AirTag not connecting to new Apple account on iPhone

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AirTag not connecting to new Apple account on iPhone

I have a new phone and I made my own Apple account but now my brand new AirTag will not connect to my new Apple account and when I do try to get it to connect, it tells me to sign in to my Apple ID in settings, even though I’m signed in already please help I’d rather not spend another 2 to 3 hours on the phone having somebody tell me to repeat the same steps I already have done multiple times.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: AirTag not connecting

iPhone 17 Pro Max, iOS 26

Posted on Oct 24, 2025 3:32 PM

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Answer 1

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Tesserax

Level 10

157,566 points

Oct 25, 2025 10:50 AM in response to kirstyn208

The Apple AirTag is associated with an Apple Account (aka, Apple ID), not the iPhone itself. You would need to first remove the tag from the original Apple Account you associated it with BEFORE you can use it with another account.

The reason you are seeing this message is that the tag is currently Activation Locked to your other account. Resetting the tag will NOT work to resolve this. If you no longer have access to your other account, you can still contact Apple Support, with proof of purchase, and they should assist you to removing the lock. Otherwise, this tag will be useless to you.

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