What you need to know
- An AirTag user has accidentally uncovered a hidden developer mode for the device.
- A user got so frustrated with the device not connecting that they uncovered a secret hidden mode that shows a slew of information about the device.
A frustrated user of Apple's AirTag has accidentally uncovered a secret hidden developer menu.
Reddit user 'cyem' posted Wednesday stating:
My experience of AirTags thus far has been underwhelming - the first one out of the box failed to pair four times in a row when it was sitting on top of the phone. Now that it is finally connected, anything outside of 0.8m/2.6ft away shows as a weak signal and when I can get a signal, there is never an arrow. Funnily enough, I tapped on my name about five times in frustration, and found what appears to be a hidden developer mode. Even more interesting, the arrow appears to actually be working underneath - just not in the normal mode.
A video posted to YouTube by Alex Magri-Olson (presumably the same person) reveals a special AirTags mode with annotations, diagnostic information, and data from the iPhone's various gyroscopes and monitors.
Apple announced its AirTags at the April Spring loaded event. They can be used to track valuable items like bags, keys, wallets, and more, and come with a host of accessories, a list of which you can find in our best accessories for AirTags round-up.
Bottom line: For iPhone owners, this is the best item tracker on the market right now. With simple pairing and easy-to-use software, AirTags are a kind excellent Apple product of the same vintage as Apple's AirPod family.
