Google's 'unknown tracker alert' now rolling out for Android 6.0 and above

In May this year, Apple and Google entered into a partnership to create an industry specification to combat unwanted tracking. (Image Courtesy: Apple)

Google is now rolling out a new security feature, that helps users detect malicious AirTags for smartphones running Android 6.0 and above.

AirTags are small wireless devices, made by Apple, that can be attached to an item to track them in case they are lost.

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In May this year, Apple and Google entered into a partnership to create an industry specification to combat unwanted tracking.

While these help locate lost items, they can also be used for nefarious purposes, such as a bad actor using it to track your location.

With this new update, users will get a notification if their smartphone detects an 'unknown tracker' that may have been placed on them.

To enable it, open settings on your smartphone, and find 'Safety and Emergency' on Android 12, or 'Personal Safety' on Android 11 or older. You will see a new 'Unknown tracker alerts' option.

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Tap on it and select 'Allow alerts' to turn the feature on. You can also do a manual scan for any trackers. If you do happen to detect a tracker or get a notification that says "Tracker travelling with you", you can force that tracker to play a sound without alerting the owner.

You can also see a complete travel history and map that shows you the location. The feature will automatically take a screenshot and give you instructions on how to turn the tracker off by removing its battery.

For now, the feature only works with Apple's AirTags, which means a tracker from a different brand might still be able to track you.