If you find an AirTag that does not belong to you, your iPhone can reveal useful information about it without needing to open the Find My app first.
Hold the top of your iPhone close to the white side of the AirTag. Because AirTag supports NFC, a notification should appear that opens a webpage with details about the tracker.
Apple says the page can show the AirTag’s serial number and the last four digits of the phone number associated with the person who registered it. If the owner has marked the AirTag as lost, you may also see a message and contact information they chose to provide.
This works with NFC-capable smartphones, so an iPhone is not the only device that can read a found AirTag.
If you are trying to identify an AirTag that has been moving with you unexpectedly, Find My can also help. Open Find My, tap Items and look for the section showing unknown items detected with you. Depending on your iPhone and the accessory, you may be able to play a sound or use Find Nearby.
If you believe the AirTag is being used to track you without permission, follow the on-screen instructions to disable it. Removing the battery from an AirTag stops it from continuing to report its location.
For an AirTag you have simply found on the floor, in a taxi or inside a lost bag, the NFC scan is the quickest place to start because it may give you enough information to reunite it with its owner.