What To Do With Your Old AirTags Now That Apple Has Discontinued Them

Early in 2026, Apple released the second generation of its item tracker, the AirTag. While from the outside both products remain the same, Apple's new AirTag brings a few important improvements that make it worth every penny, including a new Ultra Wideband chip that lets you use Precision Finding at a wider range, a 50% louder speaker, and a few software tweaks. Still, with the release of the second generation AirTag, what should you do with the model Apple has discontinued? Well, for one, you can still use them, and save the upgraded new generation for the things you carry around the most.

After all, the first-generation models still connect to Apple devices and are fully supported in the Find My app, so you can use them as before. The only difference is that the new models have upgraded hardware, but Apple made sure to still offer the same design, the same removable battery, and even the same kind of accessories to hold your new AirTag on your keychain, luggage, and so on.

With that in mind, some of the best ways to use your old AirTags, especially if you upgraded to the new ones, are on items that didn't have an AirTag before. For example, I placed one item tracker inside a big jacket, I gave another one to a family member so they can use it as they like, and another one I decided to use with a Belkin charging case for the Nintendo Switch 2.

While Apple doesn't sell the first-generation of AirTags anymore, if you still have them, you can continue to use these item trackers as before, as there's no word on Apple ever dropping support for them. More than that, these item trackers have removable batteries, meaning you can replace their battery cells and your old AirTags will continue to work as new.

Now, there are a few reasons to upgrade to a new model. For example, when I first bought the original pack, I didn't customize my AirTags. With the second generation, I customized a 4-pack with the items I use AirTags on the most, including my keys, backpacks, and wallet. However, the reason why I upgraded is that an iPhone 15 or newer models (excluding the iPhone 16e) already feature the second generation Ultra Wideband chip, which allows users to use Precision Finding up to 1.5x farther away than before. A new Bluetooth chip also expands the range at which items can be located. With that, it's easier to find an item at a bigger distance, while also locating it if it got lost somewhere.

The improved sound is another great reason to choose a new AirTag model, especially when you want to find your keys under the couch, underneath a blanket, or in a corner of the wardrobe that you simply can't find with Precision Finding alone. Besides that, you don't need to buy new holders for the AirTag, as the previous ones still fit perfectly.