If your phone says an unknown tracker is “found moving with you”, someone else’s AirTag or Bluetooth tag may be travelling with you. Use the alert to play a sound and find it, screenshot the details, and if you feel unsafe go somewhere public and call the police: 999 in an emergency, 101 if not. iPhones and Android phones both alert you, and Android can scan on demand.
Updated 14 October 2026 · Sources: Apple Support, Google Android Help, Apple and Google (May 2024), legislation.gov.uk
Don’t go home if you think you’re being followed. Head to a busy public place, such as a shop, station or police station, and call 999. If you can’t speak, see how to make a silent 999 call.
Tracker alerts: the four things to know
Figures from Apple Support (“What to do if you get an alert that an AirTag, Find My network accessory or set of AirPods is with you”), Google Android Help (“Find unknown trackers”) and Apple and Google’s joint announcement of 13 May 2024, checked 14 October 2026.
How can you tell if someone is tracking you with an AirTag?
The clearest sign is an alert on your phone: “AirTag Found Moving With You” on an iPhone, or an unknown tracker alert on Android. It means a tracker separated from its owner has been moving with you. Apple adds that a separated AirTag also plays a sound when moved after some time away from its owner. An unexplained chirp from your bag or car is worth checking.
Is every tracker alert a sign of stalking?
No. Apple says the tracker may simply be attached to something you’ve borrowed, such as a friend’s keys or a family member’s bag. If the alert stops once you hand the item back, that was probably it. Take it seriously if you don’t recognise the item, it keeps coming back, or it appears after a break-up or a falling-out.
How do you check for trackers on iPhone and Android?
Both systems check automatically in the background, but only if a few settings are on. The cards below show what to switch on, and how to run a manual scan on Android.
Menu names can differ slightly between phone makers and software versions. Based on Apple Support and Google Android Help, checked 14 October 2026.
What should you do if you find a tracker?
1. Get safe first
2. Screenshot the alert
3. Play a sound and find it
4. Read its details
5. Decide when to disable it
Steps based on Apple Support and Google Android Help. If you think someone you know put it there, the police or a helpline can help you decide the safest time to disable it. Our guide on what to do if someone is stalking you covers keeping a log and reporting.
Is it illegal to track someone with an AirTag in the UK?
Secretly tracking a person can be part of stalking or harassment. In England and Wales, the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 lists “watching or spying on a person” and “interfering with any property in the possession of a person” among examples of stalking behaviour. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own stalking laws. Report it to the police and keep the evidence.
Found a tracker? What to do next
▲ red = act now, ▬ amber = check carefully, ▼ green = probably harmless. Not sure which number to use? See 999 or 101 and where to report a crime in the UK.
Myths vs facts
Frequently asked questions
iPhones check in the background and alert you automatically, as long as Location Services, Significant Locations, Bluetooth and Tracking Notifications are on and Airplane Mode is off. Android phones also have a manual “Scan now” button under Safety & emergency.
Google says playing a sound from an Android alert doesn’t notify the owner. Disabling the tracker, for example by removing an AirTag’s battery, stops the owner getting new location updates, which they may notice.
In an emergency, call 999. Otherwise you can report to the police on 101 and get confidential advice from the National Stalking Helpline (0808 802 0300) or the National Domestic Abuse Helpline run by Refuge (0808 2000 247, 24/7, England).
Yes, through location sharing you’ve forgotten about or spyware. Check which people and apps can see your location in your phone’s settings, and see our guide to sharing your live location to know what normal sharing looks like.
Related guides: what to do if you think you’re being followed, Life360 explained (location sharing you agree to) and what to do if someone is stalking you.
Sources
- Apple Support: what to do if you get an alert that an AirTag, Find My network accessory or set of AirPods is with you
- Google Android Help: find unknown trackers
- Apple Newsroom: Apple and Google deliver support for unwanted tracking alerts in iOS and Android (13 May 2024)
- legislation.gov.uk: Protection from Harassment Act 1997, section 2A
- Suzy Lamplugh Trust: National Stalking Helpline
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline (Refuge)
General safety information, not legal advice. In an emergency, always call 999.
Keep reading
Feel watched? Let people you trust see where you are
Safety App UK lets you trigger an SOS by button or shake, or automatically in higher-crime zones, sending your live location and live video to a trusted circle you choose, and Safe Zone alerts tell them when you arrive or leave. Its live safety map, built from police data and community reports, shows police stations and Ask for Angela venues and helps plan safer routes. It does not call the emergency services, so if you are in danger always dial 999 first. Free for 7 days, then £2.99 a month. For ages 16+.