Modern wireless earphones are light and tiny, making them as easy to lose as they are convenient to use. This applies to any model, from the cheapest among budget buds to the best wireless earbuds. I lost a set in the back of a taxi, and so have other people, judging by how many times I’ve spotted lone earbuds on the tracks at train stations.
If you’re lucky, you’ll eventually find a lost earphone between the cushions of your couch. Even if you’re not, you’re not stuck with a fancy, worthless paperweight. There are several ways to find a single missing earbud, and obtaining a replacement could be an option. Let’s explore how to go about that.
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Use the manufacturer’s app to find the missing earbud
Find its location on a map or by playing a sound
Most brand-name sets of wireless earbuds come with a companion app. For example, Samsung has its Galaxy Wearable app, and Bose has Bose Connect for Android and iOS. These apps let you tweak equalizer settings or perform software updates. They may also include features for locating a missing earbud or an entire set where their current or last known location is pinpointed on a map. If you have a Sony model, it may only work with Google’s Find My Device service.
If your companion app has a feature that notifies you when you leave your earphones behind, enable it. It informs you as soon as the accessory goes out of range.
There’s one big caveat to this approach. If you install the companion app after you’ve lost your earphones with their charging case, the app may be unable to locate them. I can’t confirm this applies to every model, but that’s the case with my Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. However, if I have one of the earbuds connected to my phone, I can use the Samsung Wearable app to see when the other earbud is in range. Then I can make the lost one beep as soon as it is.
Make your earbuds ring
Companion apps typically have a feature that makes one or both earbuds beep as long as they’re discoverable and have enough battery charge. Since the tiny drivers of the earphones make the sound, it is not very loud and could be impossible to hear on a busy street. Still, it’s powerful enough for finding an earbud behind the sofa.
Alternatively, you can play music at maximum volume or download a frequency generator app and set it to produce a high-pitched square wave. In my experience with the Galaxy Buds, a frequency generator can make louder sounds than Samsung’s app when set to about 4,000 to 6,000Hz.
Do not have the earbuds in your ears when you use the ring feature. The sound may cause discomfort or hearing damage.
Be careful with third-party Bluetooth device finder apps
While researching, I found multiple apps on the Google Play Store designed to find missing Bluetooth devices. The several I tested disappointed me in many ways. Their location and distance estimates were unreliable, with only BLE Scanner giving me somewhat useful information via its radar feature. It’s common for these apps to contain tons of frustrating and misleading ads. Making matters worse, some use dark patterns to lure users into $15-a-week subscriptions after a three-day free trial. If you decide to try one, monitor your Play Store subscriptions page.
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Retrace your steps
Walk back and check if the earbud reconnects
If no apps help, retrace your steps. Think about where you last had both earbuds with you and walk back to that spot. Consider using the Google Maps Timeline if you can’t remember the exact route you took. Here’s how to access the feature if you have it enabled:
- Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
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Tap Your Timeline. This gives you a history of the places you visited on a particular day.
While walking back, keep your phone’s Bluetooth menu open. If your lost earbud is near, it should reappear and reconnect. Keep your other earbud inside its case to prevent it from connecting to your phone. The range of Bluetooth devices is only around 30 to 100 feet in ideal conditions, and your earphones might take a few seconds to establish a connection. Don’t go too fast, like in a car or on a bike, when you’re searching for a missing earbud this way.
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Buy a replacement earbud
Some companies will sell you a single earbud but at a price
If you can’t find your lost earbud, consider buying a replacement. However, there are many obstacles to take into account. You may need to take the buds and their case to a service center where a technician can pair them. For instance, Sony clarifies on its website that “only an Authorized Service Center can configure your earbuds’ settings to align their firmware versions.”
More importantly, buying a replacement from the original manufacturer could cost about as much as buying a new set. Samsung Australia lists the prices of spares on its website (in Australian dollars), and they’re almost as expensive as a new pair from Amazon. If you’ve had your wireless earphones for a few years or they’re showing signs of battery degradation, it could be wiser to go with a new pair and recycle your old electronics.
Third-party online stores and eBay sellers offer spare earbuds and charging cradles at lower prices. Feedback on Reddit appears to be positive. Still, proceed at your own risk if you take this route. Find out if your model allows users to couple replacement earbuds manually, which is possible with some Samsung Galaxy Buds models.
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Sell your earbud and case
Then, use the money to buy a new set
As a last resort, sell your earbud and its case to get back as much value from them as possible. As long as they’re in good condition, they may be usable for parts or to complete another set. You might need to clean them first, and our guide on how to care for wireless earphones will help.
When it’s time to send your earbuds off to their next owner, don’t bother with big-box retail stores and their trade-in programs. They won’t give you any money for a single earbud. Instead, a more profitable option could be to put it on eBay, where single earbuds go for $20 to $40, depending on the condition. Then, invest the value you get back in a new pair of wireless earphones. Our list of the best cheap wireless earbuds has many great options.
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Don’t lose your wireless earbuds
Wireless earphones are awesome and have revolutionized how we enjoy music on the go. But the party stops when you lose one, so it’s best to avoid that situation. To recap, install your model’s companion app and enable its loss-prevention features before it’s too late. Familiarize yourself with the methods it offers for finding a missing earbud. If you have to re-pair your earbuds and then have issues because your earbuds keep disconnecting, we explain why it happens and what you can do to fix it.
