IFixit disassembles Apple Airtags and drills hole for keychains

The iFixit team has published a teardown of the new Apple AirTags. In the article, iFixit shows how the AirTags are built. The team also provides instructions on how to drill a hole in the AirTags, which allows users to hang the tracker on a bunch of keys.

IFixit compares Apple’s AirTags with competing trackers from Tile and Samsung, with the website noting, among other things, that a keychain hole is missing in the housing of Apple’s AirTags. The company sells individual keychain cases for AirTags, but competitor trackers all have an integrated hole for keychains.

Image via iFixit

The website claims to have found a ‘loophole’ to solve this. By drilling a small hole in the right place, users can attach their AirTag to a key ring without purchasing an accessory. Users should remove the CR2032 battery before drilling. IFixit also warns that drilling in the wrong place can cause ‘serious damage’ to the AirTags. The website publishes an image showing three safe drilling locations, which are highlighted in green.

IFixit used a 1/16″ drill bit, which equates to a drill with a diameter of about 1.6mm. By drilling in the right place, the team managed to avoid ‘all chips, circuit boards and antennas’. “The AirTag survived the operation is like a champ and works like nothing happened,” iFixit said.

IFixit also shows X-rays of an AirTag. The website states that Apple has made relatively efficient use of the internal space of the AirTags; the trackers are barely bigger than the used CR2032 battery. The photo is dark, according to iFixit, because the AirTag has a relatively large speaker magnet and a metal battery cover. In a future installment, iFixit will publish more detailed photos of the AirTag’s internal components.

Image via iFixit