diff --git a/examples/real_airtag.py b/examples/real_airtag.py
index 0b7b7e0..9aff41a 100644
--- a/examples/real_airtag.py
+++ b/examples/real_airtag.py
@@ -33,13 +33,7 @@ logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
 def main(plist_path: Path, alignment_plist_path: Path | None) -> int:
     # Step 0: create an accessory key generator
-    with plist_path.open("rb") as f:
-        f2 = alignment_plist_path.open("rb") if alignment_plist_path else None
-
-        airtag = FindMyAccessory.from_plist(f, f2)
-
-        if f2:
-            f2.close()
+    airtag = FindMyAccessory.from_plist(plist_path, alignment_plist_path)
 
     # Step 1: log into an Apple account
     print("Logging into account")
diff --git a/findmy/accessory.py b/findmy/accessory.py
index daf1443..40c1b25 100644
--- a/findmy/accessory.py
+++ b/findmy/accessory.py
@@ -7,22 +7,21 @@ Accessories could be anything ranging from AirTags to iPhones.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
-import plistlib
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
-from pathlib import Path
-from typing import IO, TYPE_CHECKING, Literal, TypedDict, overload
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Literal, TypedDict, overload
 
 from typing_extensions import override
 
 from findmy.util.abc import Serializable
-from findmy.util.files import read_data_json, save_and_return_json
+from findmy.util.files import read_data_json, read_data_plist, save_and_return_json
 
 from .keys import KeyGenerator, KeyPair, KeyType
 from .util import crypto
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Generator
+    from pathlib import Path
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -224,21 +223,13 @@ class FindMyAccessory(RollingKeyPairSource, Serializable[FindMyAccessoryMapping]
     @classmethod
     def from_plist(
         cls,
-        plist: str | Path | dict | bytes | IO[bytes],
-        key_alignment_plist: IO[bytes] | None = None,
+        plist: str | Path | dict | bytes,
+        key_alignment_plist: str | Path | dict | bytes | None = None,
         *,
         name: str | None = None,
     ) -> FindMyAccessory:
         """Create a FindMyAccessory from a .plist file dumped from the FindMy app."""
-        if isinstance(plist, bytes):
-            # plist is a bytes object
-            device_data = plistlib.loads(plist)
-        elif isinstance(plist, (str, Path)):
-            device_data = plistlib.loads(Path(plist).read_bytes())
-        elif isinstance(plist, IO):
-            device_data = plistlib.load(plist)
-        else:
-            device_data = plist
+        device_data = read_data_plist(plist)
 
         # PRIVATE master key. 28 (?) bytes.
         master_key = device_data["privateKey"]["key"]["data"][-28:]
@@ -263,11 +254,13 @@ class FindMyAccessory(RollingKeyPairSource, Serializable[FindMyAccessoryMapping]
         alignment_date = None
         index = None
         if key_alignment_plist:
-            alignment_data = plistlib.load(key_alignment_plist)
+            alignment_data = read_data_plist(key_alignment_plist)
 
+            # last observed date
             alignment_date = alignment_data["lastIndexObservationDate"].replace(
                 tzinfo=timezone.utc,
             )
+            # primary index value at last observed date
             index = alignment_data["lastIndexObserved"]
 
         return cls(
diff --git a/findmy/util/files.py b/findmy/util/files.py
index 1686bbf..a366f5a 100644
--- a/findmy/util/files.py
+++ b/findmy/util/files.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import json
+import plistlib
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TypeVar, cast
@@ -32,3 +33,30 @@ def read_data_json(val: str | Path | _T) -> _T:
         val = cast("_T", json.loads(val.read_text()))
 
     return val
+
+
+def save_and_return_plist(data: _T, dst: str | Path | None) -> _T:
+    """Save and return a Plist file."""
+    if dst is None:
+        return data
+
+    if isinstance(dst, str):
+        dst = Path(dst)
+
+    dst.write_bytes(plistlib.dumps(data))
+
+    return data
+
+
+def read_data_plist(val: str | Path | _T | bytes) -> _T:
+    """Read Plist data from a file if a path is passed, or return the argument itself."""
+    if isinstance(val, str):
+        val = Path(val)
+
+    if isinstance(val, Path):
+        val = val.read_bytes()
+
+    if isinstance(val, bytes):
+        val = cast("_T", plistlib.loads(val))
+
+    return val