TikTok Trend Debunked: No, Apple Is Not Giving Away Free AirPods

No, Apple is not giving away free AirPods, despite what you may be seeing on your TikTok "For You" page.

airpodsd 3 purple 4
In the last several weeks, hundreds of videos have spawned on TikTok claiming that Apple is giving away free AirPods replacement as long as you simply walk into an Apple Store and ask for a new free pair. The trend implies that "AirPods" users can walk into an ‌Apple Store‌, claim their earbuds are not working in some shape or form, and proceed to receive a replacement pair of AirPods - with no questions asked. A popular video from the trend can be found below:


The trend is an obvious mischaracterization of Apple's AirPods Pro replacement program, which is offered to customers with ‌AirPods Pro‌ manufactured before October 2020 who may be experiencing static or issues with Active Noise Cancellation. That program, unlike what the trend suggests, requires employees to actually confirm the left, right, or both ‌AirPods Pro‌ earbuds are defective in some way.

While it may seem like a harmless TikTok trend by ill-informed content creators, the trend is causing a headache for Apple Stores. The videos have caused an uptick in appointments to Apple Stores by customers who believe they're eligible for a free pair of replacement AirPods when in reality, they aren't.

Two sources who spoke to MacRumors on the condition of anonymity said appointments for AirPods-related issues have nearly doubled in the last several weeks alone as the trend has gained momentum on TikTok. To make it abundantly clear, here are the requirements for only the ‌AirPods Pro‌ replacement program:

Apple has determined that a small percentage of AirPods Pro may experience sound issues. Affected units were manufactured before October 2020.

An affected AirPods Pro may exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:

Crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone
Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise
Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service the affected AirPods Pro (left, right, or both) free of charge.

Customers who are eligible for this program can make an appointment at their nearest ‌Apple Store‌ or authorized service provider. More details on the program can be found on Apple's support website.

Tag: TikTok

Top Rated Comments

kenni417 Avatar
22 months ago
tiktok is just a cesspool
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mookc1 Avatar
22 months ago
Just because it is on the internet, doesn't make it so, OR if it is too good to be true, it is.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
22 months ago

stupidity like this is why we need to ban tiktok. it offers no value to humanity.
Don't blame TikTok. The stupidity was long there before TikTok came along. TikTok just sheds more light on it.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SW3029 Avatar
22 months ago
Social media has ruined the world
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
22 months ago
A wise man once again: Never trust Tik-Tock or any social media.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iamgalt Avatar
22 months ago

A wise man once again: Never trust Tik-Tock or any social media.
I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said that. I read it on the internet. :p
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...