Archive. This is an archive of the Apple Support Community. Discussions are being restored and soon you will be able to read and post here again.
Artm65
User level: Level 1 (8 points)

MacBook Air Find My sound won't stop, touchpad unresponsive

Locating Mac Airbook using Find My, Devices, selected play sound, then the maniacal insistence to keep playing the sound even after I unlocked with finger print. The touchpad was caught in a mode where I couldn't click the OK in the Find My pop up to silence the notification. Every other device stops once picked up.

Mac Airbook M1 2020

Posted on Nov 10, 2026 4:10 AM

3 replies

Owl-53
User level: Level 10 (123,805 points)

Nov 10, 2026 5:39 AM in response to Artm65

MacBook Air M1 (2020): Find My sound won't stop


Essential troubleshooting steps – Apple references


Normally, a Find My sound plays for approximately two minutes. On a Mac, you can stop it sooner by clicking OK in the Find My alert.


In this case, unlocking with Touch ID didn't stop the sound, and the trackpad wouldn't let you dismiss the alert. This suggests Find My or the macOS interface may have become unresponsive.


1. Try dismissing the alert using the keyboard


If the pointer moves but clicking doesn't work:


  1. Press Tab repeatedly until OK is highlighted.
  2. Press Space or Return.


2. Force-quit Find My


If the alert remains stuck:


  1. Press Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + Esc.
  2. Select Find My, if listed.
  3. Choose Force Quit.


Apple reference: Force an app to quit on Mac.


3. Restart if necessary


If the Mac remains unresponsive:


  • Try a normal restart from the Apple menu.
  • If completely frozen, hold the Touch ID/power button for up to 10 seconds until the Mac shuts down.
  • Press the power button again to restart.


A forced shutdown may cause unsaved work to be lost.


4. Apple's Find My documentation


Apple's instructions confirm that clicking OK in the Mac's Find My alert is the normal way to stop the sound early.


Reference: Play a sound on a device in Find My on Mac – Apple Support Canada.


Recommendation: If this happens again, report it to Apple Support as a potential Find My/macOS bug affecting the 2020 M1 MacBook Air.

Owl-53
User level: Level 10 (123,805 points)

Nov 10, 2026 8:56 AM in response to Artm65

One important discovery: Apple's own documentation explicitly says that a Mac's Find My sound is stopped by clicking OK in the Find My alert.


It does not document unlocking with Touch ID as a way to silence the sound, unlike its instructions for iPhone and iPad

Artm65 Author
User level: Level 1 (8 points)

Nov 10, 2026 8:34 AM in response to Artm65

So when I find my phone, watch or ipad it silences upon picking up the device. That seems resonable. I misplace my Mac and just wanted to locate it, not wake everyone up in the house.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256391872