iOS 18.2 adds new Find My options to help users find lost items

Getting help finding lost items will become much easier with the next iOS update. That’s because Apple is adding new options to the Find My app with iOS 18.2 that let users share the location of an AirTag or other lost item with anyone, not just friends or family.

Find My gets a new option to share the location of lost items with iOS 18.2

Apple’s Find My already lets users share their items with people they trust, so those people can also track the same items. This feature is especially useful for families who often share items such as keys. But with iOS 18.2, users can also temporarily share the location of their items with anyone they want.

The new option appears under a new menu when you choose an item in the Find My app. Essentially, it creates a public link that shows the location of that item, meaning anyone with that link can see where the item is located. Apple gives the example of sharing the link with an airline so they can help you find a lost item.

The link is temporary and the location will stop sharing after a few hours, and users also have the option to stop sharing whenever they want. When you share a lost item with someone, Apple also shows your email address and phone number. You can also see who has accessed the link you shared.

There’s another new option in the Find My app that allows users to share their contact information when someone holds an AirTag to an iPhone. This can help other people find the email address or phone number of the owner of a lost item more easily.

More about iOS 18.2

The new features are part of iOS 18.2, which is currently available in beta for developers. The update is big and brings many new features related to Apple Intelligence, including Genmoji, Image Playground, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence on iPhone 16 models.

Apple says iOS 18.2 will be released to the public in December.