We cannot rave enough about the extravagance of Apple devices. Their recent addition to an already impressive list is the new Apple AirPods. Small in stature, the enticing device is completely wireless.
Unfortunately, this makes it easier for potential thieves to target your AirPods when you’re not using them.
But the question remains – Can Stolen AirPods be Used? We regret to say that if a thief gets their hands on your AirPods, they will very well be able to connect them to different mobile devices, retaining their resale value.
Why Apple AirPods are Vulnerable to being Stolen?
Thieves can sync your AirPods with another iPhone device provided that the AirPods are out of the connectivity range of your iPhone. This range may vary anywhere between 30 and 100 feet. Once the stolen AirPods are ushered out of this range, thieves can easily pair them with a new device.
But here’s the catch –
The thief can only use your AirPods if he has its charging case. This is because the thief would need to put both the AirPods inside the case to reset the AirPods. They can do this by holding the setup button for a few seconds. This is the same technique that people use when they need to reset their AirPods to deal with any internal software issue. Once the device is reset, pairing it with a new iPhone becomes extremely easy.
Can Thief Use Another Case for Stolen Aairpods?
Unfortunately, that still wouldn’t argue well for your case. Different AirPods don’t have separate, exclusive charging cases for each of them. All the AirPods use the same kind of case, making it possible for the thieves to arrange the case from somewhere else and use your stolen AirPods.
What if the Only One AirPod Stolen?
If the thieves only managed to get their hands on one of your AirPods, it’s certainly somewhat of a lesser loss for you. However, the thief can still pair that single AirPods piece with another piece from somewhere else to make a complete set. It would still be profitable for the thief as buying a single piece costs lesser than buying the complete set.
Is it Common for People to Steal AirPods?
You might not know it, but AirPods thefts have been on a constant rise ever since its inception. An estimate by CBS News in 2019 reported that the replacement of stolen AirPods accounted for about 5-7% of the total sales recorded every year.
And it’s not even just the thieves! Every year you’d find a common question being asked on internet forums – I found AirPods, can I use them?
There have been many instances where random people just happened to come across missing AirPods and picked them up. Let’s face it, if we found a couple of AirPods tossed on the side of the road, we wouldn’t be bothered to report it to the police.
This is what makes AirPods such a vulnerable commodity. It is small, easy to steal, and expensive!
How to Track Stolen AirPods?
If you’ve lost your AirPods or someone stolen it, you wouldn’t want to sit back and mourn. You would want to get them back at any cost, right?
This is where Apple’s revolutionary ‘find my device’ technology comes into the picture. The ‘Find My App’, once known as the ‘Find my iPhone’ app is an efficient tool that Apple owners can use for tracking their Apple devices. Fortunately, the technology works for AirPods as well.
All you need to do is open the Find My app on your iPhone device or through the iCloud website and browse the list of devices that were connected with your iPhone. But there’s a catch – you can only track your AirPods when they are actively connected to any of your Apple devices.
For example, if one of your AirPods has gone missing and is still within the Bluetooth range of your device, you can find them provided they have sufficient battery.
Unfortunately, this kind of technology is more convenient for people who have lost one of their AirPods somewhere on their bed sheets rather than if someone’s stolen them. But if you are lucky, it can still help you locate the thief if you are quick enough.
Using Third-Party Accessories to Track your AirPods
Since iPhone’s Find My application doesn’t provide a strong solution to the rising AirPods theft, your other option is to use third-party accessories. There are many such accessories in the market that you can attach to track your valuable devices using dedicated applications.
Replacing Stolen AirPods
The fact of the matter is that once your AirPods are gone, it becomes a near-impossible task to get them back. Your best option is to get a replacement.
If you’ve lost your AirPods, or suspect that someone’s stolen them, file a report with the police. It won’t do much, but it’ll give you some amount of hope.
Secondly, Apple’s replacement policy doesn’t cover thefts, so you’ll have to pay for your replacement AirPods unless you have some insurance claim that covers the cost.
However, Apple isn’t entirely useless towards its customers – they do have a replacement service. This means that you’ll only have to replace the single piece of AirPod or the charging case that went missing, and not pay for the whole set. That might still be expensive, but it’s better than nothing!
Have a Theft-Free Day!
If your AirPods are stolen, the simple thing to do is contact Apple’s customer service and look into their replacement policies. Your AirPods can be paired with any other iPhone device, so the chances of someone returning them are slim.
Moreover, please don’t forget to report the thefts of your Apple devices to the police. You may think that the police won’t do anything, but your report can help them catch the culprits, especially if there are recurring thefts in your city.
Moreover, the growing number of reports might compel Apple to take matters into their own hands and design stronger security systems or bring about a change in their replacement policies.