauch1]

Great video. can i know where did you buy you working MAT?

[@james_gatlin]

Thanks, it’s actually just a generic desk mat i got off Amazon

[@jpbeauch1]

@@james_gatlin Thanks

[@dondonelson7908]

Thank you very much. If you block the airtag too much will that interfere with the signal and how far can a tracker go before you lose the signal or do you ? If someone takes it out of state can you still find it assuming they haven’t found the tracker

[@phillipkramer1897]

Yes you can. Crossing state lines doesnt matter. Crossing international boarders also wont make a difference

[@vannie8920]

What app do I need to download thanks

[@spetsnazgdr]

Once you found your spot what adhesive do you recommend that will strongly secure the air tag?

[@markk2060]

velcro works well to hold in place then easily remove for battery change.

[@AnishJohnThomas]

I see that you haven’t uploaded much videos. I’m subscribing to your channel just to encourage you to upload more content. You have more than 1000 subscribers now and you can monetize the videos. You explained the steps in detail and so I would like to see more helpful videos from you. 👍

[@james_gatlin]

Thanks for the comment, I will

[@HBFREEWORLD]

Love your positive comment .

[@bszphoto]

Take the coil out too, because it makes a little bit of noise as well

[@whymelly1684]

Thanks bro

[@denizhanozkara]

great, thanks.

[@AlShvd]

Order magnetic cases for the AirTags! Ordered two and they are very strong and waterproof

[@OrionCorsari]

Nice work - very nice.

[@RoboNurse84]

Great video, thanks! 🙂

[@james_gatlin]

Glad you liked it!

[@jmp622]

Outstanding

[@revolution_9]

Hello James ! --- At the end of your video, at about 5:05, witch app do you used to locate your AirTag ? --- Thanks ! ✌

[@dR1923]

"Find My" app, it's standard on all Apple devices which have a SIM card.

[@Hannah.Simpson]

A magnetic box affixed to the outside of the car is just large enough for both the emergency set of keys AND the AirTag. Assuming the thief was not aware the box was there, that is. The magnetic box (and being outside the car) all but kills the sound even with the speaker intact (unless I happened to be parked in a very, very quiet insulated garage perhaps). It also means I have a an easily-accessible AirTag on the go to put from my car onto something temporarily more important like a bag or a piece of equipment.

[@kandyceshrum6326]

Will the magnet interfere with the transmission of air tag?

[@Hannah.Simpson]

@@kandyceshrum6326 I have not observed this to be an issue at all. Perhaps the magnet impacts the speaker that makes the beeps slightly, but I am not hearing those anyway. The Bluetooth functionally works seamlessly, including the low battery warnings and other alerts. To be clear for anyone reading, the AirTag is being placed on MY OWN car for two major potential reasons: 1. To possibly help me locate the car in the unlikely but not impossible event it is stolen. 2. Keeping an AirTag on hand is great if I am using any other bag or supply that I want to keep an eye on and forgot to already place on one. This could be an ID badge, wallet, etc…

[@realtalktina]

Does it ring every time you log in to check the location or just when you mark it lost?

[@tacticalofficer6103]

Thanks !!!!!

[@DarkstarDarth]

I use a magnetic key holder which you can attach underneath the cars chassis to be completely undetectable.