Apple’s AirPods is still the leading brand when it comes to Bluetooth earbuds. Despite its high price range, Apple users’ top choice would be AirPods due to its fast pairing and seamless connection. The pairing is quick and simple with clear instructions. However, some users miss out on one factor before purchasing and joining the hype and it’s learning about the AirPods battery life.
AirPods Battery Life
Let’s just give you a quick run-through of what to expect in AirPods battery life that is available on the market.
AirPods (3rd Gen) Battery Life
The AirPods 3rd Gen gives you up to 6 hours of listening time or up to 4 hours of talk time on a single charge. With multiple charges, it gives you up to 30 hours of listening time or 20 hours of talk time.
It charges quickly in its charging case. Charging the AirPods 3rd Gen for 5 minutes in the charging case already gives you about an hour of listening or talk time.
AirPods Pro Battery Life
The AirPods Pro gives you up to 4 ½ of listening time or 3 ½ hours of talking time on one single charge with Active Noise Cancellation on. Multiple charges in its charging case give you up to 24 hours of listening time or more than 18 hours of talk time.
Like the AirPods 3rd Gen, charging your AirPods Pro for 5 minutes in its charging case gives you about an hour of listening or talk time.
AirPods (2nd Gen) Battery Life
The AirPods 2nd Gen gives you 5 hours of listening time or 3 hours of talk time on a single charge. Multiple charges can give you more than 24 hours of listening time and up to 18 hours of talk time.
A 15-minute charge in the charging case gives you up to 3 hours of listening time or up to 2 hours of talk time.
How to Charge AirPods
When your AirPods battery life is running low, you may charge your AirPods on your MagSafe Charging Case or a Wireless Charging Case (just make sure it’s a Qi-certified charging mat). To make sure your AirPods are charging, the status light will light up showing the current charge level of your AirPods. Green means fully charged, while amber means they’re not fully charged and they’re charging.
Alternatively, you may charge your case (with or without your AirPods) through a wired connection. Plug in the Lightning cable that came along with your AirPods. To quicken your AirPods’ charging, it’s best to use your iPhone or iPad USB or USB-C charger. You may also plug it into your Mac.
Tip: Learn how to preserve your AirPods battery life here.
How to charge AirPods Max?
The Airpods Max is the only over-the-head headphone of Apple so it charges differently than the other AirPods. But don't worry, here are 2 options on how to charge Airpods Max:
Plug the Lightning cable that came with your AirPods Max into the bottom-right earphone.
You may charge your AirPods Max inside the Smart Case. Simply, align the cutout on the case with the Lightning port on the headphones. It's also better to keep them in the Smart Case when not in use. It places the AirPods into an ultralow power mode that preserves battery life.
How Long Do AirPods Take to Charge
Your AirPods approximately need 20 to 30 minutes to charge in their charging case to fully complete your AirPods battery life. We’re talking about charging your AirPods from the dead or a completely drained AirPod. The charging case, on the other hand, takes about an hour to fully charge and this will already recharge your AirPods up to 4 times.
How to Check Battery Life on AirPods
You may check your AirPods battery life or battery percentage on your paired device: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac.
How to check AirPod battery on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
Simply hold your case close to your device and open the lid of your case with your AirPods inside, your AirPods charge status will appear on your screen.
Alternatively, you may simply swipe to see your Batteries widget which shows all battery percentages of your device and accessories connected to it.
How to check AirPod battery on your Mac
To check your AirPods battery life, start with simply opening the lid of your charging case. Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar of your Mac. Hover over your AirPods and the percentages will show up.
You may also start by taking your AirPods out of the case. Follow through by clicking on the Bluetooth icon and hovering on AirPods.
AirPods vs AirPods Pro Battery Life
For those who are thinking of purchasing AirPods (2nd Gen), AirPods Pro, or AirPods (3rd Gen), and are mainly considering the AirPods battery life, we’ve made a comparison here.
AirPods (2nd Gen) vs AirPods Pro Battery Life
On one single charge alone, they’re pretty similar - it’s just that the AirPods Pro has more functions to consider in battery use. The AirPods (2nd Gen) offers up to 5 hours of listening time which is the same as the AirPods Pro with ANC off. With ANC on, the AirPods Pro can last up to 4 ½ hours. Talking time is similar as well with ANC off on the AirPods Pro and half an hour less when ANC is on.
Likewise, on multiple charges, the AirPods Pro offers the same 24 hours of listening time and 18 hours of talk time as the AirPods (2nd Gen). However, the major difference of the AirPods Pro is that it offers ANC so users most likely would take advantage of this making the AirPods Pro’s battery life drain quickly. It seems that the AirPods (2nd Gen) and AirPods Pro technically have the same tech when it comes to their battery because when the AirPods Pro’s ANC is off, they deliver the same battery life. Moreover, both AirPods give an hour of listening time when charged for 5 minutes in the charging case.
AirPods (3rd Gen) vs AirPods Pro Battery Life
The AirPods (3rd gen) is the latest release among Apple’s AirPods line. Therefore, battery life is expected to be better which Apple recognized and made longer. Listening time now spans for up to 6 hours while talking time can stretch up to 4 hours. Listening time is one hour longer than the AirPods Pro but talking time appears to be the same on a single charge.
The AirPods (3rd Gen) offer more when it comes to multiple charging giving you about 30 hours of listening time and 20 hours of talking time compared to AirPods Pro’s 24 hours of listening time and 18 hours of talking time. It is good to note that the AirPods (3rd Gen) still have no ANC feature. Both AirPods (3rd Gen) and AirPods Pro give about an hour for a 5-minute charge in the charging case.
Thus, when it comes to battery life, the AirPods (3rd Gen) could give you a longer listening time either on a single charge or through multiple charges. The AirPods Pro can already give you all-day playtime with multiple charges but the AirPods (3rd Gen) provided more cushion. You can live wireless for up to 30 hours. For people who are always on the go, a 6-hour single charge may be more beneficial.
Related FAQ
Why are my AirPods dying so fast?
Your AirPods may be dying fast due to several reasons. Let us identify the possible reasons and show you how to go around the question "Why do my AirPods die so fast?"
Your volume is too loud
Yes. Your AirPods use more power when the volume is higher. Try lowering your volume. Too loud isn't good for your ears ear anyway.
ANC is on
This is true for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max -- having the ANC on drains the battery a lot faster. If you don't need noise cancellation, turn this off by going to your iPhone's control center. Tap and hold the volume meter, and select Noise Control. Choose Off or Transparency to turn off ANC.
They're left out in the open
Your AirPods may last for up to 24 hours but they won't if you leave them out in the open. Remember to always place them back in their charging case when not in use.
Batteries always reach 0%
Always place your AirPods back in their charging case before it reaches 0%. The AirPods are tiny pieces of gadget and their batteries are too. If you keep finishing them down to 0 and the battery cycle won't be able to hold the same charge. Likewise, charge your charging case, and don't finish the batteries. It's the same with your iPhones etc., you'll extend their useful life by not reaching the low battery warning.
The AirPods are left in extreme temperatures
You might have left it in your car and you're directly parked under the sun or in the sauna, or on the porch while it's snowing. The AirPods cannot withstand both extreme temperatures may it be too hot or too cold. This causes slow charging and makes the AirPods die quickly.
Verdict
AirPods battery life is pretty decent stretching up to 6 hours of listening time. They also charge fast which users look for as well. There are times the AirPods need to go to their charging case, and when they do, they’re ready to give you more playtime again. When it comes to AirPods vs AirPods Pro battery life. They’re the same, the AirPods Pro just drains faster when ANC is on but it’s still not that far out. Besides, ANC is a feature only AirPods Pro offers.
Also, just make sure you know how to check battery life on AirPods so you don’t zero out the batteries. We’ve given you the details of AirPods battery life and how to charge AirPods so we do hope you never run out of batteries. If you feel like there's an issue with your AirPods' battery life, read our step-by-step guide on how to reset AirPods.