With the release of iOS 15 and iPadOS 15, users will be able to use the Find My network to locate their AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Recently it was revealed that the AirPods will be tethered to a user’s Apple ID. In a somewhat unusual move, the user will cover the AirPods Pro’s speaker holes to remove the linked account.
As reported by 9to5Mac, a look at iOS 15 developer beta five code confirms that to work with Apple’s Find My Network, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max will need to be tethered to an Apple ID. This means that even if a user connects someone else’s AirPods to their device, they will remain tethered to the owner’s Apple ID.
To remove the configured Apple ID and disable connection to the Find My Network owners will have to follow a number of manual steps similar to the process for untethering an AirTag. This will be done in cases where the AirPods are given or sold to a new owner, for instance.
AirPods Max users hold down the Active Noise Cancelation button at the same time as the Digital Crown for 12 seconds. AirPods Pro users will to cover the interior and exterior grilles with their fingers while pressing the button on the stem three times in direct sequence.
The new Find My Network support will likely come in an AirPods Pro and AirPods Max firmware update alongside iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 later in the fall. First and second-generation AirPods will not support the system.
