How to find your lost AirPods case 

AirPods have a good battery life, letting users wear them without carrying the case the whole time. While convenient, many users forget where their AirPods cases are and lose them. Whether you’ve lost the case with or without AirPods, read below to learn how to find your lost AirPods case.

Editor’s note: This article was updated on October 16, 2024, to include details of how to find AirPods 4 with ANC case, and add a contents menu. 

QUICK ANSWER

To find your lost AirPods case with at least one AirPods inside, go to the Find My App > Devices >Your AirPods > tap Play Sound or Find. This will only work if the case is left open. You can find the case without AirPods following the same steps, but you must have an Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation or Apple AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation case.

How to find your lost AirPods case

Multiple methods exist per different scenarios to find your lost AirPods case. We will explain each below.

Using the Play Sound and Find feature

Using the Find My app, you can locate your lost AirPods case by playing a sound on the AirPods or locating them within the Bluetooth range via the Find feature. Note that the AirPods case does not sync with the Find My app unless you use the AirPods Pro 2nd generation or AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

If the case is closed, the AirPods won’t be online, and you won’t be able to use the Find My app to locate them. So, the method below works only when you’ve left the case open with at least one AirPods inside.

1. Open the Find My app on your iOS device.
2. Select Devices and tap on your AirPods from the list.
3. Tap Play Sound, and the AirPods in the case will play a sound. Follow it to find your lost case.
4. Alternatively, you can tap Find to let the app locate the lost AirPods case within the Bluetooth range.

Using map directions

If your AirPods case is lost or stolen outside of the Bluetooth range, the Play Sound or Find feature won’t work. You must use directions to find it, provided the AirPods case has at least one AirPods inside.

1. Go to the Find My app on your Apple device.
2. Select Devices and tap on your AirPods.
3. A map will show the last location of your AirPods in case the AirPods case is closed. If the case is open at the time, you will get the current location.
4. Tap the Directions icon to find a route to your lost AirPods case.

Using iCloud

You can also find your lost AirPods case via iCloud. Here’s how to do that:

1. Go to icloud.com/find and Sign in with your Apple ID.
2. On the top right corner, click All Devices and select your AirPods.
3. Now, click Play Sound and follow the sound to find your lost AirPods case.

Again, the AirPods case should be left open with at least one earbud in it for this method to work.

How to Find your lost AirPods case with no AirPods inside

If you own an Apple AirPods Pro 2nd generation, you can find the lost AirPods case without AirPods in them. These AirPods house a U1 chip that makes it possible to find them using the Find My App.

1. Go to the Find My app on your Apple device.
2. Go to Devices and select your AirPods Pro Second Generation.
3. From here, you can tap Play Sound, follow the map directions, or click Find to locate your lost AirPods case even without the AirPods in it.

What is AirPods Lost Mode, and how to use it

With the AirPods Lost Mode, you can mark your AirPods as lost. Turning on this mode will let you know when your AirPods case comes online. Moreover, you can leave a message for the finder to contact you if they’ve found your AirPods case. That message will be shown on their iPhones. Here’s how to turn on the Lost Mode.

1. Open the Find My app on your iOS device.
2. Go to Devices and select your AirPods.
3. Scroll down and tap Activate under Mark As Lost.
4. Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to activate it.

How to replace your AirPods case

Unfortunately, if you have AirPods other than the AirPods Pro 2nd Generation or AirPods 4 with ANC, you can’t locate the case without AirPods in it. The only option is to remember where you’ve left the case or replace it.

The replacements are budget-friendly, and the site provides a 90-day warranty alongside free shipping. Get a new charging case for your AirPods and follow the instructions below to set it up on your device.

1. On your iOS device, go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the i button next to your AirPods.
2. Select Forget This Device > Forget Device > tap the prompt to confirm.
3. Put your AirPods in the new charging case and open the lid. A prompt will appear on your iOS screen. Click Connect.
4. Long press the setup button on the back of your case for a few seconds. The status light will flash white.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions, and your new AirPods case will be paired.
6. Finally, tap Done.

Frequently asked questions about AirPods