📱 Introduction
I remember when I first got my AirPods and the immediate thought that followed was, “Could someone be spying on me with these?” It’s a common concern, especially when dealing with personal electronics. It is essential to know that No one can track your own AirPods unless they have access to a device connected to your iCloud account. This means that if you’re worried about a stranger or a suspicious person knowing your location, relax—it’s highly unlikely.
Your anxiety is valid, but the system is designed so that someone using their own set of Apple headphones cannot follow you. The fear of being tracked is real, but the technology has limitations; AirPods do not use built-in GPS trackers.
If you are still concerned about all your devices, the best defensive strategy is to proactively learn how to disable this capability. If you suspect a breach, such as malicious spyware potentially trying to monitor you, a tool like Clario AntiSpy can help. Ultimately, the power to block tracking lies with you, usually by removing the AirPods from your iCloud account.
🔍 Can you be tracked via AirPods?
Tracking Functionality
When someone asks me about the security of a pair of AirPods, I always clarify the basics of the tracking function. It’s important to understand that your AirPods can only be tracked by a device that is connected to the same iCloud account as them. You are able to view their location only using the Find My app, which you can access on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, for instance.
When you first set up your AirPods, they automatically link to your Apple account and are visible across all your devices as well. This means that if you own another device, such as a different iPhone, it can also monitor the AirPods’ last known location. Crucially, it’s not possible to see their location unless the AirPods were recently connected to one of your devices.
Tracking Limitations
I often have to manage expectations regarding locating lost AirPods; it’s vital to know their limitations. Since they don’t have built-in Wi-Fi or GPS, tracking them in real-time is impossible once they are disconnected from the owner’s phone or other devices. However, you can see their last reported location in the same way as you locate one of your other Apple devices. The key is that you cannot follow the AirPods once they become separated from your devices.
If your AirPods are lost or stolen, you will only see the last location when they were connected, making it difficult to track their movements beyond that final point.
🛡️ Impossibility of Malicious Tracking
I’ve had a few moments of paranoia myself, wondering where my keys were, but when it comes to being tracked by AirPods, I can confidently say this means you are not possible to go unnoticed because the system simply doesn’t allow for covert, malicious tracking. AirPods are not designed to be hidden like specialized tracking devices that someone might hide under your vehicle or in your bag.
Their limitations make it extremely unlikely that a person could effectively use them to find out where you go or to track you. To hide them somewhere else, like on the bottom of a seat, for instance, would be a poor tracking strategy since they need to be actively connected to a device on their own person. Your headphones are an extension of your iCloud ecosystem, then, and not a tool for unauthorized surveillance.
🎧 Eavesdropping via Live Listen
While direct tracking is not a concern, I have to point out a feature that gives some people pause: Live Listen. This little-known built-in feature, originally for accessibility, turns another Apple device, like an iPhone, into a powerful, if geographically limited, microphone.
This allows a person to essentially eavesdrop on private conversations happening somewhere else in the room. If someone else leaves their iPhone hidden while their AirPod is in use, they could be listening in.
This works over Bluetooth but has a range limitation: the iPhone can be from about 10 meters (40 feet) away. It is a potentially discreet way to listen in, though thankfully, not the kind of capability major spies would use.
📡 How to know if AirPods are being tracked
If you’re worried about the potential for tracking, it’s important to keep an eye out for the AirPods tracking notification, a crucial security feature that can tell you if unknown AirPods have been following you for a while. My advice is to avoid simply dismissing these alerts.
On your iPhone or iPad, you might view a message like “AirPods Found Moving With You” or, in the Find My app, under “Items Detected With You”.
This feature is designed to detect unknown earbuds hidden near you. If you see this, the app displays a map showing where the potential tracking has occurred. You can then ask the AirPods to send a sound to make them easier to locate and retrieve.
While some people worry about the risk of eavesdropping via Live Listen on private conversations, this notification is the most reliable way to suspect and address unwanted tracking. If you’ve missed it, check the Find My app periodically for warnings about items near you.
⚙️ How to disable AirPods tracking
If you want to turn off tracking or suspect someone is tracking you by following the location of your own AirPods, there are three primary methods to remove them and ensure other devices can’t track them.
First, the quickest way is to Remove AirPods directly through the Find My app.
Second, if you can’t access the app, you can still Delete your AirPods using iCloud by navigating to iCloud.com and logging into your account, which completely removes them from your iCloud account.
Third, Resetting your earbuds—also known as Reset your AirPods— is a drastic but effective measure; not only does it Delete AirPods from Find My, but it can also fix connectivity issues or Repair your AirPods should the need arise. Once removed or reset, you might need to Reconnect your AirPods to use them again.
1️⃣ Remove AirPods from Find My app
I’ve found that removing AirPods from the Find My app is the quickest and easiest way to stop AirPods from being tracked by any other devices you own.
If you’re concerned about your location being shared, this is the most direct solution. To follow these steps:
- Open the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Select the Devices tab, and then tap on your AirPods.
- Tap Remove This Device, and confirm your choice by tapping Remove.
This action immediately disconnects the location-sharing feature, giving you peace of mind.
2️⃣ Delete AirPods from Find My using iCloud
When I’ve been in a situation where I don’t have access to the Find My app for whatever reason, I quickly learned that you can stop AirPods tracking you via iCloud instead.
This is a great alternative that works through any web browser. Follow the prompts like this:
- Go to iCloud.com in your web browser and sign in.
- Click on Find My.
- Select your AirPods, and then click Erase This Device.
- Once you initiate the process, click Next to confirm the action.
The AirPods are then removed from your account, preventing further tracking.
3️⃣ Reset your AirPods
An another simple way to remove tracking on AirPods is to perform a reset, a method which completely restores them to their factory settings and disconnects them from your iCloud account.
Here’s how to do that on standard AirPods or AirPods Pro:
- Put the AirPods in their case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds.
- Open the lid, then press the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the status light flashes amber and then white. Seeing that flashing sequence confirms that the reset is complete.
For AirPods Max, the process is slightly different:
Press and hold the Digital Crown and the noise control button on the right headphone until the status light changes from flashing amber to flashing white. This action removes all pairing data and ensures no one can track your device.
4️⃣ Reconnect your AirPods
I often get asked what to do if, after removing AirPods from your iCloud account, you want to reconnect them again.
The process is simple:
- Put the AirPods in the case and close the lid.
- Wait 15 seconds, then open the lid.
- Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 10 seconds until the status light flashes white.
When the light flashes white, the AirPods are ready to connect to your iPhone or another Apple device.
📏 How far can AirPods be tracked?
From my experience, understanding the technical limitations of AirPods is key to managing expectations about tracking. Because AirPods do not have Wi-Fi or GPS connectivity built-in, it’s not possible to track them over long distances.
They rely entirely on proximity. Using Bluetooth, when connected to another Apple device, you should be able to see their location from around 40 feet (10 meters), but this is the maximum range.
This means that if you leave your AirPods in the park and someone else takes them, you’ll be able to see their last location, but you cannot follow them in real-time.
🔋 Can AirPods be tracked if they are turned off?
The short answer is: No, tracking AirPods when they’re turned off is impossible.
They will appear as “Offline” in the Find My app. You can only view the last known location, which is when they were last connected to another Apple device.
Using the “off” state is an immediate fix if you want to stop tracking temporarily.
🔐 How to prevent AirPods from being tracked
It’s only possible to track AirPods using a device connected to the same iCloud account.
So, nobody can track your AirPods unless they have access to your devices. If someone else does have access, remove the AirPods from your account using Find My or iCloud, or perform a factory reset.
Completely removing them from your account breaks the link, ensuring their location is visible only to you.
🧩 Conclusion
If you’re worried AirPods are tracking your location, the chances are there’s no need. The tracking capabilities of these earbuds are limited by design.
It’s not possible for someone to track you using their own AirPods. The only way for someone to follow you via AirPods is if they have access to another device that’s connected to your iCloud account.
Even if the possibility is a concern, there are easy steps to block AirPods from being tracked, such as turning off location on AirPods or removing them from iCloud.
For those who want broader protection, Clario Anti Spy is a great tool to detect and block spyware and stop app tracking across devices.
Your privacy is in your hands — and with these steps, you can ensure your AirPods stay secure.