Following what felt like an eternity, Apple finally released the successor to the original AirPods Pro with the AirPods Pro 2. These earbuds might look exactly like their predecessor, but Apple has made some impressive improvements this time around. Not only do the AirPods Pro 2 have better battery life and improved Active Noise Cancelation, but there are also some major changes to the included charging case.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen Apple integrate its Ultra Wideband chip into more and more devices. It’s essentially how the AirTag came to exist, with the same chip being found in the iPhone and other Apple products. And now, the same chip can be found in the upgraded charging case of the AirPods Pro 2.
Precision Finding was first introduced on the AirTag, making use of Apple’s self-developed U1 chip. This same chip is integrated into every model of iPhone since the iPhone 11, and helps you locate your “lost” accessories or devices. But in addition to the dedicated hardware embedded in your devices, Precision Finding also provides on-screen directions with the help of your camera, accelerometer, and gyroscope.
We can only imagine the number of complaints Apple received about its users wanting to have a better solution to find lost AirPods. Until now, you could still use the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but this only would let you play sounds from the earbuds themselves in order to try and locate them. Thanks to the integration of the U1 chip in the charging case of the AirPods Pro 2, you can use the same Precision Finding feature to pinpoint exactly where your AirPods are.
How to Find Lost AirPods Pro 2 with Precision Finding
When it comes to needing to find lost AirPods Pro 2, Precision Finding only works with the charging case itself. This means that if you have misplaced one (or both) of the earbuds, separately from the case, you’ll instead need to rely on the more basic “find” option within the Find My app. Regardless of what you are trying to find, here’s how you can do so from your iPhone.
Make sure your AirPods Pro 2 are connected to your iPhone.
Open the Settings app on your connected iPhone.
Tap the name of your AirPods Pro 2.
Scroll down and tap Show in Find My.
Tap the Find button.
Start moving around to locate your AirPods, following the on-screen directions and instructions.
If you are trying to find lost AirPods Pro 2 earbuds, you’ll see three different screens appear – “far,” “near,” and “here.” The screen will start with a small dot on the middle, with a growing blue circle surrounding the dot until your entire screen is filled. At the bottom of the page, there are also two buttons, giving you the ability to cancel the search, or to play a sound in order to try and hear where the AirPods Pro 2 are hiding.
Since Apple’s new and redesigned charging case features the company’s U1 chip, the screen shows a different interface. You’ll see more precise instructions, complete with an arrow guiding you in the direction, similar to following a set of driving directions in Apple Maps or Google Maps. Beneath the arrows, your iPhone will show the number of feet remaining until you have found them. Plus, the same two buttons appear at the bottom.
The only difference here is that instead of playing sounds through the AirPods themselves, there’s also a small speaker built into the AirPods Pro 2 charging case. Tapping the audio button will result in the AirPods Pro 2 charging case emitting a sound so that you can have better luck finding it.
Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.
He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.
Write a Comment