PodSpotHome Find one lost AirPod
Lost one AirPod? Find it before you replace it.
A single earbud is small and easy to miss. While it has battery it still sends a Bluetooth signal, and PodSpot can follow that signal to it.
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The short answer
Put the AirPod you still have back in its case and close the lid, because PodSpot usually can't see earbuds inside their case. Open PodSpot on your iPhone, tap your AirPods in the list and walk slowly toward a stronger signal. If the missing earbud is connected to your iPhone, play a sound from PodSpot. If it is dead, it sends no signal.
Find the missing earbud with PodSpot
PodSpot usually can't see earbuds inside their case, so putting the one you still have away keeps it out of your search.
- Put the AirPod you still have in its case and close the lid.
- Open PodSpot on your iPhone and start a scan. Find your AirPods in the list, labeled Near or Far.
- If two rows share the same name, PodSpot shows (1) and (2) and does not say which is bud versus case. On models whose case advertises, one of them may be the case in your hand, so open each row in turn.
- Tap the row to open the signal screen and walk slowly. The percentage rises as you get closer.
- When the earbud is close and connected to your iPhone, play a sound from PodSpot, then save the spot under Previous Locations.
What PodSpot can and can't do
One earbud makes no noise you can follow unless it is connected. PodSpot's signal percentage works either way, as long as the earbud has battery.
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 an earbud while it is connected to your iPhone. Play Sound does not work on the charging case.
Where single earbuds end up
- The pillow, the sheets and the gap between the bed and the wall
- The hood or collar of the top you were wearing
- Under the car seat and in the door pocket
- Gym bag side pockets and the floor by the lockers
- The bottom of a bag, under the lining
- The floor near wherever you took them out
Questions people ask
Can PodSpot find a single AirPod?
Yes, if it has battery and is within Bluetooth range. Put the earbud you still have in its case first, because PodSpot usually can't see earbuds inside their case. Then open your AirPods in PodSpot and walk slowly, watching the signal percentage rise as you get closer to the missing one.
My lost AirPod is dead. Can I still find it?
Not with PodSpot. An earbud with no battery sends no Bluetooth signal, so there is nothing for PodSpot to read. Retrace your steps to the places you last wore it, and look low: under furniture, inside bedding, in the hood of a top and down the sides of seats.
Can PodSpot see AirPods inside their case?
Usually not, so take the earbuds out before you search. Some charging cases (AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods 5) advertise their own signal, which PodSpot lists under the same name as the earbuds. Classic AirPods cases do not send a signal PodSpot can read.
Can PodSpot play a sound on just one AirPod?
PodSpot can play a sound on earbuds while they are connected to your iPhone, which helps when the missing one is close but out of sight. If it is not connected, follow the signal percentage on the signal screen instead. Play Sound does not work on the charging case.