How to find your AirPods when you've lost them

• To find your AirPods, you can use the Find My app from an Apple device or iCloud.com.
• The Find My app will reveal the current or last known location of your AirPods.
• If the AirPods earbuds are charged and within range of a Bluetooth-enabled Apple device, you can also have the earbuds emit a helpful chirping sound via Find My.

Apple's popular AirPods are a highly convenient way to enjoy podcasts, music, and videos on the go.

But like your other small wireless devices, they're prone to being misplaced.

Fortunately, you can use Apple's Find My app. The app can locate your AirPods on a map and make them emit a helpful chirp, allowing you to find the earbuds more easily.

You'll need a bit of luck - namely, that the AirPods case and/or buds still hold a battery charge. If that's the case, the Find My app is your friend. If you don't have another Apple device with the app, you can use Find My by entering your Apple ID credentials at iCloud.com.

How to find your AirPods with the Find My app

1. First, make sure Find My is enabled by opening the Settings app on your Apple device.
2. Open your Apple ID settings by clicking your name at the top of the page.

3. Select "Find My" from the Apple ID menu.
   
   

4. Check that "Find My iPhone" is on, or tap the slider to green to enable Find My.
   
   
5. Open the Find My app.
6. Listed under devices, tap your AirPods.
   
7. The AirPods' location, or last known location when your AirPods connected to your device, will appear on a map.

How to find your AirPods using Find My on iCloud.com

1. In a web browser of your choice, navigate to iCloud.com, where you'll sign in by entering your Apple ID credentials.
   

2. Click "Find iPhone" if the option appears. You may first be prompted to enter a 6-digit number sent to another Apple device; complete this added security step if necessary, then click "Find iPhone."
3. You'll see "All Devices" at the top of the Find My map. Click to summon a drop-down menu, and select your AirPods to view their location or last-known location.
   
   

How to make AirPod earbuds send a locating chirp

If you need more help finding earbuds that have been separated from the case, and the AirPods are near another one of your Apple devices that have Bluetooth enabled, you can aid your search with a helpful chirping sound.

Simply tap the AirPods listed under "Devices" in the Find My app or "All Devices" on iCloud's website, and select "Play Sound."

How to find one AirPod if the pair becomes separated

The maps on the Find My app and iCloud website will show a location for one AirPods earbud at a time. If you only need to locate one earbud but not the other, locate the AirPod you have on the map and then place it inside the case. Refresh the map, and it will now share information on the missing earbud.

How to find an AirPods case

Unfortunately, the Find My app only tracks the location of your AirPod earbuds, and not the case itself. As a result, the case itself will also not be able to emit a sound for location tracking, as that feature is tied to the earbuds and the case itself lacks speakers.

You can, however, attach a tracking device like an AirTag or Tile to your AirPods case as an added precaution to track the case's location apart from the earbuds.

What it means if Find My says it can't find your AirPods

If your AirPods are too far away to be located, or have lost their entire battery charge, you'll likely see one of two options in the Find My app: You'll be able to see the AirPods last known location, or you'll get a message reading "No location found" or "Offline."

If and when they are able to come back online, you'll receive a notification via the Find My app.

Once you find your AirPods, check out our handy guide to rid them of the dust and debris they have likely accumulated while stuck between your couch cushions.