Can I Track Lost Or Stolen AirPods
Lost Your AirPods? Don’t Panic! Here’s the Deal on Tracking Them.
AirPods are fantastic little devices, but their compact size also makes them prone to disappearing acts. Whether they’ve slipped out of your pocket on a jog or mysteriously vanished at the gym, the first question that pops into your mind is likely: “Can I track them down?”
The good news is, there’s a chance you can! But the answer hinges on whether your AirPods are connected to another device. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of Find My and explore your options for tracking down those elusive AirPods, even if they’re no longer in your possession.
Can I Track Lost Or Stolen AirPods If They Are Connected To Another Device?
Yes, there’s a good chance you can track your AirPods even if they are connected to another device, as long as you had them enabled with Find My before you lost them. Here’s why:
- Find My Must Be Enabled: For tracking to work, Find My needs to be activated on your AirPods before they were lost or stolen.
- Limited Location Updates: If someone else has connected your AirPods, you won’t be able to see their live location due to privacy restrictions. However, Find My will display the last known location where your AirPods were connected to the other device.
- Playing a Sound Might Not Work: Since the other device isn’t yours, you likely won’t be able to use the “Play Sound” feature in Find My to locate them nearby.
Here’s the breakdown:
- Tracking Still Possible: Disconnected AirPods periodically ping nearby Apple devices to relay their location to iCloud. So, even if connected elsewhere, there’s a chance to find the last known location.
- Mark as Lost for Extra Security: If you suspect your AirPods are stolen, you can activate “Lost Mode” in Find My. This displays a custom message and your contact information on the AirPods if someone tries to connect them to their device.
Overall, while tracking AirPods connected to another device has limitations, Find My can still be a valuable tool in locating them.
Can AirPods be Tracked if Disconnected?
Direct, real-time tracking of completely disconnected AirPods is generally not possible in the same way you can track a lost iPhone that’s still powered on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
However, Apple has introduced features that offer some hope even when your AirPods are disconnected:
- Find My Network (for supported AirPods): For newer AirPods models (like AirPods (3rd generation), AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max), Apple leverages its vast Find My network. Even when your AirPods are disconnected from your primary devices, if they come within Bluetooth range of another Apple device that’s part of the Find My network, their approximate location can be anonymously and securely relayed back to you. This means that if someone with an iPhone walks near your lost AirPods, their location might be updated in your Find My app, even if your AirPods aren’t paired with that person’s phone.
- Proximity Finding (for supported AirPods): For the same newer models, the Find My app offers a “Find Nearby” feature. If your disconnected AirPods are within Bluetooth range of your iPhone, even if not actively paired, the app can guide you to their precise location using visual and audio cues.
Conclusion
Remember, even if you can’t pinpoint the exact location, the last known spot from Find My can be a valuable starting point in your search. Additionally, if the finder attempts to connect the AirPods to their device, your Lost Mode message might deter them or even help them return your AirPods.
For added security, consider keeping a Tile or similar tracker on your AirPods case. This can provide an extra layer of location information, even if the AirPods themselves are disconnected from your Apple devices.
So, the next time your AirPods vanish, don’t panic! With a little help from Find My and some proactive measures, you might just be reunited with your favorite listening companions.
FAQs On Can I Track Lost Or Stolen AirPods If They Are Connected To Another Device?
1.Can a paired AirPods device be tracked?
Yes, a paired AirPods device can be tracked under certain conditions. Apple’s Find My service is the key here, but whether it works depends on a few things.
2. Can AirPods be used on another phone if stolen?
Yes, unfortunately, stolen AirPods can be used on another phone.
3. Can the previous owner of AirPods track them?
No, the previous owner of AirPods cannot track them once they are reset and paired to a new device with a different Apple ID.
4. If someone is connected to my Airpod will i know?
There’s no guaranteed way to know in real-time if someone else is using your AirPods.
5. How much does Airpod replacement cost?
- With AppleCare+: If you have AppleCare+, replacing a lost AirPod (left or right) or the charging case costs a significantly reduced fee of $29 each.
- Without AppleCare+: Without AppleCare+, the cost is higher. Replacing a single AirPod (left or right) is $69, and the charging case is $49.
6. Can you blacklist or block lost Airpods?
No, there currently isn’t a way to blacklist or completely block lost AirPods. Unlike phones that can be rendered unusable on specific networks, AirPods lack this functionality.