Lost airtag keeps reporting last seen location was Home

Omg did you ever figure this one out? I’m in the same boat with a lost cat collar and slowly losing my mind because of it.

AirTags use a combination of Bluetooth technology and the Apple device network to help you locate items that they are attached to. The behavior you described, where the AirTag initially gave you a specific location in a neighbor's garden but later reported different locations near your home, could be due to a few factors:

1. AirTags use Bluetooth to communicate with nearby Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The initial location you received might have been when your AirTag was within range of one of these devices in your neighbor's garden. However, Bluetooth range is limited, and if your AirTag moved out of range of that device, the location updates might not be as accurate or consistent.
2. Bluetooth signals can be affected by various obstacles and interference, such as walls, furniture, and other electronic devices. This interference can lead to fluctuations in the reported location.
3. Apple devices with the Find My network enabled can contribute to locating lost AirTags. If your AirTag is moving around and being picked up by different devices at different times, this can result in varying location updates.
4. Location updates might not always be instantaneous. There can be delays in transmitting and processing location data, which can result in differences between the real-time location and the reported location.
5. AirTags are designed to conserve battery life. They might not transmit their location constantly to avoid draining the battery quickly. This intermittent reporting can lead to varying and less frequent location updates.
6. Weather conditions, changes in surrounding structures, and other environmental factors can impact the reliability of Bluetooth signals and thus affect the accuracy of location updates.

While AirTags can provide valuable assistance in locating lost items, they do have limitations, particularly in situations where the item is moving or in areas with limited connectivity. It's important to be aware of these limitations and not solely rely on AirTags for precise tracking, especially over longer distances.

If you're consistently experiencing inaccurate or inconsistent location updates, you might want to reach out to Apple support for further assistance, as there could be specific factors related to your situation that they can help address.

I get the exact same thing. My cat has been missing for 4 hours air tag says ‘last seen 4 hours ago’ (super useful) yet when I click ‘notify me when found’ it says he’s at home. It’s honestly useless. I’ve ordered an tractive now.

Same here. I keep getting notified that the airtag was seen near it‘s location from this morning (which was home, but I think it‘s not “home“ it gets stuck on but the last location). I walked the area with my iPhone for two hours but couldn’t pick up a signal.

Just like everyone else here, this is driving me crazy and I don’t try think any of the explanations given in this thread actually explain what’s going on.

The closest I can come to making sense of this is that the device that’s picking up the airtag simply doesn’t have a location (e.g. a Mac), but if this were the case, how can FindMy know that it’s been seen near location X? It makes no sense.