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Using rechargeable batteries in your AirTags is not a smart idea - here's why

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Don't use these in your AirTags! Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

LIR2032 Li-Ion rechargeables resemble the safer CR2032 cells, but there are big differences.

They have higher voltage but much lower capacity.

I've come across several AirTags damaged by these rechargeable cells.

I'm trying to remember life before Apple AirTags. I used to misplace a lot of stuff, and I've accumulated more than a few gray hairs after frantically tearing my couch apart looking for keys.

That's now a thing of the past, and I have AirTags on anything important that can get lost: keys, wallets, suitcases -- even my bike.

Also: I extended my AirTag's battery life to 10 years with this $15 accessory - how it works

The only drawback of AirTag ownership is that I'm chucking out a handful of old CR2032 button cells every year. It feels wasteful, but there's no real alternative (well, you can power AirTags from AA and AAA batteries, but this makes them significantly bigger).

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