PodSpotHome AirPods lost in the house
Your AirPods are in the house. Here's how to find the spot.
Knowing they're at home still leaves every sofa, bed and pocket. PodSpot follows the Bluetooth signal your AirPods send, so you can narrow it down to one room, then one spot.
Free iPhone app with in-app purchases. Needs iOS 15.5 or later.
The short answer
Start in the room where you last used your AirPods and open PodSpot on your iPhone. Tap your AirPods in the list and walk slowly from room to room. Walls and furniture weaken the signal, so keep moving instead of standing in one spot. When the percentage is high and they are connected, play a sound from PodSpot.
Search the house with PodSpot
Your AirPods send a Bluetooth signal while they are out of the case and have battery. PodSpot turns that signal into a percentage you can follow.
- Open PodSpot in the room where you last had your AirPods and start a scan.
- Find your AirPods in the list, labeled Near or Far, and tap the row to open the signal screen.
- Walk through the house one room at a time. The signal percentage rises as you get closer.
- In the room where it is highest, move slowly around the furniture until the percentage peaks.
- If they are connected to your iPhone, play a sound from PodSpot. When you find them, save the spot under Previous Locations.
What PodSpot can and can't do
Inside a house, the hard part is the last few metres: the cushion, the duvet, the coat on the hook. A rising percentage tells you that you are getting warmer even when you can't hear anything.
PodSpot doesn't use Apple's Find My network. It only reads the Bluetooth signal nearby, so it can't see AirPods that are switched off, out of battery or out of range, and it usually can't see earbuds sealed inside their case. Some charging cases (AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods 5) advertise their own signal, listed under the same name as the earbuds. Classic AirPods cases do not.
PodSpot can play a sound on your AirPods while they are connected to your iPhone. Play Sound does not work on the charging case.
Spots at home people forget
- Down the sides and back of the sofa or a recliner
- Inside the duvet cover and between the sheets
- Pockets of clothes in the laundry basket, and inside the washing machine drum
- Behind the bedside table and under the bed
- Around the bathroom sink and on the floor behind the door
- Pet beds, toy boxes and children's rooms
Questions people ask
How do I work out which room my AirPods are in?
Walk the house with PodSpot's signal screen open. Walls and furniture weaken a Bluetooth signal, so the percentage changes as you move from room to room. Spend more time in the room where it is highest, then move slowly around the furniture in that room until the percentage peaks.
What if my AirPods are in their case somewhere in the house?
PodSpot usually can't see earbuds inside their case. AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 with ANC and AirPods 5 cases advertise their own signal, listed under the same name as the earbuds. Classic AirPods cases do not, so for those you will need to search by hand.
Can PodSpot find AirPods that are dead?
No. AirPods with no battery send no Bluetooth signal, so PodSpot can't see them, and neither can any other scanner. Start with the places you last used them. Once you find them, save the spot in PodSpot so it is listed under Previous Locations and you know where to look first next time.
Can PodSpot play a sound on my AirPods?
Yes, while they are connected to your iPhone. PodSpot plays the sound through the earbuds so you can hear where they are. If they are not connected, follow the signal percentage on the signal screen instead, as it rises when you get closer. Play Sound does not work on the charging case.