Unknown AirPods: View 'first seen' notification history?

Gizmodude338 wrote:

my friend has had a pair of unknown AirPods showing up with her for a while now and today I got a similar notification as well. basically, I would like to know if it is possible to check the “first seen” time history and see when the first notification started for these AirPods (probably weeks or months at this point).

The short version: The only information Apple currently makes available for unknown AirPods is:

• The current “First Seen” time
• Whether the device is moving with you
• A partial serial number
• The ability to play a sound or attempt Find Nearby

A bit longer version:

Apple’s Unknown AirPods / Find My safety alerts are intentionally limited in terms of history and data retention. Unfortunately, there is no way to view a long-term log showing when an unknown pair of AirPods was first detected weeks or months ago. The “First Seen” time only reflects the current detection session. If notifications were previously dismissed, paused, or expired, that earlier data is not retained or recoverable.

If tracking notifications were paused and later re-enabled, the system treats the AirPods as a new detection event. You may see a new “First Seen” timestamp, but it will not show or restore any previous history, even if the AirPods have been nearby the entire time. Apple does not backfill or merge past data once notifications are paused.

Adding the AirPods to Bluetooth and then removing them will also not expose additional historical information. Forgetting the device does not restore prior unknown-device data. At most, if the AirPods continue traveling with you afterward, the system may generate a new unknown device alert, again starting fresh from that point forward.