Earbud Finder: Find Bluetooth

Use your phone as a Bluetooth scanner to track down a misplaced earbud, headset, smartwatch or fitness band. Pick it from the list of nearby devices, walk slowly from room to room and watch the Strong / Medium / Weak reading change as you move. ▶ FOLLOW THE SIGNAL • Nearby Bluetooth Low Energy devices appear in a list, strongest signal first. Unnamed beacons are hidden unless you want to see them. • Tap your device: a large Strong / Medium / Weak reading, a meter and a 10-second history. • "Signal getting stronger" only appears when the change is clearly bigger than the signal's normal ups and downs — standing still stays "steady" instead of jumping hot and cold. • After 5 seconds without hearing the device you see "No signal" — never a made-up reading. ▶ COMPARE PLACES • Not sure which room? Stand in each place for a few seconds and measure. The app shows where the signal was stronger — or says when two places are too close to call. ▶ MY DEVICES • Save your earbuds, headphones, watch or tracker with a name and a note ("sofa, living room"). • The app remembers when this phone last heard each device and how strong it was. • Devices that change their Bluetooth address are offered as "Could be …?" — you confirm it's yours. ▶ HELP THAT ACTUALLY HELPS • Why a device may not appear: earbuds switched off in a closed case, connected to another phone, flat battery, classic Bluetooth only. • How to search: walk slowly, pause often, hold the phone the same way, check under cushions, between seats and in bags. ▶ GOOD TO KNOW • Signal strength is not distance. Walls, people, the case and how you hold the phone change it; stronger usually — but not always — means closer. The app never shows a distance or a direction. • The device must be switched on and sending Bluetooth Low Energy signals. A device with a flat battery cannot be found by any app. • The app cannot ring or beep your device and does not connect to it. • Needs the "Nearby devices" permission; it does not use your location. Saved devices and notes stay on this phone. • Ads appear in My devices and Help, and sometimes after you tap "Found it!" — never while you are searching.

On the first launch after installing, Earbud Finder now prepares its opening-screen ad from a settings copy built into the app instead of waiting for the online download, so the Find tab starts listing nearby devices with less waiting. Full-screen ads in Earbud Finder also keep their spacing after you close and reopen the app. Your saved devices, notes, and vibration and beep settings are untouched.