AirPods Pro Left Behind Notifications Not Working Properly ?
Last updated on October 14th, 2021 at 07:45 am
Posted in TILs by Mike on October 12, 2021Are the AirPods Pro left behind notifications not working as they should on iPhone? Is your device alerting you that you’ve forgot your Bluetooth earbuds at a nearby location, although the AirPods are in your pocket? Worse, the Notify When Left Behind option is labeled as ‘Not supported’?
AirPods Pro Notify When Left Behind Feature
Apple’s premium Bluetooth earbuds have recently received a firmware update (4A400) which allows them, in tandem with iOS 15, to trigger left behind notifications, if you forget them in a random location.
How To Enable AirPods Left Behind Notifications
- This feature can be enabled in the Find My app.
- Browse the Devices tab and tap on your AirPods Pro name.
- Turn On the feature by tapping on Notify When Left Behind and switching the appropriate toggle.
Tip: Here you can set a Home and Work addresses to except these common locations from issuing unnecessary left behind alerts!
AirPods Pro Left Behind Notifications Not Working Properly
Update: iOS 15.1 Beta 4 fixes the greyed out Notify When Left Behind option. The ‘Not Supported’ status is also gone! Read more here!
If you’re bombarded by AirPods Pro left behind notifications but the earbuds are in your pocket, here is what you should do:
1. Check Home Location
Use the steps provided above and review the locations added as trusted like Home or Work. If you’ve provided a wrong address you might be getting left behind notifications at home too.
2. Remove & Re-Add AirPods
If the AirPods Pro Notify When Left Behind option is set up properly but you’re still getting erroneous left behind alerts you should remove the AirPods from the Find My app and add them back to see if the issue is cleared.
How to:
- 1. In Find My Browse for Devices -> AirPods Pro Name -> Remove This Device. Tap Remove to confirm.
- 2. You have to also Forget This Device in Settings -> Bluetooth -> AirPods Name (tap blue ‘i’ icon)
- 3. Reboot iPhone and re-pair AirPods Pro to your device.
- 4. Open Find My and tap on Devices.
- 5. Tap on AirPods Pro name and tweak the Notify When Left Behind settings.
AirPods Pro Notify When Left Behind Not Supported
This appears to be an ongoing iOS 15 bug. The Notify When Left Behind option for the AirPods Pro is enabled by default, but in the same time the Not Supported status is displayed.
More, the option is greyed out which means that you can’t turn the alerts Off and neither edit the trusted locations!
Fact: The same behavior has been reported for the Apple Watch Notify when left behind feature.
Notify When Left Behind Locations Not Editable
Unfortunately, there’s nothing that you can do at this stage. iOS 15.0.2 was recently released but this issue hasn’t been fixed. It’s also present in iOS 15.1 Beta 3.
Tip: If AirPods Pro left behind notifications are too annoying your last resort is to remove them from the Find My app only as instructed above, without unpairing them completely from your iPhone.
Fact: The only notification setting that can be edited is the Notify When Found alert! Be aware though, that Notify When Found is greyed out too, if AirPods Pro are not connected to iPhone!
Have you managed to fix AirPods Pro left behind notifications? Do you have a better solution than the one presented above? Use the comments section and share it with us!
Related: Do you know how to enable AirPods Pro Conversation Boost in iOS 15? What about Background Sounds?
Thanks for letting us know.
You’re welcome. Always here to point out and try to fix these issues, or at least provide some acceptable workarounds.
The statement that “Notify When Found is greyed out too, if AirPods Pro are not connected to iPhone!” is NOT true. My airpods pro are connected and I can use them. Still that setting is grayed out.
Micha, thanks for your feedback. For me Notify When Found is greyed out only when AirPods are not connected. If I connect them they option becomes responsive, while Notify When Left Behind remains greyed out (Not Supported) but with ‘On’ status!
P.S.: This has been addressed in iOS 15.1 Beta 4 so it will most likely be fixed with the public release of iOS 15.1.
More: iOS 15.1 will also bring the Paused status which will automatically kicks in to save battery when AirPods are not connected with iPhone for a longer time!
Unfortunately iOS 15.1 made it worse. Now “Notify When Found” is disabled and “Notify When Left Behind” has disappeared 😭
Thanks for the followup. That’s strange. It’s available and working for me and my colleagues. Are Location Services enabled on your iPhone when the AirPods Pro are connected?
Yes
Yeah same as mine.. first when left behind was not supported and its greyed out.. after i updated my i11 pro max “notify when found” is diabled and “Notify me lwhen keft behind” is gone/disappeared..
What happens if you ‘Forget the AirPods’ in Settings and connect them fresh. they will be added again to your Apple ID and this might fix the issue.
Did you solve the issue? I’m having the same issue with similar iphone.
If I use another device as “the location” the “notify when left behind” option appears on my Iphone, but disappears when the Iphone is “the location”
I’ve kept on having problems with the “notify when left behind” alerting me when I’ve had my AirPods Pro in my pocket, so I followed the steps about a month ago, and now I just recently got the notification again.