What you’re dealing with
Most current aids support Bluetooth Low Energy for streaming, which means they advertise and can be followed by signal strength.
| Broadcasts as | Manufacturer name and a serial, Phonak, Oticon, ReSound, Starkey |
|---|---|
| Typical battery | Around 16 to 24 hours rechargeable; up to a week on disposable cells |
| Findable by scan | Yes, while powered on |
| Search window | Hours, act today |
Once the battery is gone: Rechargeable aids go silent within a day. This is a same-day search, and the cost of failure is high.
Where it usually is
Bedding and pillowcases
Removed at night, worked into the bedding.
Around collars and scarves
Pulled out by clothing and carried in it.
Car seats
Removed on a journey and dropped.
How to search for it
- Check the last-seen map firstBefore you search a room, find out which building. A pin saves you from searching the right way in the wrong place.
- Scan from the middle of the roomNote everything that appears, then select the device you want so the rest of the list drops away.
- Walk and watch the signalSweep in a straight line, give each position a few seconds, and turn 90 degrees when the reading stops rising.
- Search inside things, not across themA strong signal with nothing visible means it is underneath or inside something. Fabric and metal block Bluetooth badly.
Tips specific to hearing aids
- Search today. Once the charge is gone, only the last-seen position remains.
- Do not vacuum the room until you have searched it. Hearing aids are small enough to be lost permanently that way.
- If you have one aid still with you, leave it in a different room while you search for the other.
Other things people lose
The same method applies to these, with different battery windows and different hiding places.
- How to find a lost smart ring, Four to seven days
- How to find a drone controller or accessory, Two to six hours in use
- How to find lost luggage with a Bluetooth tag, Roughly a year on a coin cell tag
- How to find a Chipolo or budget Bluetooth tag, Six months to two years on a coin cell
- How to find a lost GoPro or action camera, 1 to 2 hours recording
- Last-seen map for your devices, Map tab
- How to find something you left in a restaurant or bar
- All device guides, the complete list
Common questions
Do all hearing aids appear in a Bluetooth scan?
Most modern rechargeable models with streaming support do. Older analogue and basic digital aids have no radio and cannot be detected.