Apple has one Support document updatedto note that the maximum number of supported items in the Find My app has doubled from 16 to 32.
This change was made after users reported that the previous limit was too restrictive, especially since Airpods count as multiple items when removed from the charging case.
When Airtags launched in 2021, the Find My app had dedicated tabs for finding people, devices, and items. Airtags fell into the items category, which was originally limited to 16 tracked items.
Airpods can quickly exhaust the limit
However, the Apple Airpods and Beats headphones are also classified as objects and not devices in the Where is app. This means that Airpods can quickly use up the item limit – Airpods Max count as one item, Airpods/Airpods Pro (1st generation) count as two, and Airpods Pro (2nd generation) count as three because the buds and case are located separately can be.
In practice, the upper limit of 16 could be reached with just three to five pairs of Airpods. For users with multiple Airtags for keys, bags, etc., the cap was overly restrictive.
According to user reports, the Find My cap was increased to 32 items sometime in 2022, likely with the iOS 16 update. But Apple didn’t document the change until January 10, 2023.
It is unclear whether further item cap increases are planned in the future.