The Top 10 Things Travelers Forget Most Often In Ubers

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Ever found yourself standing in front of your door frantically fishing for your keys that were never in your pocket to begin with? Or perhaps patted down your bag looking for a phone that isn't there? Or realized your luggage decided to take a trip without you? Chances are, you left it in your Uber, making you one of the many people who left something behind in a rideshare over the past year.

Don't despair — you're in good, albeit forgetful, company, and the 2026 Uber Lost & Found Index proves it. Looking back over the past decade, the list of forgotten items hasn't changed much. Uber's Lost & Found Index, a yearly compilation of both common and bewildering items left behind in drivers' back seats and trunks, reveals what passengers can't seem to hold on to when stepping out of the car.

Topping Uber's list is something that's practically an extension of our hands — yet somehow, it's also the one thing passengers most often leave behind. The most surprising part? It has held that top spot eight years out of the past 10 years, alongside a familiar cast of repeat offenders. This year is no exception. Read on to see the 10 things passengers most often forget in an Uber.

In 2026, a smartphone is more than just a way to call or text someone. It's a camera, a digital wallet, and even a boarding pass, reducing the need for a physical boarding pass. It's practically a Swiss Army knife of digital gadgetry we seemingly can't function without. So it's ironic that an item so essential often finds itself left behind by Uber passengers. With the exception of 2023 and 2024, phones have consistently topped Uber's most forgotten items list. This year is no exception: Uber says it logged more than 1 million forgotten phones in 2026.

Juniper Research estimates there will be about 5 billion digital wallet users worldwide in 2026, but physical wallets still seem to be Uber's second most forgotten item. In an increasingly digital world, many people still prefer the comfort of carrying physical cash, IDs, or credit cards as a backup. That's all well and good — just don't leave them in your rideshare. Once you do, it kickstarts the tedious process and paperwork of recovering your wallet and replacing its contents. It doesn't help that this often plays out on a Monday, when Uber reports most riders tend to leave their wallets behind.

Ever get out of your Uber only to realize your luggage isn't with you? It's an unfortunate reality for plenty of travelers. Blame it on distraction or a general out-of-sight, out-of-mind outlook, but it happens often enough that luggage ranks as Uber's third most forgotten item. A Redditor shares a tried-and-tested trick: Inform the driver of your luggage and leave the car door open until after all your stuff has been recovered. 

They're one of the essential items you can't leave home without, but keys take fourth place in Uber's Lost & Found Index. Whether they slip through a bag or fall out of a pocket while reaching for something else, they have been forgotten so often over the past year that Uber pinpointed the day passengers most often leave them behind: Fridays. Not exactly the best way to kick off the weekend. As a backup, consider attaching a luggage tracker — that trendy travel essential that's been all the rage for a while now — to your keychain.

We're halfway through the list, with headphones ranking as the fifth most forgotten item. According to Uber, Tuesdays are the day riders are most likely to step out of the vehicle without them. You'd think bulky over-ear headphones would be harder to forget, but you'd likely whip them off too, mid-small talk with a chatty driver. Next time, try storing earbuds in their case or resting over-ear headphones around your neck instead. If you'd rather skip the small talk altogether, use the Quiet Mode option on eligible Uber Comfort trips for a quieter trip.

Clothing was 2023 and 2024's most forgotten item. Two years down the line, people seem to be holding on to their clothes a little better, but not enough to knock them off the top 10. We get it: Who hasn't left a hastily removed scarf or a pair of gloves in the back seat? Some of the forgotten clothing items in 2026 leaned toward the niche: a Statue of Liberty cape, two wedding gowns, a welding helmet, and hunting waders were among the more unique finds Uber drivers discovered in the back seat.

This is perhaps one of the most painful and time-consuming items to lose in an Uber. Enough passengers have left their passports behind to land the item in seventh place. Fortunately, Uber has a Find Lost Item feature that connects you to your driver — and, in some locations, even lets you request that they return it to you, albeit for a fee. Until your passport is safely back in your hands, brush up on the easiest way to replace your lost passport, especially if you're in another country.

If you wear your glasses all the time, you're probably less likely to leave them in an Uber. The opposite is true for plenty of other passengers, who made glasses the eighth most lost item on Uber's Lost & Found Index. In fairness, they're easy items to misplace: tucked into a shirt pocket or balanced on your lap, they can easily slide away unnoticed until you've left the car. And while Sundays are meant for relaxing, don't let your guard down: Uber says that's when riders tend to forget their glasses.

Jewelry is one of the costliest items to lose in Ubers, ranking ninth on this year's list. Chalk it up to broken necklace clasps, rings or bracelets that are too loose, or anklets that catch as you climb out — these valuables can easily fall on the floor or slip between the seats without you noticing. This year, one rider even managed to leave behind a gold Rolex. Ouch.

Rounding out Uber's Lost & Found Index is the laptop. Just like a wallet, a laptop contains a precious amount of personal information, and leaving it behind can be a jarring experience. Avoid this by making a visual sweep of your Uber's interior before getting out, especially if you're carrying multiple bags. Even a three-second scan can be the line between a clean exit and a costly one. If you do realize your laptop is missing, act quickly by resetting passwords, reporting it missing, and alerting your bank to help minimize potential damage.