Unfortunately, when your AirPods are offline and dead, they can be much more difficult to find. This is because oftentimes you cannot see their current location or play a sound using FindMy to find them. So what can you do?
As someone who works on Apple computers all of the time, I often have my repair customers ask me how to locate the lost AirPods. If they are online and have some battery left, it is often much easier to do. But if they are offline and dead, there is still some hope.
Let’s get into it!
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- There are minimal things to do to find AirPods that are offline and dead, but you can go to the last known location, mark it as lost, and notify when found.
- Additionally, once your AirPods are recovered or you buy new ones, you can turn on the Notify when Left Behind feature to have a notification sent to your iPhone and/or Mac when your AirPods are no longer within Bluetooth range.
While we don’t have many tricks to finding your AirPods, we have a few that we will share! We will also provide some tips on how to avoid losing them in the future!
Method 1: Go to Last Known Location
Sometimes, even if your AirPods are dead, the FindMy application will keep their last known location for a short amount of time.
If you are lucky enough to check FindMy and see a location, go to the last known location of your AirPods and retrace your steps.
Method 2: Activate Mark as Lost and Notify When Found
FindMy has a feature that allows you to select a device and mark it as lost. This will provide you with comfort in knowing that if someone finds and charges your AirPods, then they will be provided with a message with your contact information.
Additionally, because of Apple’s security measures, they will not be able to connect to them. While it is not a guarantee, it is possible to find your AirPods using the Mark as Lost Feature.
You can also turn on Notify When Found. This will provide you with a notification when your AirPods come back online.
Using the FindMy app, turn on Notify When Found and Activate Mark as Lost.
Method 3: Use Apple Support
Apple sometimes has additional features that can allow you to find your AirPods. It may be worth a message or a call to try.
Method 4: For the Future – Turn on “Notify When Left Behind”
We know that there are limited options to find AirPods that are offline and dead after they are lost, however, if you ever recover your AirPods or purchase new ones, Apple does have a feature that you can use on your iPhone or Mac to know when you leave your AirPods behind.
Notify when Left Behind alerts you when your AirPods are no longer within Bluetooth range and gives you a notification with the last known address.
To turn this on on your iPhone, use the FindMy app and click to turn on Notify When Left Behind. If you would like to turn this on for Mac, it is the same process.
Final Thoughts
AirPods, while extremely convenient and easy to travel with, are also easy to leave behind. If they are also offline and dead, they can be even more difficult to find.
Luckily, if you notice they are missing soon enough, you may see a last known location on FindMy that you can use to retrace your steps. You can also mark them as lost to show whoever finds them with a message that provides your contact information. If you turn on Notify When Found, you will also be alerted when they come back online.
Lastly, sometimes Apple Support can provide a bit of additional support. While not always guaranteed, it can be worth the message or call.
In the future, if you find your AirPods or get new ones, we suggest turning on Notify When Left Behind on your iPhone. This way, when your iPhone is outside of the Bluetooth range of your AirPods, you will be alerted that they were left behind and provided with an approximate address.
Did you find your lost AirPods, we hope so! Let us know in the comments how these FindMy features worked for you.