Summary

• AirPods with no battery charge cannot be tracked using the Find My network, rendering them unable to be located.
• The AirPods Pro 2 case can be tracked independently, even if the AirPods are not inside, as long as the case has some battery remaining.
• If one or both AirPods have some charge or were recently charged, their last known location can be displayed on the Find My map, offering a chance to find them.

Apple's AirPods come with Find My support, allowing users to view their location on a map, but does this work if an AirPod has no battery charge at all? The Find My network is made up of over a billion Apple devices. This allows devices like iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, AirTags, and even AirPods to transmit their location over Bluetooth to a nearby Apple device, and update this information on the Find My map. As a result, lost or stolen AirPods can often be found even if they aren't in range of the connected Apple device.

There are some exceptions to this rule though, including when the AirPods have run out of battery. In this scenario, the Find My network is unable to make the necessary connection to allow the user to find them once again. Only the AirPods Pro 2 case comes with Find My integration, allowing it to be independently tracked even if the AirPods aren't inside. However, like the AirPods, this only works if the case has some battery remaining. Users who have other AirPods models will not be able to track the case without one or both the AirPods inside, even if it's fully charged.

Related: Can AirPods Be Connected To Two Devices At The Same Time?

Options When Lost AirPod's Battery Is Dead

As a connection cannot be made when AirPods have no battery, the Find My Network won’t be able to see their current location. AirPods can actually be tracked separately, so in situations where both are lost and one still has some charge, then it might be possible to find both earbuds even when only one has any battery life.

Likewise, if one or both had some charge a short time ago, then the user will be presented with their last known location. In some cases, this may be enough to find where the lost AirPods currently are. Along with the map, users can also enable a 'Lost Mode' that provides someone with the owner's contact information if they come across the lost earbuds.

If enough time passes, however, these options may also become unavailable. If an AirPod is offline for too long, an 'Offline' message appears instead. If that is the case, then Apple is unlikely to be able to help in retrieving the earbuds, forcing the user to rely on more traditional methods — such as physically looking for the earbuds. If someone finds the AirPods and charges them, they may come back online, in which case users will get a notification on their connected Apple device.

Unfortunately, in instances where no location data for the AirPods is available, and the user is unable to manually find them after looking, then the only option is likely to be buying a replacement AirPod or a whole new pair. To do this, users will need to find the serial number of the AirPods and contact Apple Support about buying a replacement.

Source: Apple