Apple can’t allow Activation Lock or Pairing Lock to be bypassed, or they’ll become useless as theft deterrents, but it also creates a massive headache for those who deal in secondary markets. It’s a case where Apple’s security features are a double-edged sword. It’s gotten so bad that some companies are being left with tens of thousands of useless AirPods due to customers returning them to stores like Walmart without properly removing them from their Apple ID. However, they’ll also be warned that the AirPods still belong to the original owner - and that the original owner can track their location.Īs we reported earlier this week, this has created a massive problem for companies that refurbish and recycle AirPods.
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This won’t necessarily prevent the other person from pairing them up to their iPhone or another device over Bluetooth and listening to them.
This means that even if you sell your AirPods to someone else or even give them away to another family member, they’re still tied to your Apple ID.
Once your AirPods are paired with your Apple ID, they’ll stay that way unless you explicitly remove them. However, there’s another less obvious feature that comes with these enhanced Find My capabilities for your AirPods: They’re now locked to your Apple ID in much the same way that your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook are with Activation Lock.Īpple calls this “Pairing Lock” rather than Activation Lock, and it’s the same feature used to make sure somebody can’t just take over your AirTag. It’s a significant improvement over the more basic Find My AirPods feature, which was limited to making your AirPods emit a sound to help you track them down by ear - provided you’ve left one out of the case, that is. Cut out the clutter: These are the only 6 iPhone apps you’ll ever need.Find Out More The App Store has become completely oversaturated with all the same repetitive junk. These Incredible Apps Help You Save Money, Earn Cash, Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions, and Much More