Use Find My to locate your AirPods
If you have already turned on location services, your AirPods are broadcasting their location to Apple's Find My network right now. Open the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac — it is built into every Apple device. Tap or click the Devices tab at the bottom, then select your AirPods from the list. You will see their last known location on a map, whether they are currently online, and how far away they are.
If your AirPods are within Bluetooth range (roughly 30 feet in open space, less through walls), you can tap Play Sound to make them emit a loud beeping noise. This is the fastest way to find them if they are in your home or car. The sound continues for two minutes or until you stop it.
If your AirPods are offline — meaning they are not currently powered on or connected to any Apple device — Find My still shows you the last place they were seen. This location came from the last time they connected to your phone or another Apple device on the Find My network. The timestamp tells you how old that information is.
Key Takeaways
- Find My shows your AirPods' location on a map if location services are turned on, and lets you play a sound to find them nearby.
- If your AirPods are offline, Find My displays their last known location, which may be hours or days old depending on when they last connected.
- The Play Sound feature works only when your AirPods are within Bluetooth range and powered on.
- If Find My shows your AirPods in a location you do not recognize, they may have been taken, and you can mark them as lost to prevent someone else from using them.
- Checking your AirPods' battery level in Find My helps you understand whether they are powered on or have run out of charge.
What to do if Find My shows them offline or far away
When your AirPods are offline, the location shown is only as recent as the last time they connected to an Apple device. If you lost them yesterday but the map shows them at home, they may have died before leaving the house. If the map shows them across town, someone else may have picked them up and connected them to their phone.
Check the battery status in Find My by tapping your AirPods' name. You will see the battery level of each earbud and the case. If both show 0%, they have been dead for some time and may be in a location you have not visited recently. If one earbud shows a charge, it may have been separated from the other and is still powered on somewhere.
If the location shown is somewhere you have never been, or if you recognize it as a place you visited but did not lose them, mark your AirPods as lost. Open Find My, select your AirPods, and tap Lost Mode. This prevents anyone who finds them from using them without your Apple ID password. You can also add a phone number so someone who finds them can contact you directly.
Finding AirPods when Find My is not set up
If you never turned on Find My before losing your AirPods, you cannot locate them through that app. However, you can still check your phone's Bluetooth settings to see if they are nearby and powered on. Go to Settings, then Bluetooth, and look for your AirPods in the list of available devices. If they appear, they are within range and you can follow the sound of them if you power them on.
If your AirPods do not appear in Bluetooth and you have no other way to locate them, contact Apple Support. Bring your proof of purchase — the receipt or your Apple account order history. Apple can sometimes help you locate AirPods through their serial number, though this works only if they have connected to an Apple server recently. They can also discuss your options for replacement.
Preventing this from happening again
Turn on Find My before you lose your AirPods. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, select Find My, then tap Find My iPhone. Make sure both Find My iPhone and Find My Network are turned on. On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name, select iCloud, then turn on Find My Mac.
Find My Network is the feature that lets other Apple devices report your AirPods' location even if they are not connected to your own phone. This is what allows you to find them if they are lost far from home. Without it enabled, you can only locate them if they are within Bluetooth range of your own device.
Consider using an AirTag attached to your AirPods case. An AirTag is a small tracking disc that works with Find My and can be attached to a keychain or placed inside a case. It broadcasts its location the same way your AirPods do, and some people find it more reliable because it is a dedicated tracking device rather than a secondary feature of your earbuds.
What happens if someone else finds your AirPods
If your AirPods are still paired with your Apple ID, a person who finds them cannot use them without your password. When they try to connect the AirPods to their phone, their device will ask for your Apple ID credentials. This is a built-in security feature that makes stolen AirPods nearly useless to a thief.
However, if the finder has technical knowledge, they can factory reset your AirPods, which erases the pairing and allows them to use them freely. To prevent this, mark your AirPods as lost in Find My as soon as you realize they are missing. This locks them to your account and prevents a factory reset without your password.
If you have marked them as lost and someone tries to use them, they will see a message on their screen that the AirPods are linked to a lost device and includes your phone number. Many people will contact you rather than attempt to use stolen property. If no one contacts you within a reasonable time, you can assume they are not coming back.
Replacing lost AirPods
Apple sells individual AirPods and cases separately if you have lost one earbud or the entire set. Visit apple.com or an Apple Store and search for the replacement part that matches your model. Prices vary depending on which AirPods generation you own — standard AirPods cost less than AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
If your AirPods are still under warranty and were lost due to a manufacturing defect (not physical damage or loss), Apple may replace them at no cost. Bring your proof of purchase and explain what happened. Most loss claims are not covered by the standard warranty, but AppleCare+ for AirPods includes accidental damage and loss coverage for a monthly fee.
Before buying replacements, check whether your phone or computer can use a different brand of wireless earbuds. Many Android phones work with any Bluetooth headphones, and some people find third-party options more affordable. If you are committed to the Apple ecosystem, however, AirPods integrate more seamlessly with your devices than competing products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find my AirPods if they are turned off?
No. Turned-off AirPods do not broadcast their location. Find My will show you the last place they were seen before they powered down, but that location may be hours or days old. If you think they are in your home, check common places like couch cushions, bathroom counters, and car cup holders.
Will Find My work if my AirPods are connected to someone else's phone?
Yes. Find My shows the location of your AirPods regardless of which device they are connected to, as long as location services are turned on and they are powered on. If the map shows them in an unfamiliar place, mark them as lost when ready to lock them to your account.
How accurate is the location shown in Find My?
Accuracy depends on whether your AirPods are currently online. If they are powered on and connected, the location is usually within a few feet. If they are offline, the location is only as accurate as the last device that saw them, which could be anywhere from a few feet to several miles away depending on how long ago they disconnected.
What should I do if Find My says my AirPods are in a store or public place?
Call the store or location and ask if anyone has turned in lost AirPods. Provide a description of your case and the color. If they have them, they may hold them for a few days. If no one has turned them in, they may have been taken by someone who connected them to their phone, in which case marking them as lost is your best option.
Can I use Find My on a Windows computer?
No. Find My is an Apple-only service and does not work on Windows. If you use a Windows computer, you can still locate your AirPods through an iPhone, iPad, or Mac if you own one. If you own only Windows devices, you cannot use Find My and should consider an AirTag as an alternative tracking method.