How to Find Your AirPods on an iPhone (iOS 10.3)

Losing your AirPods is frustrating, especially if you are still on iOS 10.3. This guide shows you how to use the Find My iPhone app to see their last known location, play a sound to locate them nearby, and what to do when they are offline or out of range. You will need your Apple ID password and the Find My iPhone app already installed on your device.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone running iOS 10.3
Your Apple ID and password
The Find My iPhone app (pre-installed on iOS 10.3)
Your AirPods paired to your iCloud account

Step-by-Step

Open the Find My iPhone app on your iPhone. It has a green icon with a radar-like circle. If you cannot find it, swipe down on the home screen and search for “Find My iPhone.”
Sign in with your Apple ID and password if prompted. Use the same Apple ID that your AirPods are paired to.
Tap “Devices” at the bottom of the screen. This shows a list of all devices linked to your Apple ID, including your AirPods.
Select your AirPods from the list. They will appear with a name like “John’s AirPods” or whatever you named them. The app will then show their last known location on a map.
Check the location and status. If your AirPods are connected to your iPhone or another Apple device, you will see a green dot and their current location. If they are off, out of battery, or out of range, you will see a gray dot and the time they were last connected.
Tap “Play Sound” if the AirPods are in range (connected to any of your Apple devices). Your AirPods will play a loud, repeating tone for two minutes. The sound plays on both the left and right AirPod individually, so you can find each one separately.
Listen for the sound. The tone is designed to be heard even if the AirPods are in a case, under a couch cushion, or in a jacket pocket. Follow the sound to locate them.
Tap “Stop Playing” once you find them. The sound will also stop automatically after two minutes.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting that Find My iPhone must be enabled. If you never turned on Find My iPhone in Settings > iCloud before losing your AirPods, the app will not show their location. This is the most common reason the feature fails.
Looking at the wrong device. Make sure you select “AirPods” from the Devices list, not your iPhone or Mac. The map will show the location of whatever device you have selected.
Assuming the map is real-time. The map only shows the last known location when the AirPods were connected to your iPhone. If they have been in the case with the lid closed, that location may be stale.
Playing sound when AirPods are in the case. If your AirPods are in the charging case with the lid closed, the sound may be muffled or not play at all. Open the case lid to help the sound travel.
Not checking both AirPods. The Play Sound feature plays on each AirPod separately. If you only find one, the other may be in a different spot. Play the sound again to locate the second one.

Tips

Use the map to retrace your steps. If the location is not your current spot, think about where you were at the time shown. The timestamp is your best clue for finding them.
Keep your AirPods in the case when not in use. This not only charges them but also makes them much harder to lose.
Rename your AirPods to something unique in Settings > Bluetooth > (i) next to your AirPods. This makes it easier to identify them in the Devices list.
Update to a newer iOS version if possible. iOS 10.3 was released in 2017. Later versions of iOS and the Find My app offer more features like separation alerts and the ability to see each AirPod individually on the map.
If you are at home, check the usual spots first. Between couch cushions, under the bed, in coat pockets, and in the car are the most common places AirPods go missing.

Troubleshooting

“No location found” or “Offline” message. This means your AirPods are not connected to any Apple device. They may be out of battery, out of Bluetooth range (typically 30-50 feet), or inside the case with the lid closed. The map will show the last known location, but you cannot play a sound. Check the last location and go there physically.
Play Sound is grayed out. This happens when the AirPods are not connected to your iPhone. Move closer to where you think they are, or make sure they are out of the case and have some battery. If they are in the case, open the lid.
Only one AirPod is found. The Play Sound feature plays on each AirPod separately. Tap “Play Sound” once to find the left one, then tap it again to find the right one. If one is completely dead, it will not play a sound.
Find My iPhone app crashes or won’t load. Force-close the app by double-tapping the Home button and swiping up on the app. Then reopen it. If that does not work, restart your iPhone by holding the power button and swiping to power off, then turn it back on.
Your AirPods are not in the Devices list. This usually means they are not paired to your iCloud account. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your AirPods, and tap the “i” icon. Make sure they are connected. If they are not listed, you may need to re-pair them by putting them in the case, holding the setup button on the back until the light flashes white, and reconnecting them to your iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I find my AirPods if they are dead?
A: No. If the battery is completely drained, the AirPods cannot transmit their location or play a sound. The map will show the last known location before they died, so check there.

Q: Does Find My iPhone work if my AirPods are in the case?
A: Yes, but only if the case lid is open. When the lid is closed, the AirPods disconnect from your iPhone and the location becomes stale. Open the case to reconnect them.

Q: Can I see the location of each AirPod separately on iOS 10.3?
A: No. On iOS 10.3, you only see one location for both AirPods together. The separate left/right location feature came with later iOS versions. You can still play a sound on each one individually.

Q: What if I lost my AirPods in a different city?
A: The map will show the last known location, which could be in that city. You can use the map to get directions, but you will need to travel there to find them. There is no remote tracking feature on iOS 10.3.

Q: How long does the Play Sound last?
A: The sound plays for two minutes. You can stop it early by tapping “Stop Playing” in the app. The sound is loud enough to hear through a couch cushion or a thin wall.

Q: Will the Find My iPhone app work if I am not connected to Wi-Fi?
A: Yes, as long as you have cellular data on your iPhone. The app uses your internet connection to communicate with Apple’s servers. Your AirPods do not need an internet connection themselves, only a Bluetooth connection to your iPhone.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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