Apple AirTag location as trigger?

[glenn]

I wonder if there's a way to use the new Apple AirTag as a Trigger. For instance, if you left one in your car you could have it trigger the garage door to open when you arrive home or close when you leave.

Thoughts?

[thebearmay]

It's an encrypted Bluetooth device so not directly supported. Here's thread that discusses something similar though:

[RELEASE] BTLE Presence Sensor (Tile Mate)

I purchased a few new Tile Mate tags and was trying to figure out how to use them to tie in to Hubitat presence. I did some looking and someone had something similar with Domoticz, so I took this and adapted it to Hubitat, and re-used most of a presence app I wrote for Geofency. I have a bunch of these lying around that have expired batteries; so I've popped them open, put batteries in them, and printed new cases from Thingiverse. Drop one in your kids bookbag, in your car (assuming you have …

[rob121]

I got an air tag today, there doesn’t appear to be any automations available in HomeKit or shortcuts related to air tag.

[SmartHomePrimer]

@rob121

doesn’t appear to be any automations available in HomeKit or shortcuts related to air tag.

Yet. Can't imagine this won't be coming soon.

[Sebastien]

I wonder if this would work with the Air Tags…. I ordered some and intend to try when I receive them…. In June…

Using iPhone as a presence sensor

The video above probably has the right info but just to be safe I’ll list out the instructions as best I can below. Thinking if I have time later tonight I’ll collect some screenshots and post a more detailed walk-thru in a new thread. Anyway, let me know if this works for you: Open Apple Home App Click the “Automation” tab in the bottom nav. Hit the “+” icon in the top right of the Automations screen Setup the trigger event settings After, when it asks to select a scene or accessory to aut…

[rob121]

agreed, I’m still a bit skeptical. I think they’ll impose some battery related limits that neuters their usefulness. Would love to be proven wrong

[glenn]

I use my iPhone as a presence sensor to open my garage door when arriving home and close it after leaving. The issue is, sometimes I'm leaving and arriving home without my car or with my wife's car. For instance, I get dropped off at the front door of my home, and my garage door opens.

Was hoping I could leave an AirTag in each car, that way when the car leaves and arrives the garage doors would respond appropriately.

One thought was to connect the AirTag to an iPad or iPhone with iOS 14.5 that remains at home and have it "fire" some action when it senses the AirTag in range. I need to determine if that's even a possibility.

[Sebastien]

Pretty much the same usecase I have. Every family member has an iPhone, so I hope that if it is left in the car, the tag will signal its location via the iPhone. I’m hoping that the same code that allows the iPhone to be recognized as arriving and departing can do the same with the Airtag…

[mraz.camren]

Someone needs to figure out how to use airtags as presence sensors ASAP!

These could be used as individual room presence sensor as well, so the potential for use cases is huge here!

[Sebastien]

@mraz.camren

used as individual room presence sensor as well

How do you see that working?

[mraz.camren]

As long as your phone is within a certain distance of the airtag, the room will be marked as occupied

[Sebastien]

Oh, now there’s an idea! An Air Tag in the middle (or somewhere) of every room…

And if that can be setup to work properly, it knows who is in the room and what their preferred lightning etc. are. Can also know if there are more people in the room. This could be very powerful…