The updated AirTag firmware bumps the version number to 2.0.36, bringing fixes for the built-in accelerometer sensor found inside Apple’s coin-sized item tracker.
- What’s happening? Apple has released a new firmware update for its AirTag item tracker, with a version number 2.0.36 and build number 2A36.
- Why care? Firmware updates bring critical fixes and enhancements. Sometimes, they bring new features so it pays to keep your AirTags up to date.
- What to do? Be sure to leave your Airthe Tag in the Bluetooth range of your iPhone for a few days so that the update installs automatically.
What’s new in AirTag firmware 2.0.36?
The AirTag firmware with an updated version number of 2.0.36 and a build number of 2A36 launched on December 12, 2022, on a rolling basis. A support document on the Apple website detailing what’s new in firmware updates for AirTag says firmware 2.0.36 “resolves an issue with the accelerometer not activating in certain scenarios.”
The accelerometer is a tiny sensor that detects movement, allowing Apple’s item tracker to detect when it’s separated from its owner and play a chime when moving.
AirTag tracking notifications have been available on iPhone since iOS 14.5.
The previous AirTag update 2.0.24 added support for using the Precision Finding feature in iOS 16.2’s Find My app to guide you to the precise location of an unknown AirTag. iPadOS 16.2 brings these AirTag tracking notifications to the iPad.
How to update your AirTag
There’s no manual process for AirTag firmware updates. Instead, downloading and installing new AirTag software is an automatic process.
To update the software on your AirTag, be sure to leave the tracker within Bluetooth range of your iPhone. It’s the phone that downloads and installs an update.
It may be a good idea to check your AirTag battery level in the Find My app because some of your AirTags may have low batteries, preventing updates.
Be sure to leave the accessory within your iPhone’s range for a few days, if not weeks—AirTag updates are released in stages so that a critical bug discovered early in a software update doesn’t bring all AirTags in the wild to their knees.
To check the current AirTag firmware version, open the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad or Mac and hit the Items tab. Select your AirTag and then touch its name to reveal the current version number of your tracker’s firmware.