These Apple AirTag DIY Hacks Are Blowing People’s Minds!

With every new piece of tech that comes out, DIY enthusiasts don’t waste a second in tearing it apart and turning it into something different and maybe better. The case of the recently released Apple AirTag tracking device is no different and we have started seeing many AirTag DIY hacks popping up on the web.

DIY hackers are trying to increase the number of use cases where AirTag can be put to work. Let explore some of these AirTag tricks that are making people’s jaw drop. In case, you’re planning to buy them, here are some important things about AirTags you should know.

AirTag DIY Hacks: What More Can You Do?

1. An AirTag for wallets

Apple AirTag is almost the size of a coin. But a YouTuber named Andrew Ngai realized that it’s not thin enough to fit in his wallet without causing some inconvenience.

The next thing he did was pop open the AirTag and transfer all of its IC onto a 3D-printed strip that reduced the overall thickness. Thankfully, the AirTag was still getting detected on his iPhone after he replaced the entire circuit board.

Initially, his DIY AirTag looked like a working protoype of some tech. But later Andrew came with a version 2 of the Bluetooth tracker, fixing the speaker sound and doubling the battery. For reference, the single CR2302 battery on the object tracker can last for almost a year.

2. Drilling a hole in the AirTag

If you look at other Bluetooth trackers like Tile and SmartTag, they come with a hole. The reason? The hole makes it easier to attach a cheap lanyard or keyring instead of spending more dollar on the accessories.

Some buyers decided to get more out of their Apple tracker, and went ahead for a rather dangerous AirTag DIY hack, i.e., drilling a hole in the AirTag.

A video from iFixit explains the process in detail, describing exactly where you need to drill a hole on your AirTag after dismantling it.

But there are downsides too. AirTags are IP67 rated and punching a hole in it would affect the water resistance unless you figure out something to seal it. Not mention, you’ll lose the warranty cover.

3. Jailbreaking the AirTag

In addition to AirTag DIY hacks involving the hardware, there are people who want to play with its software as well. A German security researcher, who goes by the name stacksmashing, managed to jailbreak his Apple AirTag and install custom firmware on it.

Yesss!!! After hours of trying (and bricking 2 AirTags) I managed to break into the microcontroller of the AirTag! 🥳🥳🥳

/cc @colinoflynn @LennertWo pic.twitter.com/zGALc2S2Ph

— stacksmashing (@ghidraninja) May 8, 2021

Of course, this came after he ended up bricking two Apple trackers during the process. After flashing the microcontroller, the researcher was able to open a custom URL, in place of Apple’s. This URL loads during the Lost Mode when the AirTag is detected by an NFC-enabled smartphone.

Such a discovery can cause serious threats to the privacy and security of the users. A capable attacker could load an AirTag with a malicious URL and trick someone into clicking it.

So, these were some AirTag DIY hacks that netizens trying and posting their experience. We’ll try to add more of such party tricks into this list. In the meantime, you can also read the comparison between AirTags, Tile, and SmartTag.