Losing AirPods is a major frustration, but it’s even worse when they are dead. I’ve dealt with my AirPods being dead due to no charge, but also because I mistakenly took a shower with them once.
Anyhow, it may seem like you are completely out of luck if your AirPods are dead and lost. Many Apple users struggle with how to find AirPods when dead.
You can find AirPods when dead if you check their last known location on the Find My app. Open the Find My app on your phone or iCloud website and tap on the Devices tab. Select your AirPods and it will tell you their last location within 24 hours as represented by a green dot on a map.
Activate the Notify When Left behind feature for your AirPods through the Find My app so that you never lose them. Try to consistently store the AirPods in the same spot so that you always know where they are, even when they’re dead. Follow along as we explore how to find AirPods when dead.
Ways to Find AirPods When They Are Dead
You aren’t totally out of luck if you lost your AirPods and they are dead. It is much easier to find your AirPods when they are charged, but dead AirPods aren’t a lost cause.
Apple helps its users find lost devices with features such as the Find My app that comes with every iPhone. Luckily, there are several ways that you can find your AirPods when dead.
Using the “Find My” App
The Find My app is free for every iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It comes downloaded onto Apple devices and you cannot even remove it from your home screen. You can also access the Find My app online through the iCloud website.
This app can help you find the location of any Apple device that is paired with your iCloud account. Sign into your iCloud account on your Apple device or through the iCloud website. Find the Devices tab on your Find My app, click on it, and a list of your known devices will appear.
Select your AirPods so that you can track them. From there, you can pull up the location of your AirPods that will appear on a map. A green dot will appear on the map that will indicate where your AirPods are located. You can also activate functions for your AirPods such as Play Sound and Notify When Left Behind through the Find My app.
Note: Make Sure That Find My is Enabled
You will only be able to use the Find My app to find your AirPods if Find My is enabled. The app comes downloaded already, but you need to pair it to your iCloud account. Luckily, it should automatically recognize your iCloud account if your phone is connected to it.
Turn on the location tracking services for Find My. Open the app and wait for the location services prompt to appear. Select Allow so that your Find My app can access your Apple device’s location. This won’t help if you’ve already lost your AirPods before setting up your Find My app.
Can You Track Dead AirPods in the Find My App?
You can track dead AirPods in the Find My app, but it’s not as easy as if they are charged. The Find My app will only tell you the last location that it appeared within 24 hours. After that, you won’t be able to get updated location information if they are moved when dead.
Simply search the last location that was updated on the Find My app. You will have to search the area manually to find your dead AirPods. This will only be useful if your AirPods have remained in the same location the entire time that they have been dead.
For example, you won’t find your AirPods if the last known location was someone’s car or public transportation. You can always contact someone that you know if you left your dead AirPods in their car in this case.
Sadly, you are likely out of luck if you left your AirPods on a bus or train. This is because they will have moved many times since you lost them.
If the AirPods Are Still in Bluetooth Range
The Play Sound function that comes with AirPods makes them easy to find when they are in Bluetooth range. This function lets your AirPods produce a sound when in Bluetooth range so that you can find them. Sadly, this feature won’t work if your AirPods are dead because they won’t receive the signal to generate a sound.
If The AirPods Are Not In Bluetooth Range
If your AirPods aren’t in Bluetooth range, you’ll need to manually search for your AirPods when they are dead. You can still use the Find My app on your phone as well, but you’ll only find their last known location from the last 24 hours. Pull up the last location and search the area manually to find your dead AirPods.
This can be time-consuming, but it’s the only way to ensure that you can find them if Find My is no longer updating the location. You won’t be able to use the Play Sound feature when you aren’t in Bluetooth range, so your AirPods will be harder to find. It’s still worth activating this feature because AirPods are difficult to find sometimes even when they are fully charged.
How to Find Your AirPods Without Find My iPhone
You can find your AirPods without using the Find my iPhone app on your phone. If you have a Mac, you can access the Find My app from your computer. This app will let you locate any Apple devices that are tied to your iCloud account.
Go to the iCloud website on your computer, sign in, and pull up the Find My program. Click on the Devices tab on the website and look through the list to find your AirPods. Select your AirPods and see if the location map pops up.
It should tell you the last known location of your AirPods. However, the location data will only appear for 24 hours on the Find My program. You need to physically look for your AirPods and retrace your steps if a message appears that says “No Location Available”.
Try Remembering Where You Left Them
Unfortunately, AirPods are all too easy to lose, and it gets harder to find them when they are dead. Your best bet is to retrace your steps and try remembering where you left them. It is common for users to leave one or both AirPods in their pockets.
Check your dirty clothes bin if necessary to see if you find them. Make sure to check your AirPods charger case as well because it’s easy to leave them in there. They are small enough that they can easily get lost on cluttered tables as well.
Think about where you were when you last used your AirPods. Empty your bag if you frequently keep your AirPods in your travel bag because it’s easy to lose them amongst your other belongings.
Can You Track AirPods in the Charging Case?
You can track your AirPods in the charging case as long as even just one of them is in there. Use the Find My app or iCloud website to pull up this information. The AirPods will appear as a green dot on the location map even if they are in the charging case.
You will see two green dots on the map if your AirPods are in different locations unless they are in the same building.
That can make it tricky to find both AirPods if one of them is outside of the charging case. It’s much easier if they’re both in the same case. Some users lose their AirPods and case at the same time, and the Find My app is a great way to find both of them.
If You Can’t Find Them, Buy a New Pair of AirPods
Sometimes, you will simply need to buy a new pair of AirPods if you cannot find them. The AppleCare+ plus program sadly doesn’t include AirPods that were stolen or lost. This means that you will have to buy your new pair of AirPods at full price.
A new pair of AirPods Pros costs at least $240. It is inconvenient to incur this cost, but it’s necessary if you cannot find your dead AirPods. Either way, you would likely need to replace your AirPods within 2-4 years so the cost would occur no matter what.
Tips to Never Losing Your AirPods Ever Again
You won’t ever need to find your dead AirPods if you keep track of them. While the Find My app is useful, it isn’t always as helpful as you’d like if your AirPods have been dead for a while.
It is often easier said than done, but you will never lose your AirPods again if you follow a few simple tips.
First Tip: Always Keep Them in the Same Location
There is no easier way to keep track of your AirPods than to always put them in the same place. Consider keeping your AirPods in your charger case or at least beside it. That way, you will always know where they are.
This also makes it easier to keep your AirPods charged so that they are ready when you need them. Otherwise, you should keep your AirPods near your car keys or phone so that you can grab them before you leave the house.
Place your AirPods by the door or somewhere that you see every single day. That way, you won’t lose them even if they’re dead so you won’t need to use the Find My app to find them.
Second Tip: Activate Notify When Left Behind
Notify When Left Behind is a feature that you can enable to receive a notification when you are without your AirPods. You can activate this feature from the Find My app. Pull up the Find My app on your iPhone or Mac and click on the notifications tab.
Scroll through notifications and tap Notify When Left Behind to enable this feature. You will receive a notification on your iPhone or iPad each time that you leave your AirPods behind. This function won’t work if they are dead, however, so you can’t rely on it unless your AirPods are charged.
So, What’s the Best way to Find AirPods When Dead?
The Find My app is the best way to find AirPods when dead. You can find the last known location of your AirPods within 24 hours of you misplacing them. However, you are out of luck after 24 hours because the location won’t continue to update.
That is when you need to retrace your steps and search your home or office for your AirPods. Go online and visit iCloud to access the Find My app on your computer. You can also access the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad and select your AirPods on the list of devices.
Turn on the Notify When Left Behind feature via the Find My app so you don’t lose your AirPods. This won’t work if your AirPods are dead, but it will stop you from losing them otherwise. Always store your AirPods in the same place so that you don’t have to ever track them down.
