AirPods get real support for Find My

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Apple has announced several new features for AirPods users with iOS 15. They include Conversation Boost for AirPods Pro and for the first time real support for Find My. While users will be able to find lost AirPods with Precision Finding, iOS 15 will also pair AirPods with your Apple ID.

AirPods are associated with the Apple ID
Like AirTags, iOS 15 will use Bluetooth to locate AirPods exactly when you are nearby. This feature will be available for both AirPods Pro and Max and will also show the current AirPods location on the map, even when not connected to iPhone or iPad.

To do this, AirPods will be linked to your Apple ID. Lost AirPods will continue to send the location to the owner via Find My Network, even if others connect them to a new device.

No activation lock
Even if AirPods are associated with an Apple ID, AirPods will not have an activation lock like iOS devices. This system will be more similar to what Apple offers with AirTag. It is linked to an Apple account but can be reset with a few manual steps. If you remove the AirPods, another person can set up Find My Network and it will no longer be connected to your Apple ID.

If you hold down the noise reduction button with Digital Crown for about 12 seconds on AirPods Max, you can remove the pairing of the headphones from the Find My app. For AirPods Pro, the steps are a bit more complicated, it requires you to keep your fingers on the speaker holes while pressing the button on the "stems" several times.

Early AirPods not compatible with Find My
These features are still under implementation and will likely require a firmware update for AirPods Pro and Max. First and second-generation AirPods will not be compatible with the Find My network and Precision Finding.

Earlier this month, Apple released a new firmware beta for AirPods Pro that added the Conversation Boost feature for those running iOS 15 beta. However, the Find My features were not included.

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