How to delete an item from Find My

The tiny AirTag tracker that Apple launched in 2021 offers a simple way to track your belongings: a backpack, a wallet, a bike, a car, and even a pet. (You may need an AirTag case to help with some of these tasks.) Apple has also licensed the Find My network technology to third parties, like Chipolo and Pebblebee, allowing them to use the same crowdsourced Bluetooth-based location reporting.

But what happens if you lose an AirTag or Find My item or no longer need it? You should remove it from your Apple ID (which will soon become your Apple account), because otherwise the tracker will continue to report parts of your information, like a partial phone number, to anyone who finds it. This can be problematic if you’ve lost track of the tag, as it can appear as if you’re tracking someone without their knowledge.

The Find My item also can’t be used by anyone else until it’s unpaired. Apple calls this pairing Find My Lock, which is similar to the anti-theft Activation Lock that Find My enables on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. The pairing can only be unpaired on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that’s signed in to the same Apple ID/Apple account as the device that the AirTag or other item was originally paired with. (Macs can’t unpair Find My items.)

There is only one way to ungroup a Locate item, but two scenarios can occur. First, here’s how to ungroup:

1. Open the Find My app in iOS or iPadOS.
2. Tap the Items icon, then select Find my item in the list.
3. Swipe down and tap Delete item.
4. Confirm by pressing Withdraw.

The item is now deleted from your account.

Foundry

Foundry

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The two scenarios that play out depend on where the item is located relative to your device:

• If the tracker is within Bluetooth range of the device you’re using to unpair, the item will reset. An AirTag will play a confirmation beep; other items may provide similar audible feedback.
• If it’s out of Bluetooth range, the item is no longer associated with your account, but you (or someone who now owns it) will need to perform the manual reset operation associated with that particular type of hardware.

After unpairing and optionally resetting while out of range, the AirTag or other Find My item can now be brought close to an iPhone or iPad and paired again.

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