iOS 15: How to Get Notified If You Leave Your AirPods Pro Behind

[MacRumors]

In iOS 15, Apple added separation alerts to the Find My app, which let you know when you leave an AirTag or other Apple device behind. Thanks to an October 2021 firmware update, AirPods Pro now also support separation alerts. This article explains more about how they work and how you can set them up.

Called "Notify When Left Behind," the ‌Find My‌ separation alerts in iOS 15 let you know every time you are separated from your item at an unknown location, which can be helpful for items you take with you while traveling or visiting public locations. Like AirPods Pro, for example.

The feature automatically sets your home as a Trusted Location (somewhere where you leave your AirPods Pro frequently and don't want to be notified every time), so you need to add your home address to your contact card in the Contacts app before enabling it.

To use separation alerts with AirPods Pro, first you'll need to make sure your ‌AirPods Pro‌ have been updated with the latest firmware. Here's how.

How to Update Your AirPods Pro Firmware

You can do this by inserting them in the AirPods Pro charging case and connecting the case to a power source using the included Lightning to USB cable. Then move the iPhone or iPad that the AirPods have been paired with, near to the charging case, and make sure the iOS device has an internet connection.

After a short while, any available software updates should be automatically downloaded and installed. If you're having trouble updating your ‌AirPods‌, make sure the charging case is fully charged. You can also try resetting the ‌AirPods‌. You need AirPods firmware 4A400 or later, and can check your firmware version by following these steps:

• Connect your ‌‌AirPods‌‌ or ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ to your iOS device.
• Open the Settings app.
• Tap General.
• Tap About.
• Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌.
• Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."

How to Enable Separation Alerts for AirPods Pro

The following steps run through the process of setting up separation alerts in ‌iOS 15 for AirPods Pro with updated firmware.

1. Launch the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select the Devices, and tap the AirPods Pro in the list that you want to set up the alerts for.
3. Tap Notify When Left Behind.
   
   
   Toggle on the switch for Notify When Left Behind.
4. Under "Notify Me, Except At," tap New Location to set a Trusted Location where you don't want to receive alerts.
5. In the "Add Location" map screen, search or enter an address in the input field. You can define the radius of the ringed geofence for your trusted location by dragging the blue dot or using the Small, Medium, or Large options at the bottom. Tap Done when you're finished.
   If there are no more location exceptions you want to add, tap Done.
   

Now the next time you leave your AirPods Pro behind in a public place, you'll receive an alert informing you shortly after, giving you a chance to retrieve them before you travel any further.

Of course, these alerts depend on you not leaving your iPhone behind (there's currently no equivalent separation alert available on Apple Watch for this scenario), so that's the device you won't want to forget, wherever it is you go.

Article Link: iOS 15: How to Get Notified If You Leave Your AirPods Pro Behind

 

[Gator5000e]

This feature does not work correctly or I don't understand how it works. Three times, and as recently as this morning, I got a notificaton that I left the APPs behind at home or in my office. However, the entire time they were in my pocket in the car. I'm not sure what is wrong but it's clearly not working correctly.

 

[Black.Infinity]

Shouldn’t this be on by default?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

This is a wishy washy feature. It should be on by default no matter what. Come on!

 

[bzhash]

I have the proper firmware but it says this feature is not supported...Any clue?

 

[FasterQuieter]

Yesterday, after arriving home from the movie theater, my watch informed me my AirPods Pro were missing. I had a minor heart attack before reaching into my pocket and finding them safe and sound. Looking forward to many more mini-frights like this in the future.

 

[jml1982]

It doesn't matter. I turned it on on Friday, and I don't get a notice till I'm over a half a mile away. And I also got a notification when I was a couple miles from home while on the train, that I left them behind when they were actually in my backpack with me. Def needs a lot of work.

 

[Siannath]

I have the proper firmware but it says this feature is not supported...Any clue?
View attachment 1862388
View attachment 1862390

I am in the same situation.
My device is an iPhone SE (2016) with iOS 15.0.1.

 

[Seanm87]

Shouldn’t this be on by default?

It is. Not sure the point of the article tbh.

 

[WilliamReedTV]

Firmware and iPhone are up to date. No option. The bottom half below ”Play Sound” and “directions” blank. So…

 

[dannyyankou]

I love how they added "notify me except at one location (home). During the iOS 15 beta, I was always notified about leaving my iPad at my house lol.

 

[GubbyMan]

I am in the same situation.
My device is an iPhone SE (2016) with iOS 15.0.1.

Same, I’m on an iPhone X. It says it’s not supported.

 

[cocoapods]

I’ve been experiencing non-stop connectivity issues ever since my AirPods Pro automatically downgraded (I don’t have the heart to say “upgrade” for this firmware) to 4A400. Had to forget AirPods on my iPhone & iPad, reset the AirPods, reboot my iDevices and re-pair it one by one once again, for the second time this very day. It seems fine now, though if it still insists to not connect to my iPad I’ll have to return it (since any brand new unit will automatically downgrade to 4A400 anyway).

 

[westcoastcyc]

This feature does not work correctly or I don't understand how it works. Three times, and as recently as this morning, I got a notificaton that I left the APPs behind at home or in my office. However, the entire time they were in my pocket in the car. I'm not sure what is wrong but it's clearly not working correctly.

Same here

 

[jimmysalg]

"Of course, these alerts depend on you not leaving your iPhone behind (there's currently no equivalent separation alert available on Apple Watch for this scenario), so that's the device you won't want to forget, wherever it is you go"

....but if you leave your phone behind it will tell you that you left your phone so you would go back anyway?? LOL

 

[jbachandouris]

Mine was on by default and it also alerts me that they’ve been left behind despite them being in my pocket.

 

[iRun26.2]

I get the notifications all the time on my phone. It’s like it thinks my air pod max needs to be with me wherever I go.

 

[rolfwiggum]

I tried it and it’s buggy. Over the weekend, it notified me that I left my AirPods behind during a long walk in a city, which was scary. Did I lose them?

But when I checked, both the AirPods and the phone were in the same pocket still. How can they be left behind if it’s an inch away? (The AirPods were charged)

I disabled that feature right then and there.

 

[LutzRFrank]

Mine suddenly allows to be switched on.
was grayed out last week

 

[bpeeps]

Shouldn’t this be on by default?

It is. This article is kinda pointless. I had to turn it off because it was obnoxious getting an alert on my commute to work that I left my pros and max at home. Like shouldn't it learn that? The feature needs a lot of work.

 

[bv1507]

I am in the same situation.
My device is an iPhone SE (2016) with iOS 15.0.1.

Me, too. iPhone XR with 15.0.1 and APP with 4A400.

 

[neoelectronaut]

I'm increasingly tempted to move up to Airpods Pro, I just wish there was a plug-less option.

 

[H-B0mb]

I’m on 15.1 beta 3. I don’t have the setting available on either APM or APP. Both are on the latest firmware

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I'm increasingly tempted to move up to Airpods Pro, I just wish there was a plug-less option.

you wish there was a what? What does that mean.
Plug-less

 

[Sturgisbayarea]

In iOS 15, Apple added separation alerts to the Find My app, which let you know when you leave an AirTag or other Apple device behind. Thanks to an October 2021 firmware update, AirPods Pro now also support separation alerts. This article explains more about how they work and how you can set them up.

Called "Notify When Left Behind," the ‌Find My‌ separation alerts in iOS 15 let you know every time you are separated from your item at an unknown location, which can be helpful for items you take with you while traveling or visiting public locations. Like AirPods Pro, for example.

The feature automatically sets your home as a Trusted Location (somewhere where you leave your AirPods Pro frequently and don't want to be notified every time), so you need to add your home address to your contact card in the Contacts app before enabling it.

To use separation alerts with AirPods Pro, first you'll need to make sure your ‌AirPods Pro‌ have been updated with the latest firmware. Here's how.

How to Update Your AirPods Pro Firmware

You can do this by inserting them in the AirPods Pro charging case and connecting the case to a power source using the included Lightning to USB cable. Then move the iPhone or iPad that the AirPods have been paired with, near to the charging case, and make sure the iOS device has an internet connection.

After a short while, any available software updates should be automatically downloaded and installed. If you're having trouble updating your ‌AirPods‌, make sure the charging case is fully charged. You can also try resetting the ‌AirPods‌. You need AirPods firmware 4A400 or later, and can check your firmware version by following these steps:

• Connect your ‌‌AirPods‌‌ or ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ to your iOS device.
  
• Open the Settings app.
  
• Tap General.
  
• Tap About.
  
• Tap ‌‌‌‌‌AirPods‌‌‌‌‌.
  
• Look at the number next to "Firmware Version."

How to Enable Separation Alerts for AirPods Pro

The following steps run through the process of setting up separation alerts in ‌iOS 15 for AirPods Pro with updated firmware.

1. Launch the Find My app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select the Devices, and tap the AirPods Pro in the list that you want to set up the alerts for.
3. Tap Notify When Left Behind.
   
   
   Toggle on the switch for Notify When Left Behind.
4. Under "Notify Me, Except At," tap New Location to set a Trusted Location where you don't want to receive alerts.
5. In the "Add Location" map screen, search or enter an address in the input field. You can define the radius of the ringed geofence for your trusted location by dragging the blue dot or using the Small, Medium, or Large options at the bottom. Tap Done when you're finished.
   If there are no more location exceptions you want to add, tap Done.
   

Now the next time you leave your AirPods Pro behind in a public place, you'll receive an alert informing you shortly after, giving you a chance to retrieve them before you travel any further.

Of course, these alerts depend on you not leaving your iPhone behind (there's currently no equivalent separation alert available on Apple Watch for this scenario), so that's the device you won't want to forget, wherever it is you go.

Article Link: iOS 15: How to Get Notified If You Leave Your AirPods Pro Behind

What’s missing for me is an alert for leaving your charging case behind, or at least the ability to locate a lost charging case. I lost mine in a park (it slipped out of the silicon case dangling for the last time from my belt loop) while hiking with my dogs, and didn’t notice until I got home, a mile away from the park. Find My reassured me that I still had my pro buds, but there was no info about the charging case.