6 surprising and creative ways to use your AirTags — like protecting your pet or prized Stanley cup

Apple AirTags have been in the news lately, and not just because you can often buy a 4-pack for as little as $79. (They're normally $99.) No, it's because people keep coming up with new, inventive ways to use the little trackers, which pair with iPhones to create a global seek-and-ye-shall-find network.

For the uninitiated, an AirTag is about the size of a quarter. It runs on a battery that can last up to a year, and it relies on Bluetooth to create a wireless tether to your phone by way of the FindMy app. AirTags are most commonly used on keychains because (duh) lost or misplaced keys are a huge pain.

But, hang on — doesn't Bluetooth have fairly limited range? Like 30 feet or so? You're quite right. So how is an AirTag any good to you if it's not close by? Simple: It leverages every iPhone on the planet. You don't need to be close to the AirTag yourself; you just need another iPhone user to be nearby. If one comes within Bluetooth range of your AirTag, ping! Now you can zero in on its location.

Below, I've rounded up six AirTag applications that are a little outside the box — or, should I say, beyond the keychain. While these aren't bulletproof solutions — the "Apple device network" doesn't cover every square inch of the globe, and these things are nowhere near as effective as GPS trackers — an AirTag offers awfully inexpensive peace of mind.

One quick note: Apple sells AirTags without any kind of case or mount, and you'll need one for most of these scenarios. Where applicable, I've provided links to related products. Oh, and be sure to check out the best AirTags accessories you can buy in 2024.

Use AirTags to recover a stolen bike

According to a 2019 report from 529 Garage, over 2 million bikes are stolen in North America every year. Of those, barely 5% are recovered.

There are plenty of anecdotal tales of AirTags helping owners find their swiped cycles. Just make sure you've mounted the tracker someplace hidden and secure — because thieves now know to look for them. Consider something like this Cityway Waterproof AirTag Bike Mount, which hides under the water-bottle cage and requires a special tool to open.

No water bottle on your bike? This AirTag mount doubles as a reflector, arguably an even better hiding place for the tracker.

By the way: If you do manage to track down your bike, don't confront the thief yourself. This is when it's time to get the police involved.

Use AirTags to find your luggage

It's a story as old as air travel itself: You went to Denver, your luggage to Cleveland. Or maybe it's just lost in a sea of suitcases that were offloaded before you made it to baggage claim. Whatever the case, an AirTag can help, whether you need to find a bag within the airport or figure out where in the world it ended up.

Here's a two-pack of locking hard-shell AirTag holders that can attach to just about any bag. They use hexagonal screws to keep the AirTag securely in place and guard against theft.

Use AirTags to find your child's backpack (or any other bag)

One of Yahoo's editorial directors, Jeanine Edwards, wants to be abundantly clear that she's not using an AirTag to track her 15-year-old daughter. Rather, it's for "the bag she inevitably leaves at school, Starbucks, the doctor's office — anywhere that's not home — at least once a week."

Indeed, whether it's yours or your child's, chances are good a purse or bag is going to get left behind somewhere, sometime. Edwards notes that all three of the aforementioned locations are real-world examples, and each time the AirTag helped locate the bag. (The only time it didn't: When it was left outdoors in a park, with no iPhone users close by.)

Just about any clip-on AirTag holder will work for a purse, backpack or the like. Here's a five-pack with carabiner clips for just $5.

Use AirTags to track your dog

My sister's dog liked to go on road trips — just not in the car. He'd blow through their Invisible Fence and end up a mile or two away, just exploring or hanging out. An AirTag is far from the best dog-tracker you can get — I recommend a collar equipped with GPS and cellular — but it's better than nothing, and it's certainly an inexpensive option.

Check Amazon and you'll find plenty of dog collar-friendly AirTag holders, like this two-pack for $10.

Use AirTags to find a wandering elder

When my dad's dementia worsened to the point that he moved into an assisted-living facility, there was still the problem of his wandering — sometimes within the building, sometimes down the street. An AirTag isn't the perfect tracker in these instances (again because it requires iPhone proximity), but it's something. It's inexpensive, it doesn't make you pay for a subscription, and it doesn't require constant charging.

For this kind of scenario, your best bet for a holder would be a nylon wristband like this one, or something similar made of soft material that's comfortable to wear all day.

Use AirTags to protect your Stanley cup, Yeti mug or other prized tumbler

If there's a hotter product right now than the Stanley cup, I don't know what it is. I'm referring, of course, to the viral tumbler, aka the Quencher, not the hockey trophy. (If the NHL can't keep tabs on the latter, an AirTag probably isn't the answer. Actually, maybe it is!)

What does this have to do with AirTags? Simple: If you plunked down $45 or more for a cup, you want to keep tabs on it. Because it's all too easy to leave it behind at the park, on someone else's desk or even in an Uber.

The easiest way to add an AirTag would be clipping one to the handle (with a waterproof case like this), though you could also toss one in a water bottle pouch that also has room for other odds and ends.

Meanwhile, this Etsy seller offers an AirTag holder designed specifically for Yeti mugs, and this one sells a "silicone flex boot" that attaches to the bottom of nearly any bottle. (Make sure you choose the proper size.)

OK, (Air)tag, you're it: Have you found any other cool or creative ways to use the trackers? Share your wisdom in the comments below.