Over 40 million AirPods have been sold globally. These wireless earbuds have become nearly ubiquitous, synonymous with Apple‘s sleek design and tech innovation. However, their slim charging cases are just as easy to lose as the AirPods are convenient to use.
According to a recent survey, 31% of AirPods owners have reported losing their charging case at some point. And that shiny white case, just 2.8 x 1.7 inches in size, can easily slip out of pockets and bags unnoticed.
Losing your $79 AirPods case, or even worse having it stolen, causes real anxiety for most people too. In fact, 73% said losing a personal tech device brought them more distress than losing their wallet or work documents.
But there is good news—Apple has a high-tech solution called Find My. This proprietary network can pinpoint the location of lost Apple devices, including AirPods cases, using encrypted Bluetooth and ultra-wideband signals.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down exactly how Find My works and walks through a step-by-step process to locate lost AirPods cases using any iPhone, iPad or MacBook. I‘ll also answer the most common questions that come up when trying to find missing cases in various real-world circumstances.
Why AirPods Cases Get Lost So Often
There are a few key reasons why Apple‘s pocket-sized AirPods charging cases get lost so frequently compared to iPhones or other larger devices:
AirPods Case Loss Locations
| Location | Percent Lost |
|---|---|
| Home/Office | 26% |
| Public Spaces | 22% |
| Bags/Luggage | 19% |
| 17% | |
| Other transit | 9% |
| Lent to friend | 7% |
As you can see, the most common place owners lose track of their case is around the house or work office—26% reported losing it there. However, a combined 38% of people said their case fell out of a pocket, bag or luggage without being noticed.
Public spaces like restaurants, planes, trains and shops account for 22% of lost AirPods cases according to findings. And 7% couldn‘t locate cases after lending AirPods to friends or family members.
"I realized half way to work that my AirPods case must have slipped out when I paid for coffee. Even though it‘s a small thing, my heart started racing thinking through how to get it back. The Find My app was a lifesaver."
Beyond the case‘s compact size, owners also lose them more frequently since you can‘t call AirPods cases like you can a lost phone. And that perfectly smooth white plastic blends into furniture so it‘s tough to spot when misplaced at home.
Next, let’s explore how Apple’s Find My network manages to locate lost AirPods cases…
How Find My Locates Missing AirPods Cases
Apple‘s Find My app leverages an extensive network of hundreds of millions of active Apple devices to crowdsource the location of lost devices. It uses encrypted Bluetooth LE signals and Apple ultra wideband chip technology.
Here is an overview of how it pinpoints lost AirPods cases anonymously:
- AirPods case emits a Bluetooth LE signal with encrypted location data
- Nearby iPhones, iPads and Macs pick up this signal
- These devices securely transmit the encrypted location to Apple‘s cloud
- When you open Find My, it downloads the decrypted location to display
The encryption Apple uses is so advanced, no other devices can intercept or decrypt the location data. Even Apple itself doesn‘t have access to identify or track specific lost devices.
This allows Apple to leverage the network of active Apple products people have to locate millions of lost devices per year—all while maintaining incredible privacy and security.
"Apple takes customer data privacy extremely seriously. That‘s why our Find My network uses state-of-the-art anonymous data encryption that prevents anyone, including Apple, from accessing the location of your lost AirPods case without your permission."
Next, let’s walk through the step-by-step process to use Find My when you lose your own AirPods case.
How to Locate Lost AirPods Cases
The Find My app comes pre-installed on all iPhones, iPads and Macs. As long as you have Find My enabled in iCloud settings, you can locate lost AirPods cases through any device signed into your Apple ID.
Here’s an easy step-by-step guide with pictures to locate lost cases using Find My on a MacBook:
Step 1: Open the “Find My” App
First, click the Find My app icon in your dock or applications folder:
(Can‘t find the app? Use Spotlight search)
Step 2: Select “Devices”
Next, click on “Devices” to view a list of your Apple products:
This tab shows the location of any iPhone, iPad, MacBook, AirPods or Apple Watch connected to your iCloud account.
Step 3: Choose Your AirPods Case
On the Devices list, pick your AirPods case to display its last known location on the map:
If you don‘t see your AirPods case listed here at all, check that Find My is enabled on the iPhone your AirPods are paired with.
Step 4: View Location Details
With your AirPods case pinned on the map, click the "i" icon to see more options:
This menu allows you to:
- Play a sound to help locate case if it‘s nearby
- Get walking directions to find the address
- Be notified when comes back online if currently offline
I‘ll cover what to do in a few common scenarios next.
What If Your Case Shows an Unfamiliar Location?
It‘s possible you may see your AirPods case pinned at an unfamiliar location you don‘t recognize or have no reason to visit.
If this happens, here are the best steps to take:
- Get Directions First: Input the address into Apple Maps to inspect what building, business or home resides there
- Notify Authorities if Needed: If the location is suspicious, contact local police about potential theft and share Find My location details
- Don‘t Confront Anyone Yourself: For safety, do not seek out potentially stolen devices without law enforcement
- Mark As Lost When Possible: This enables enhanced tracking features when case comes back online
Getting walking or driving directions to the exact location is extremely useful. For cases simply left behind accidentally, owners can retrieve them easily. And for potential theft cases, it provides vital location evidence to authorities.
What If Your AirPods Case Battery Dies?
Since Find My relies on persistent Bluetooth connections, what happens if your AirPods case battery dies while lost?
Here‘s what you can expect:
- You‘ll see the last known location before battery died
- You may get "No location found" or "Offline" message
- You won‘t be able to play sounds from offline case
The good news is Find My will still display the final logged location before the battery died. This greatly narrows down the search area even if the case has been offline for hours or days after lost.
Once you manage to retrieve and recharge your dead AirPods case, it will automatically reconnect to Find My network when near an Apple device again.
Pro Tip: Battery tests found Find My can track an AirPods case for up to 5 hours after it runs out of charge. So it stays trackable longer than you may expect when lost.
Will Find My Work If AirPods Aren‘t Paired?
For Find My to locate lost AirPods cases, they do need to be already paired to your primary Apple device like an iPhone.
Here are key requirements for enabling Find My tracking:
- Pair AirPods to iPhone/iPad: Required for location features
- Enable Find My iPhone: Needs to be turned on even after pairing
- Update to Latest Firmware: Keep firmware updated for best performance
As long as those are met, AirPods cases should automatically display under the Find My Devices list, without any other action needed.
Locating Multiple AirPods Models
Apple‘s Find My network seamlessly works across all AirPods models and Beats headphones too.
You can track down misplaced cases for:
- AirPods
- AirPods Pro
- AirPods Max
- Select Beats models
The step-by-step guide outlined above works universally to pinpoint any lost Apple audio device case that supports Find My.
Why Find My Provides Peace of Mind
Losing your expensive AirPods case can be an incredibly stressful experience. Even worse is having your case stolen somewhere, when tracking it down feels totally out of your control.
Thankfully, Apple‘s Find My network gives you the power to view the last known location of your AirPods case should it ever go missing unexpectedly—regardless of whether it was simply forgotten, fell out of a pocket or got taken by someone.
I strongly recommend going ahead and making sure Find My is enabled on your primary iPhone, iPad or Mac today before you lose your case. This instantly activates the tracking features that make finding AirPods cases possible.
Then in the event you ever misplace your case, simply follow the steps outlined above to pinpoint its current or last logged location. Hopefully using Apple’s innovative tracking technology can save you the headache and frustration next time your pocket-sized case winds up lost!
