Discover the new sharing features in Apple's latest iOS update

IOS 18.2 lets AirTag owners securely share item locations with trusted individuals. Tech expert Kurt Knutsson examines the powerful new feature.

With the release of iOS 18.2, AirTag owners can now enjoy a powerful new feature that enhances their ability to keep track of personal belongings: Share Item Location. This innovative capability allows you to share the location of your AirTag or Find My network accessory with anyone you trust, significantly easing the recovery of lost items. Whether you're traveling and need to keep track of your luggage or simply want to share the location of a valuable item with a friend or family member, this feature is designed to provide peace of mind and convenience.

Share Item Location AirTag feature (Apple) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

What is Share Item Location?

Share Item Location is a new feature in the Find My app that enables you to create a secure link showing the location of your AirTag or compatible Find My network accessory. This link can be shared with trusted individuals or organizations, such as airlines, to help locate misplaced items.

Share Item Location AirTag feature (Apple) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

How Share Item Location works

When you share an item's location, the recipient can view it on an interactive map through a web browser. The location updates automatically, and a timestamp shows when it was last refreshed. The shared location expires after seven days or when you're reunited with your item, whichever comes first.

Share Item Location AirTag feature (Apple) (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

How to update your software to iOS 18.2 or later 

First things first, let's update your software to iOS 18.2 or later:

Steps to update your iPhone’s software (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Steps to share your AirTag's location

Now, let's move on to how to share your AirTag's location:

Steps to share your AirTag’s location (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Steps to share your AirTag’s location (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Steps to share your AirTag’s location (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Privacy and security

Apple has designed this feature with privacy and safety in mind. The shared location can be disabled by the owner at any time, and it automatically expires after seven days. The item owner can also see how many people have visited the shared link. Here are steps to stop Sharing Item Location:

Steps to stop Sharing Item Location (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Airline integration

One of the great aspects of this feature is its potential to revolutionize luggage tracking. Over 15 major airlines, including Delta, United, Air Canada, British Airways and Lufthansa, plan to integrate this feature into their customer service processes for locating mishandled or delayed baggage.

Note: While Apple has expanded AirTag location-sharing capabilities to include Android users as recipients, the management of AirTags still requires an iPhone or an Apple device.

Kurt's key takeaways

The Share Item Location feature in iOS 18.2 is a significant upgrade for AirTag users. It addresses a common pain point for travelers and offers a secure, user-friendly solution for sharing item locations with trusted parties. As more airlines and organizations adopt this technology, we may see a future where lost luggage becomes a thing of the past.

How have you used technology to keep track of your belongings while traveling, and what challenges or successes have you experienced? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.