Now that we don’t have to go through the hassle of untangling our earphones, we’ve something else to worry about. We could lose those little AirPods anywhere, anytime.
Modern problems require modern solutions. Thanks to the Find My app, we can find the AirPods, whether they got stolen or are inside your dog’s belly.
Using Find My, you can play sound on your AirPods using your Apple device and find their location. It’s like playing hide and clap with your AirPods.
A new problem arises when the AirPods are out of range, and you get the sound pending notification. Don’t worry; there are other games to play with your lost AirPods, like warmer or colder and treasure hunt.
Here I’ve shown how you can find your AirPods when playing sound isn’t an option.
Check out the easiest way to how Can You Sleep with AirPods in.
Why is Sound Pending on Find My AirPods?
If you lose your AirPods and if they are still connected via Bluetooth to your iPhone, iPad. Mac or any other Apple device, you can play a sound on the AirPods, which gradually gets louder for about two minutes, and find out where the AirPods are.
But in case the AirPods are not connected to any other devices, or they are out of Bluetooth range, which is about 30 feet to 60 feet or 10 to 18 meters, you will not be able to play sound on your AirPods to locate them. You will get the sound pending notification.
Though you won’t be able to play sounds, there are other methods you can use that will help you find your AirPods.
Also, check out our separate post on can you charge AirPods without the case.
How to Find My AirPods When Sound Pending?
There are other ways to relocate your AirPods when the playing sound feature is unavailable. You can use the Find My app and get their location on the map. And if the AirPods are out of range of your device or the AirPods are out of energy, you can still get their last location.
Here’s how to find AirPods without playing sound:
If you have already set up Find My iPhone with other Apple devices that you are using with your AirPods, then the feature will be automatically enabled for your AirPods as well.
When you launch Find My on your device, go to the Devices tab. You should see a list of all the devices, including AirPods, paired with the device you are using. Select AirPods from the list.
In case you have 1st or 2nd-generation AirPods, you will see the Directions button. Tap it to open maps which will show the last location of the AirPods when they were online.
If you have 3rd generation AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max and are out of Bluetooth range, you will also see the Directions button.
But if they are in Bluetooth range, there will be the Find button. Tap it to get their current location even when they are out of their case. Start by moving your iPhone a bit until the AirPods get connected to the device. When the AirPods connect, Find My will let you know if you are getting closer or further away from the AirPods.
Assuming that the AirPods are out of their case and each one might be somewhere different, you can tap left (L) or right (R) in the upper left corner to find them individually.
In case you cannot find them or think they might be stolen, for 3rd generation AirPods and AirPods Pro, you can turn on Lost Mode and still recover them. Just choose AirPods from the paired devices list and tap Mark As Lost.
With Lost Mode turned on, you will receive a notification when the AirPods come online again. The AirPods will also stay connected to your Apple ID. That way, if someone else uses your AirPods, you’ll be able to see his location. You can also lock your AirPods, so others cannot use them.
But before that, you check out how to find lost AirPods that are offline.
FAQs
Why does it say sound pending on Find My iPhone?
If AirPods are not connected to your device via Bluetooth, if they are turned off, or the battery is dead, you won’t be able to play a sound to find them. Instead, you’ll receive a notification that says sound pending.
Will Find My AirPods play sound when in case?
Find My AirPods won’t play a sound if they are in the case. You can still find them using directions.
Can you play a sound in Lost mode?
Yes, for playing sound in Lost Mode, open Lost Mode, go to the Sound tab, select the sound you want to play, and press Play.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve gone through the article, you’ll be able to find your AirPods in no time, whether online or offline, connected or disconnected to your device.
Apple kindly provides us with the Find My app, which helps us get the live location of the AirPods or their last available location in case they are offline.
Let me know if there’s anything Apple related you want to know. See you in the comment section.
