Losing AirPods can be dreadful, but Apple offers an easy option to find lost AirPods and other accessories using its Find My app. The app comes pre-installed on all iPhones, iPads and Mac devices and can be used to locate lost devices such as iPhones, AirPods, Apple Watch, MacBook or AirTags. Previously known as Find My iPhone or Find My Mac based on the device, the service was integrated into a single Find My app starting with the release of iOS 13 in 2019.
Apple's Find My app uses a map view to show the location of each Apple device associated with an Apple ID. It can navigate users to the connected devices by utilizing the GPS (or assisted GPS) location. Even if the device is not connected, the app shows the last location instead of the live location.
Since the AirPods do not feature independent internet connectivity or an inbuilt GPS, the Find My app locates them using the connected Apple device. The app helps locate lost AirPods and also offers an option to navigate to the last available location. If the location is not sufficient, the app even shows GPS coordinates, which can help find lost AirPods in rough terrain. If the AirPods are connected to a device, the Find My app allows users to spot them by giving them the option to play an extremely loud beeping sound that gets louder gradually for the next two minutes. If only one of them has been misplaced, the Find My app can play the sound on an individual AirPod.
Apple's Find My App Locates Lost AirPods Precisely
Tracking is a lot easier on newer AirPods models, including the AirPods 3, AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max, thanks to the built-in Apple U1 chip. The 'Find Nearby' option inside the app relies on the U1 chip to offer guided navigation to the precise location of the AirPods with the help of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. Notably, the UWB-based tracking is only available on the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13 series, which have the dedicated UWB chip inside them. Furthermore, Apple still limits the AR viewfinder for finding lost AirTags even when AirPods share the same technology.
Although these features can be handy, finding AirPods is a lot more challenging when they are not connected to any devices. In that scenario, the app allows users to mark the AirPods as lost and get notified if someone else finds them. Interestingly, the Find My app in iOS 15 also allows notifying users when the AirPods are left behind. The app sends a notification when the connected device moves out of the Bluetooth and UWB range. The alert can be set up in the Find My app by activating the 'Notify When Left Behind' option for each Apple device. Once it is set up, users are notified while leaving the AirPods unattended every time. Apple also allows them to add exceptions to help users avoid unnecessary notifications for places like the home.
Apple's extensive Find My network combined with advanced connection technologies such as UWB make the process of finding lost AirPods a lot less frustrating. Additionally, the ability to tag AirPods as lost and allow other users to return them makes Apple products even more desirable. Lastly, these features are pre-built into all Apple devices. Users can also track the information using non-Apple devices through a web interface, making this set of features the most fascinating for end-users.