Yes, you can — but not through the official Apple route. There are two paths: the unofficial open-source way (OpenHaystack) which works great for a DIY project like yours, and the official Apple MFi program which is designed for commercial products.
OpenHaystack is an open-source framework that lets you turn your ESP32 into a device tracked by Apple's Find My network. It works by having nearby iPhones detect your device's BLE broadcast and relay its location to Apple's servers — exactly how AirTags work, but unofficial. accio
What you need:
- Your ESP32-C3 (which you already have in the build) flashed with OpenHaystack firmware makezine
- A Mac to run the OpenHaystack companion app for generating keys and viewing locations github
- It can take up to 30 minutes to see the first location report on the map github
How it works with your tracker:
- The ESP32 broadcasts a BLE signal just like an AirTag youtube
- Any nearby iPhone picks it up, encrypts the location with your public key, and uploads it to Apple's servers reddit
- You decrypt and view the location on the OpenHaystack macOS app github
- Accuracy is roughly ~3 meters, which is very usable youtube
- Not in the actual Find My app — you view locations in the OpenHaystack macOS app, not Apple's Find My on your iPhone github
- No anti-stalking protections — Apple's built-in "unknown AirTag following you" alerts don't apply, which is a privacy concern youtube
- Depends on nearby iPhones — in areas with few Apple devices, location updates will be slow or nonexistent youtube
- Apple could break it — since it's reverse-engineered, an iOS update could potentially block unofficial devices accio
- macOS only for the companion app (you need a Mac to retrieve locations) makezine
If you ever want to sell this as a product with the "Works with Apple Find My" badge, you'd need to join Apple's Made for iPhone (MFi) program. This requires company enrollment, Apple certification, and adherence to their specs — not practical for a prototype, but worth knowing for production scaling. apple
There's also GoogleFindMyTools, an experimental project that does the same thing but with Google's Android Find My Device network using ESP32 firmware. If you or your users are on Android, this could be a complementary option. reddit
Since your ESP32-C3 already has BLE, you can run OpenHaystack firmware alongside your GPS tracking logic. This gives you two layers of tracking:
- Active tracking (GPS + BLE to your app) — when you're nearby and cycling
- Passive tracking (Find My network via OpenHaystack) — when the bike is stolen and out of Bluetooth range, nearby iPhones relay its location back to you reddit
This is essentially what some people are already doing for bike theft recovery with custom NRF51/ESP32 trackers piggybacking on Apple's network. reddit
Short answer: no, the ESP32-C3 will not work for the official Apple Find My route. Apple requires specific hardware and MFi certification, which means you'd need to swap out the microcontroller and go through a formal business process.
Hardware Changes Needed
Apple's AirTag itself uses a Nordic nRF52832 for BLE, and this is the chipset family Apple officially supports for Find My accessories. The official Find My SDK is provided through Nordic Semiconductor's nRF Connect SDK, and you must have an active MFi license to access it.nordicsemi+1
The ESP32 is not supported by Apple's official Find My accessory specification. You'd need to replace it with a Nordic chip — the nRF52840 is the most versatile option since it supports both Apple Find My and Google Find My Device.[devzone.nordicsemi]
MFi Program Requirements
To get "Works with Apple Find My" certification, you need to enroll in Apple's MFi Program:[developer.apple]
Company enrollment — Apply at mfi.apple.com; Apple reviews your business (takes ~20 working days)[weiceen.cent.uoeee]
Product Plan submission — Describe your accessory and get approval to proceed[mfi.apple]
Development — Build using the official Find My SDK on approved Nordic hardware[nordicsemi]
Certification testing — Use Apple's "Find My Certification Asst." app to validate compliance[theapplepost]
Factory audit — Apple inspects your manufacturing facility[weiceen.cent.uoeee]
Total timeline — Minimum ~45 working days from start to certification[weiceen.cent.uoeee]
There's no public cost listed, but third-party consultants handle the full process for a negotiable fee.[weiceen.cent.uoeee]
What This Means for Your Build
If you go MFi, the core architecture changes significantly:
Replace ESP32-C3 with an nRF52840 dev board (like the Seeed XIAO nRF52840 — tiny form factor, similar size)[blog.adafruit]
Rewrite firmware in C using Nordic's nRF Connect SDK instead of Arduino/ESP-IDF[nordicsemi]
Add a speaker — Apple requires Find My accessories to have an audible alert for anti-stalking compliance[goodix-ble-wiki-en.readthedocs]
Add NFC — Required for the "lost mode" tap-to-identify feature (nRF52840 has NFC built in)[goodix-ble-wiki-en.readthedocs]
Optional: Add UWB — For Precision Finding (the directional arrow UI), add a Qorvo DW3120/DW3220 chip[qorvo]
Your GPS module, batteries, accelerometer, and LED brake light system all stay the same — only the brain needs swapping. The nRF52840 is actually better on power consumption than the ESP32-C3, so your battery life would likely improve.[adamcatley]
Realistic Assessment
The MFi route is designed for companies shipping products at scale, not individual makers. If you're serious about selling this as a commercial product, it's the right path. If you just want Find My tracking on a personal prototype, OpenHaystack with the ESP32 you already have is far more practical.
Are you planning to produce and sell these, or is this primarily for personal use?
Hardware Changes Needed
Apple's AirTag itself uses a Nordic nRF52832 for BLE, and this is the chipset family Apple officially supports for Find My accessories. The official Find My SDK is provided through Nordic Semiconductor's nRF Connect SDK, and you must have an active MFi license to access it. nordicsemi
The ESP32 is not supported by Apple's official Find My accessory specification. You'd need to replace it with a Nordic chip — the nRF52840 is the most versatile option since it supports both Apple Find My and Google Find My Device. [devzone.nordicsemi](https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/114238/apple-and-google-find-my-technologies-and-supported-modules)
MFi Program Requirements
To get "Works with Apple Find My" certification, you need to enroll in Apple's MFi Program: [developer.apple](https://developer.apple.com/find-my/)
There's no public cost listed, but third-party consultants handle the full process for a negotiable fee. [weiceen.cent.uoeee](http://weiceen.cent.uoeee.com/serviceemczz/692)
What This Means for Your Build
If you go MFi, the core architecture changes significantly:
Your GPS module, batteries, accelerometer, and LED brake light system all stay the same — only the brain needs swapping. The nRF52840 is actually better on power consumption than the ESP32-C3, so your battery life would likely improve. [adamcatley](https://adamcatley.com/AirTag.html)
Realistic Assessment
The MFi route is designed for companies shipping products at scale, not individual makers. If you're serious about selling this as a commercial product, it's the right path. If you just want Find My tracking on a personal prototype, OpenHaystack with the ESP32 you already have is far more practical.
Are you planning to produce and sell these, or is this primarily for personal use?