How to Track Your Lost or Stolen Beats Headphones

Lost Beats headphones
Lost Beats headphones

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Wondering if you can track your lost or stolen Beats headphones? Check this guide as we walk you through the various steps to locate them.

Beats is one of the more expensive brands of consumer headphones out there today. But thanks to its various celebrity endorsements, it has managed to sell well. They even dominated the headphones market along with AirPods in 2020!

However, just like any device, simply taking care of them won’t guarantee that you won’t lose them ever. This is especially true for smaller models like the Powerbeats Pro or Beats Studio Buds, which you can easily miss because of their wireless, sleek design.

But regular Beats headphones are not safe either. Since they’re so expensive, wearing one in public makes them a prime target for theft.

Thankfully, we’ve outlined several solutions to help you recover and find your lost or stolen Beats headphones. That way, you’ll know exactly what to do when faced with this scary scenario.

How to Find Lost Beats Headphones Using Find My

Lost Beats headphones
Lost Beats headphones

In 2006, hip hop legend Dr. Dre and co-founder of Interscope Records James Iovine got together to create the Beats By Dre brand of audio products. It enjoyed several years of growth as a company, which is why Apple set its sights on acquiring them. In 2014, Apple acquired Beats By Dre for over 3 billion dollars and rebranded them simply as Beats.

Under their new moniker, “Beats” continued to manufacture headphones, albeit wireless ones. This is to support Apple’s push for full wireless connectivity with their product line. Being a subsidiary of Apple meant they now have access to Apple’s audio technology. Specifically, the H1 and W1 microchips which are also present in AirPods.

When used in tandem with other Apple products, Beats headphones gain significant advantages over their competitors, particularly the lower latency, increased battery life, and voice-activated Siri.

But it goes beyond that. Because of these chips, Beats owners can easily track down the location of their headsets if they use them with Apple devices. They can do this either with the Apple store-exclusive app, Find My, or via the iCloud website.

Unfortunately, not all Beats headphones can be tracked by the Find My app. Only those with the H1 and W1 microchips can enjoy this feature.

So, to be sure, here’s a list of these Beats headphones models and their respective microphips:

Beats headsets with W1 chip:

Beats headsets with H1 chip

When Apple released iOS 13, the Find My Friends and Find My iPhone apps were combined into a single app. You can now find both of their functionalities inside the Find My app.

Using the Find My App

To start using the Find My app to find your Beats headphones, simply:

  1. Tap Find My app icon to open it and select the Devices tab

    List of devices in Find My app
    List of devices in Find My app
  2. Click on your Beats headphones to start locating them.

    Select your Beats headphones
    Select your Beats headphones

When using the Find My app, users looking for their lost Beats headphones are given options to play sounds or get real-time directions. When the play sounds options are enabled, you can either play sounds from either the left or right earpieces or both. This allows easy location when you’re in the vicinity of your lost headphones.

On the other hand, tapping directions will outline a map based on your general location and your headphones’ current position.

Using the iCloud Website

You can also locate your misplaced Beats headphones by logging in to Apple’s iCloud service.

  1. Go to iCloud.com in your browser, then sign in with your Apple ID.

    iCloud website
    iCloud website
  2. Select All Devices, and choose the Beats headphones you want to locate. If your Beats headphones are online, they will show up on the map.
LIke in the Find My App, you can opt to play sounds with your Beats headphones to find them using the iCloud site. However, the ‘Directions’ option will be unavailable for mobility reasons when the iCloud map is run on a desktop.

How to Find Lost Beats Using the Serial Number

Don’t fret just yet if your lost Beats headphones are older models (and thus have no H1 or W1 chips and Find My app support). There’s still a way to locate them. All you need is their product serial number.

There are two places where you can find the serial number: the headphones themselves and the packaging your Beats headphones came with.

Since your headphones are missing, looking at their serial number right now would be an exercise in futility. So, hopefully you kept the box they came packaged with when you bought them.

For the unfamiliar, a serial number is a series of alphanumeric sequences unique to the product you bought. In this case, your Beats headphones.

You can find the serial number of your Beats headphones in a sticker on the box it came with (see picture below). You’ll know it’s the right one if it starts with an “S/N.”

Beats serial number on box (From: Pinterest/You-verify)
Beats serial number on the box (From: Pinterest/You-verify)

Once you’ve gotten hold of your missing Beats headphones’ serial number, you can contact Apple for support. This can help you to either know if the Beats headphones are used by someone else or register for special offers, like replacement for your Beats. It’s not free, but the prices are lower than those sold in physical stores.

While the Find My app is a handy piece of software, it still has severe limitations that make it reach “fool-proof” status. First of all you must have properly paired it with an iPhone. And secondly. it must still have some battery to be located easily.

How to Find Beats Headphones Using Bluetooth Scanner Apps

If you use your Beats with an Android device, there’s still an effective way to locate your Beats headphones. Actually this will still work even if you use them in tandem with an iPhone. You can think of it as an alternative solution to using the Find My app.

However for a Bluetooth Scanner app to work, certain conditions must be met. These are as follows:

  • Your Beats must have been paired with your smart device beforehand.
  • Your smart device should have its Bluetooth activated to be able to locate your Beats headphones.
  • Your Beats headphones should be turned on, i.e., they must have enough power for them to be found.
  • You must be at a certain distance to be able to locate it. Beats were touted as having an effective Bluetooth range of distance of 300 ft. (or around 100 m.). If it’s outside this range, its Bluetooth signal won’t register on the Bluetooth scanner app.

Once these conditions are met, you can do the following procedures to search for your missing Beats headphones.

  1. Download and install the Find My Bluetooth Device app from the Google Play store. Once installed, open the app and turn on Bluetooth and Location when prompted.

    Installing the Find My Bluetooth Device app
    Installing the Find My Bluetooth Device app
  2. Press Search devices.

    Find My Bluetooth device app interface
    Find My Bluetooth device app interface
  3. All available Bluetooth devices will now be displayed. In this list, select your Beats headphones.

    List of devices
    List of devices
  4. A temperature dial will appear. Hot means you’re close to your Beats headphones. Cold means you’ve gone further away from its position.

    Temperature dial on Find My app
    Temperature dial on Find My app

How to Find Beats Headphones Using Loud Audio Output

One of the greatest things about Beats headphones is their loud volume capacity. Aside from letting you enjoy sounds to the fullest, this also allows you to locate the headphones when you can still connect with them but simply can’t find them.

To initiate the following procedure, grab the smartphone paired with your lost headset. Play some music, then raise the volume to its maximum levels.

With luck, you’ll immediately hear your Beats headphones playing music nearby.

Will Beats Replace Your Lost Headphones?

The answer is yes, Beats or, more specifically, Apple will replace your lost headphones.

But it’s not free. You’re basically buying a new pair of Beats headphones at a lower price than those found in stores. This isn’t a bad deal if you think about it, despite the misnomer of replacement.

However, the Beats/Apple headphone replacement service doesn’t accommodate all Beats headphones models. Only a select few can avail of this replacement service. The available Beats headsets are as follows:

Product ModelFee
Beats Studio Buds$79.00
Beats Studio Buds charging case$79.00
Powerbeats Pro earbuds$99.00
Powerbeats Pro charging case$99.00

All fees shown above only apply within the United States. They’re also exclusive of local tax and shipping & handling fees. For a full list of other available services from Apple and their corresponding fees, you may check out Apple’s support website.

Conclusion

By now, you won’t ever have any problem locating your lost Beats headphones. Even if they were stolen, it’d be a cinch to recover them even when located miles away. With some practice, you’ll be able to choose which method applies best when looking for your misplaced Beats headphones.

Have you tried any of the methods described above? What was your experience like? Please share your thoughts with us. Drop us a comment below!

💬 Conversation: 6 comments

  1. My Beats Pro are lost in my yard. They are on and charges. Find My app located them but these are small and I can’t see them. When I try Play Sound they will not connect that way even though the locate part works!
    Any ideas why it will not ring.
    Thank you!
    Rain is coming 😢

  2. “These headphones are not just a device for listening to music, they are a portal to a world of sonic wonder. Every note and beat is delivered with stunning clarity and precision, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the music and experience it like never before. It’s a game-changer for anyone who truly loves music.”

  3. I lost one of my beats while on one of my recent vacations The are ear buds beats wireless on a pink charging case. I want to but a replacement. Can I?jodi

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