Lost your AirPodsDon’t worry—Apple’s Find My app and other built-in features can help you locate your earbuds quickly. Follow these steps to make locating them easier and ensure you’re prepared for future mishaps.

Before You Lose Them: Setting Up Find My AirPods

Enable Find My Network

• Open Settings on your iPhone.

• Tap your name > Find My > Find My Phone.

• Turn on:

• Find My Network (to locate AirPods even when offline).
• Send Last Location (to show their last location before the battery dies).

Turn On Location Services

• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.

• Ensure Location Services is ON.

• Scroll to Find My and set Allow Location Access to While Using the App.

• Toggle Precise Location ON.

Set Up Separation Alerts (iPhone 12 and newer)

• Open the Find My app.

• Tap Devices > select your AirPods.

• Under Notifications, enable Notify When Left Behind to receive alerts if you leave your AirPods behind.

If You’ve Lost Your AirPods: Steps to Locate Them

1. Locate AirPods on a Map

• Open the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
• Select the Devices tab and tap your AirPods.
• A map will show their current or last known location.

2. Ping Your AirPods

• If the map indicates they’re nearby:
• Tap Play Sound in the Find My app.
• Follow the sound to locate your AirPods.

Note: Most AirPods require you to locate one earbud at a time. For AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), you can ping both earbuds and the charging case simultaneously.

3. Check Offline AirPods

• If they’re offline:
• The map will show the last known location.
• For newer models (AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 3), you can track their location for up to 24 hours while offline.

Mark as Lost: For Truly Lost AirPods

• Open the Find My app.

• Go to Devices > select your AirPods.

• Tap Mark as Lost and then Activate.

• Add your contact information to display on the finder’s screen if someone attempts to pair your AirPods.

Helpful Tips

• Pinging the Case: Only newer models (e.g., AirPods Pro 2) support locating the case along with the earbuds.
• Sound Delays: For AirPods not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, sounds will play the next time they connect.
• Stay Organized: Always return AirPods to their case to minimize the chance of misplacing them.

By enabling these settings and using Apple’s features, you’ll be better equipped to find your AirPods if they’re ever lost or misplaced!

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