These 3D-printed AirTag cases beat what you can buy at the Apple Store

Published Sep 3, 2026, 6:00 AM EDT Tim has been covering technology for almost 20 years, in that time spanning a broad range of topics from security to product reviews. He is especially focused on the Apple ecosystem, productivity, and consumer advice. Over the years Tim has written thousands of articles, reviews, and round-ups in addition to producing video content and original photography. A graduate of journalism, he found his footing as a freelancer with a laptop and loves how he is able to work from practically anywhere. Now a Senior Editor for iPhone, Mac, and Smart Home at How-To Geek, Tim still loves to write. He can also be found crafting round-ups and productivity posts for the Zapier blog. Earlier in his career Tim spent nearly a decade as a writer and eventually Apple section editor for MakeUseOf. Tim currently lives in Brisbane, Australia. Outside of work he loves to hike and work out, play video games, and spend quality time with his wonderful partner and two cats Inka and Roger. AirTag cases and holders are essential if you want to put the item tracker somewhere that isn’t just the pocket of a bag. Apple’s selection of AirTag accessories leaves a lot to be desired, and they’re pricey to boot. If you own a 3D printer, you can make your own mounts for pennies. Minimalist keyring cases 15 minutes of printing and 5g of filament Apple is selling single Mophie-branded loop cases for $15, while a pack of Belkin AirTag holders will set you back $40. I bought a set of the Belkin holders a few years ago, and while they’re fine, I’m still a bit salty about spending that much money on a few bits of cheap plastic. If all you want is a simple keyring holder for your AirTag, check out the incredibly simple AirTag keychain holder. It uses the same twisting lock mechanism as the Belkin case, except it costs a few cents and you can use any color of your choosing or customize the design to suit. Print-in-place hinged carabiner Good for slipping on and off bags Credit: Ke_3D / MakerWorld Are you always taking your AirTag on and off your bag or other equipment? This AirTag carabiner features a print-in-place hinge with a screw-locking mechanism to keep your item finder in place. It’s ideal if you have a variety of things you want to keep track of but never use any of them enough to justify buying a dedicated AirTag for them. Use PETG instead of PLA if you’re going to be sticking these on a hiking bag or something else that might get wet and exposed to the elements. Hide an AirTag on your bike Credit: Prestige Prototype / MakerWorld An AirTag might be the cheapest way to keep track of a bicycle that isn’t parked next to you all day. The utility here ranges from remembering where you parked to tracking down a stolen bike (or being notified that your bike has suddenly moved out of range). The only problem is that a thief will quickly dispose of an obvious AirTag holder. Thankfully, there are tons of hidden AirTag holders for bicycles available for printing. Saddle mounts are a popular choice since you have to remove the saddle to get to the AirTag. You can also stick AirTags in a decoy reflector mount, a front suspension fork, a bottle cage, or even inside the crank. This is just a small selection; many designs are aimed at specific components like forks and cranks. PETG for outdoor use is highly recommended. Attempting to recover a stolen bicycle by yourself could be dangerous; don’t put yourself in harm’s way and take any information you have to the police. Pet collar AirTag holders Slide onto an existing collar Credit: Asphalt3D / MakerWorld Both of my cats have AirTags on them for peace of mind. If they ever went missing, I’d have a vague idea of where to start looking. The ultra-wideband functionality can also help guide you to an AirTags that’s nearby. It’s also handy to be able to play a sound to see if someone is hiding under the bed or has buried themselves in a cupboard. You can buy pet collars that are designed specifically for AirTags, but you don’t need to. Instead, you can print a holder like the FurFinder collar attachment (or a simple dog collar holder) and slide it onto an existing collar for far less. PETG is the go-to here for greater durability and weather resistance. Simple screw-on or zip-tie mounts For AirTags that need to stay put Credit: sipura / MakerWorld You might associate AirTags with portable items that you carry around with you, but they’re also good for tracking larger and often static items. For example, if you have an RV or a trailer, adding an AirTag could help you track it if it ever gets stolen. The same is true of other equipment for which keychain holders aren’t solid enough. In this case, why not screw or zip-tie an AirTag in place with a simple static AirTag holder? You’ll need to remove the screws or ties to change the battery, roughly once per year. Fun themed keychain holders You won’t find these in the Apple Store Credit: lucamar87 / MakerWorld The worst thing about the Belkin AirTag keychains I bought all those years ago is just how dull they look. They’re perfectly functional but utterly boring. If you want your AirTag holder to show a bit of personality, you’ll find plenty of prints online that let you do so. Personally, I think the Oreo AirTag holder is one of the best examples of this—it’s roughly the same size as an Oreo, and it really looks the part. Fallout fans might appreciate having a Nuka Cola AirTag holder instead, retro gaming enthusiasts might enjoy the Mario Bros. question block, and Pokémon fans can grab a Pokéball. AirTag cases for the remotes you keep losing Play a sound to find the remote Credit: ElephantPrints / MakerWorld If you’re always losing your remotes, you might want to print an AirTag holder so you can play a sound and find them easily. The downside to doing this is that you’ll add quite a bit of bulk to the remote for the convenience. There are designs for all sorts of remotes and brands online; you just have to search MakerWorld, Printables, or other repositories for your own. Some common designs include the Apple TV Siri remote, the Google Remote, the Samsung TV remote, the Amazon Fire TV remote, and the Sony Bravia remote. If you don’t fancy paying all that money for Apple-branded item finders, you can find some far cheaper options that still use the Find My network for a fraction of the price. The downside here is that you’ll have a much harder time finding models you can print for them.