After software update, Find My not working (airtags stopped updating, can't remove them or add new ones)

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Level 1

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After software update, Find My not working (airtags stopped updating, can't remove them or add new ones)

Right after updating my iPhone SE (to iOS 18), Find My stopped working. From literally that moment's time stamp, all my Find My items other than devices themselves (15 air tags and one chipolo card) stopped updating their locations.

Granted - none of the items are lost. It's just all these Air Tags have suddenly turned into paperweights all at the same time. And I can't remove them from my Find My or re-add them, even after resetting them.

I tried the basics - like restarting the phone, reinstalling Find My, turning Find My on my phone off/on.

I tried having Find My have the airtags play a sound - it wouldn't work, even when the air tag items were right next to it.

I tried removing the items from Find My, that didn't work.

I tried factory resetting the chipolo card and re-adding it; didn't work.

I tried factory resetting one my Air Tags (pull put and put battery back in five times). The Find My app briefly said "add new air tag" but then froze on me. And when I tried re-adding it again, the phone didn't notice the reset airtag, despite it being literally next to it.

On my iCloud account, none of these 16 items even show up there - only my devices show up.

AirTag

Posted on Jul 25, 2025 02:28 AM

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Answer 1

Alancito

Level 7

29,561 points

Jul 25, 2025 05:54 AM in response to WikiP

WikiP ~ Your iPhone SE could be >3 years old and the long process of applying an iOS update to an iPhone with a weak, aging battery can be the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back." So...

Does your iPhone SE still have its original battery?

And what's the Maximum Capacity % here?...

Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging

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Answer 2

WikiP Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 25, 2025 11:50 AM in response to Alancito

Thanks for your help!! So the battery capacity is at 86% of original. Although, the weird thing (and good news?) is that I ended up finding a fix for this in kind of the most annoying way possible:

I have an iPad, that I just updated a few days ago, but don't use often. Out of curiosity, I opened the new Find My on my iPad, and all the Airtags were showing up fine. AND somehow the ipad pushed an update into my phone - so now it all mostly works!

The only air tag that doesn't work is the one air tag I reset, which now doesn't want to get re-added thru my phone. Will try removing and re-adding it thru my ipad and see if that works.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 3

Alancito

Level 7

29,561 points

Jul 25, 2025 03:03 PM in response to WikiP

WikiP ~ 86% Maximum Capacity is healthy and well above Apple's 80% suggested level for replacing the battery.

In general, you should always apply updates – as they often include bug fixes.

But before doing so, just make sure the battery is not weak from age and many recharging cycles. In other words, make sure its Maximum Capacity is above 80%.

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