Lose Your AirPods? Apple Reveals 'Find My' Solution For Missing Wireless Headphones With iOS Update

After the AirPods were revealed, people went on social media with jokes and comments on how easy it would be to lose their wireless earphones-- and Apple listened.

Apple now has a way to help users find missing AirPods through its iOS 10.3 beta for developers, 9to5 Mac reported.

The update comes with the new Find My AirPods feature under Find My iPhone, the app which lets users locate their devices on a map using iCloud. You can now find your wireless headphones through the app like you would if you misplaced an iPhone or iPad.

However, since the earphones rely on Bluetooth connection, the app will only be able to retrieve the AirPods if they are in range of your other Apple gadgets. If you lose an AirPod and don’t notice until afterwards, you would have to walk back in range to be able to locate it on the app’s map. With Bluetooth, you may get up to 5-10 meters of range, according to 9to5 Mac.

The app plays a sound from the AirPods to help you locate the missing headphone, which gradually gets louder as you get closer. You can disable one AirPod if you lose only one of them. Apple warns users not to have the AirPods in their ear when activating the sound, since it can be too loud.

Apple’s new solution for missing AirPods comes after the company quietly removed a previous app that located the wireless headphones. Finder for AirPods, made by iOS developer Deucks, offered an alternative for users who don’t want to pay the $69 replacement fee for losing an earphone. Just a few days after the third-party app was released, Apple decided to remove it from its App Store. Users who purchased the app were told to request for a refund through iTunes.

Apple is offering its current solution through its iOS 10.3 beta. The update is currently limited to developers, but a public beta should be coming soon.