How to Find Lost AirPods or Wireless Earbuds

Wireless earbuds are small and easy to misplace. The good news is that most modern earbuds have tracking built in. You can use your phone to make them play a sound, see where they were last detected on a map, and in some cases guide yourself directly to them. This guide covers iPhones with AirPods and Android phones with Google or Samsung earbuds.

Before you start: what tracking can and cannot do

Tracking works when the earbuds are: - Powered on (not dead batteries) - Within Bluetooth range, OR have been detected by another device in the network recently

If the battery is completely drained, you will see a "last known location" on a map — where they were the last time they had power. That location is still helpful: it tells you which room, which car, or which location you were at when they died.

Tracking cannot help if the earbuds are powered off intentionally (like when someone steals them and resets them, though AirPods have anti-theft protections that make this harder).

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If you have an iPhone: Find My

Apple's Find My app (the green icon with a radar-like design) works with all AirPods models — AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max.

Step 1: Open the Find My app

On your iPhone, tap the Find My app. It has a green background with two overlapping circles. If you cannot find it, swipe down from the middle of your screen and type "Find My" in the search bar.

Step 2: Tap Devices at the bottom

At the bottom of the Find My screen, tap Devices. Your AirPods should appear in the list. Tap their name.

Step 3: See the map

A map will open showing the last known location of your AirPods. A green dot means they are currently detected nearby. A gray dot means the battery is dead or they are out of range — but the map shows where they were last seen.

Step 4: Play a sound

If the map shows them nearby, tap Play Sound. Your AirPods will beep loudly for about two minutes. Listen for the sound — it is distinct and easy to hear through a couch cushion or the bottom of a bag.

Note: Sound only works if the earbuds are outside their case. If they are inside the case, only the case can be tracked on newer models (AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 with the updated case).

Step 5: Use Precision Finding (AirPods Pro and AirPods 4 only)

On iPhones with an Ultra Wideband chip (iPhone 11 and newer) and AirPods Pro or AirPods 4, you can use Precision Finding. Tap Find in the AirPods screen. Your iPhone will show an arrow and distance readout — like a compass — guiding you closer and closer to the earbuds. It is accurate to within a foot or two.

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If you have an Android phone: Google Find My Device

Google's Find My Device works with Pixel earbuds and many other Android-compatible earbuds that have been registered to your Google account.

Step 1: Open the Find My Device app or website

On your Android phone, open the Find My Device app. Or go to android.com/find in a web browser and sign in with your Google account.

Step 2: Select your earbuds

Your connected devices will appear in a list. Tap the name of your earbuds.

Step 3: See their location on the map

The map will show where your earbuds were last detected. If they are nearby and have battery, a Play Sound button will appear.

Step 4: Play a sound

Tap Play Sound. Your earbuds will beep for about 30 seconds. Walk around quietly and listen. Try checking the couch cushions, between car seats, and inside any bags you have used recently.

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If you have Samsung Galaxy Buds: SmartThings app

Samsung earbuds (Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Buds Live, and similar) use the SmartThings app for tracking.

Step 1: Open the SmartThings app

On your Samsung Android phone, open the SmartThings app (the blue icon). If you do not have it, download it free from the Google Play Store.

Step 2: Find your earbuds in the device list

Tap the Devices tab. Your Galaxy Buds should appear. Tap them.

Step 3: Tap "Find My Earbuds"

Look for the Find My Earbuds button. Tap it. Your earbuds will play a sound that gets louder over five seconds, then quieter, to help you zero in on them.

Step 4: Check Last Known Location

If the earbuds are out of battery or out of range, SmartThings will show the last location where they were detected on a map. Use this to help you remember where you were.

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What to do if the battery is dead

• Check the Last Known Location on the map — this tells you the last place they were detected.
• Retrace your steps from that location. Check bags, car seats, furniture, and jackets.
• Ask someone at a recent location (a restaurant, a doctor's office, a store) if they found a small pair of earbuds.
• If the earbuds are in their case, the case may still have battery even if the buds themselves are dead — the case shows its own location separately in Find My for AirPods.