AirTag not updating location on iPhone after iOS 26 update

Question

Level 1

4 points

AirTag not updating location on iPhone after iOS 26 update

I understand the whole Bluetooth must be on for them to work (never been iPhone user or used AirTags ever till recently) so bear with me on this I have two AirTags on for two kids out of three that goes to school my middle child AirTags works with no problem her school 17 minutes away from me I can see her location updates 2 to 5 minutes. My oldest AirTags was working and show her location at the school it’s 28 minutes away but with recent update on the system of the phone ios26 her AirTag only works when she is home but leave for school says updated 2 hours ago 5:30am it hasn’t been working since then. I did check for updates restart the phone my location on Bluetooth on always for both and only one works.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: AirTag issue

iPhone 14, iOS 26

Posted on Sep 26, 2025 4:55 AM

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Answer 1

Rudegar

Level 10

179,622 points

Sep 26, 2025 8:40 AM in response to elaina236

the way it works is

airtags only means of communication is bluetooth so a range of around 30meters top

if no iphone (with bluetooth enabled) is within the 30meters range, then they are dead in the water

if an iphone with bluetooth enabled is within range the airtag will using bluetooth make said iphone send it's gps location (as the airtag has no gps at all) to your account in icloud where your iphone will get the location.

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Answer 2

elaina236 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 26, 2025 4:08 PM in response to 灰209

They worked for awhile then stop working again I’ll say the best thing to use if your child has an iPhone as well just share locations AirTags are good but not reliable as much in my opinion. It use the work where it show their at their school and walking home in real time but then it will stop where says last seen at home 4:45am but they both at school but at soon they get home it will notify me which makes no since to me when did work before. So yeah if they got iPhones just use share locations not AirTags

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Answer 3

elaina236 Author

Level 1

4 points

Sep 26, 2025 9:44 AM in response to Rudegar

Thank you for that I appreciate a response. I got them to work now I had set another location where they will be at extend area circle for the AirTags it’s been updating where they are going to at as well. Thank you again

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Answer 4

灰209

Level 1

8 points

Oct 26, 2025 11:13 AM in response to elaina236

I also encountered the same problem, how did you solve it?

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