Lost your AirPods? Here’s how to find them, or replace just one.

Step 1: Check their location in Find My

In the Find My app, open the Devices tab and select your AirPods. Depending on your model, you’ll see their current location or the place they were last connected to your phone. If the earbuds and the case are separated, some models show them individually.

If Find My shows a last known location, that’s usually where they fell out or were left behind: a seat, a gym bench, a café table. Note the time too, because it tells a venue which shift to ask.

Step 2: Play a sound to find them nearby

When the AirPods are in Bluetooth range, choose Play Sound. They chirp, getting louder, so you can follow the sound to a sofa gap or a coat pocket. Some newer charging cases have their own speaker, which helps when the case is the part that’s missing.

Step 3: Mark them as lost if your model supports it

On models that work with the Find My network, you can turn on Mark As Lost. It lets you leave a phone number or message, and you’ll get a notification when their location becomes available. Older models don’t support this, so your best tools are the last known location and the venue’s lost and found.

Step 4: Ask the venue’s lost and found

AirPods are one of the most common items in any lost and found box, which is exactly why yours need a clear description. Tell staff the model, whether you lost the case, one earbud or both, the colour of any case cover, and any engraving, scratches or stickers.

Many venues now publish found items online. Venues using vFound have their own searchable lost and found page where you can browse found items by keyword, category and date, spot your case by its cover or marks, and submit a private claim without creating an account.

Step 5: Use the serial number to prove ownership

Each pair of AirPods has a serial number. You can find it in your iPhone’s Settings while the AirPods are connected, on the original box or receipt, and printed inside the charging case lid on many models. Staff can compare it with the one on the found item, which settles a claim quickly when there are several identical pairs in the box.

Step 6: Replace a single AirPod or the case through Apple

If only one earbud or the case is gone for good, you don’t have to buy a whole new set. Apple offers replacements for a single AirPod or a charging case through Apple Support, for a fee that depends on the model and your coverage. Check Apple’s official support site for current options, and have your serial number ready.