If you purchase AirTag 2, the main safety feature remains relatively simple to circumvent.
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The speaker can be disabled, and the tag will still function properly.
Amazon
The AirTag 2 is designed to be more secure than a silent tracker; however, the AirTag 2 speaker can still be compromised using basic tools. According to ZDNET's teardown report, it took roughly two minutes to access the tag, mute the audio, and reassemble it, with the tracker remaining operational afterward.
This isn't a trivial issue. The speaker serves as a loud, clear alert that warns you when an unknown AirTag is accompanying you. Eliminating the sound makes the tag harder to detect, especially when you need to find it quickly.
Apple has invested years into enhancing anti-stalking measures. This type of quick hardware tampering demonstrates how easily someone can circumvent the most obvious safety feature.
A simple modification, same outcome
The report also details how to open the AirTag 2 with just a single spudger, allowing for rapid silencing of the speaker. Once put back together, the tag still powered on and performed normally, except it no longer emitted sound.
That combination presents a significant problem. A tracker that continues to provide location updates without announcing its presence places the onus on the person being tracked to pay attention to alerts and locate it without the aid of audible cues.
Apple
The safety gap persists
The report highlights a consistent demand for modified tracking tags, noting that disabling or removing the speaker is the most common alteration. It suggests that physical modifications like these can evade broader anti-stalking efforts.
This information doesn't imply that most individuals will face misuse. However, it does indicate that a critical safety feature can be quickly rendered ineffective while the device continues to perform its primary function.
What to consider next
One potential solution is software. A firmware update could verify whether the speaker is drawing power when an alert is triggered, and if there's a discrepancy, it could flag this issue.
The fix doesn't have to rely solely on software either. A small physical deterrent such as epoxy could make quick tampering more difficult.
For now, the practical takeaway is to monitor Apple's response and any forthcoming updates. The teardown process is being observed over time to determine if an update disables modified tags or triggers an error. The outcome will reveal a lot about Apple’s commitment to addressing this vulnerability.
Paulo Vargas is an English major turned reporter turned technical writer, whose career has consistently circled back to...
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If you purchase AirTag 2, the main safety feature remains relatively simple to circumvent.
AirTag 2 can be quickly modified to function as a quieter tracker, making its most apparent anti-stalking alert simpler to evade than many purchasers might anticipate.