Can Fake AirPods Use Find My Phone?

Fake AirPods often work just as well as real AirPods, quality and audio-wise. So, they may be tempting to try.

But, is saving a few dollars really worth it? For example, what happens if you misplace your fake AirPods?

Can Fake Airpods Use Find My Phone?

Most Fake AirPods cannot connect with Find My iPhone regardless of how well they are made or how much they cost. Only official AirPods and iPhone accessories can use Find My Phone. This lack of compatibility on Apple’s part is a safety feature, allowing for increased security as long as you exclusively use Apple products.

Read on below and learn more about Fake AirPods and why they don’t work with Find My Phone!

About Fake AirPods

Fake AirPods are knock-off AirPods, often passed off as the real thing. These counterfeit AirPods may look, feel, and sound exactly like the originals they mimic. 

The most significant appeal to fake AirPods is the price. You can buy a pair for between $10 and $50, depending on the quality (the same price range as a budget Bluetooth speaker).

The price of real AirPods is more comparable to a pair of Bose headphones.

Whether you’re buying AirPods in person or online, it is crucial to pay attention to a few details if you don’t want to end up with a pair of potentially fake AirPods.

Ways to Tell if AirPods Are Fake

No matter where you buy your AirPods, or who you’re getting them from, these 7 signs will let you know whether you’re dealing with the real things or fakes:

1. Packaging

Apple put a lot of thought into their packaging process, which makes perfect sense as their products are rather expensive compared to other brands. 

So, before you rip open your new AirPods and jam out on some Apple Music, slow down and pay attention to the packaging.

When you open a package containing real AirPods, you’ll experience a sort of “whoosh” as the vacuum seal is broken.

Further, fake AirPod packaging often comes with a manual but lacks the safety sheet and warranty card found in authentic AirPod packaging. 

One last clue that your AirPods may be fake is the font found on the box. 

Apple uses a font called San Francisco, which you can look up online. 

If your packaging font doesn’t match it, you’ve got a fake product.

2. Exclusive AirPod Features

While there are various types of fake AirPods out there, none of them come with the real AirPod and authentic Apple user features.

The first two features you want to look for are Active Noise Cancelation and Transparency Mode.

Even more, you should be able to flip back and forth between these two modes without entering additional settings.

The model number, serial number, firmware version, and hardware version should all be visible on the settings pages as well.

If you can’t find these pages, you’ve probably wound up with fake products.

Last but not least, if your AirPods don’t have the Ear Tip Fit Test feature, they are most definitely not real because all authentic AirPods have this test feature available via the settings page.

3. Speaker Grills

Even if your AirPods packaging and features seem to check out, there are a few more things you can check to make sure you have the real thing. 

The speaker grills are one such thing. 

The speaker grills on real AirPods are aimed at equalizing pressure and feature an original design that is easy to spot. 

You can simply search for a picture of the official AirPod speaker grills and IR sensors and see if they match yours or not.

4. Charging Case

The charging case is another easy way to tell if you’ve got fakes or the real thing. 

Again, you’ll have to search for a picture of the official Apple AirPod charging case to do so. 

Also, remember that all AirPods come with the official charger. So, if yours didn’t, you’ve got fakes(or you aren’t the first owner, which should only be the base if you are buying used AirPods).

5. First AirPods Pro Pairing

The first time that you pair your AirPods to your phone, a notification will pop up that says one of two things:

1. “AirPods Pro”

Or:

2. “Not Your AirPods Pro”

If your phone or device says “Not Your AirPods Pro”, unfortunately, it means that your AirPods are fake.

6. Advanced Features

Sometimes Fake AirPods are made so convincingly that they are almost impossible to tell whether or not they are real. 

In this case, the best way to find out is to have another look at the settings and advanced features.

A few of the main features to look for include:

• Find My
• Hey Siri
• Spatial Audio
• Live Listen
• Audio Share

In addition to the features above, there is one last test you can give your AirPods. Go to Settings, click Bluetooth, and click AirPods. 

If you are not prompted with the ability to rename them, they are fake (sorry!).

7. Serial Number

If you’ve worked through the list above, and you still aren’t 100-percent certain that your AirPods are real, you can check the serial number.

You can do so via the official Apple support site, which walks you through the entire process. If your serial number doesn’t appear or match up, you know that you’re dealing with fakes rather than an authentic product.

Can Fake Airpods Use Find My Phone?

Fake AirPods cannot use the Find My Phone feature available on iPhones. 

Only official AirPods that utilize authentic Apple hardware, firmware, and sensors. 

Fake versions don’t have the M1 and H1 chips that real ones do and aren’t capable of many of the real AirPod features (including the one that allows users to locate their AirPods on a map).

A Final Word About Fake AirPods and the Find My Phone App/Feature

For now, only real Apple AirPods can use the Find My Phone feature. 

Fake versions just aren’t as well made as the real deal, and therefore aren’t capable of the same great features that real AirPods are.