Apple Explains iPhone's New Alert Shown When Fake AirPods Are Connected

Starting with iOS 16, users may see a "Cannot Verify AirPods" alert on their iPhone if they try to connect fake AirPods to the device. Apple shared more information about this alert today in a new support document spotted by developer Steve Moser.

iOS 16 iPhone Unverified AirPods Alert
The support document indicates that unverified AirPods can still be connected to an iPhone, but may not perform as expected.

Apple's alert features a prominent "Don't Connect" button, but users can tap on the smaller "Connect in Bluetooth Settings" link to proceed with connecting the unverified AirPods if they choose to. Twitter user "Tommy Boi" shared a video of the alert in action a few days ago after connecting fake AirPods to their iPhone (NSFW warning: the video's background music contains profanity and viewer discretion is advised).

The alert was first discovered in code for the iOS 16 Release Candidate last week.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

These 5 Features Will Make the iPhone 17 the Biggest Update in Years

Monday July 22, 2024 4:02 pm PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 16 models that we're expecting to see in September are going to be quite similar to the iPhone 15 models, but rumors suggest that Apple is making big changes in 2025. We've been hearing hints of an all-new device in the iPhone lineup, and it may be the most expensive iPhone Apple has offered to date. New 'Slim' Design Rumors have taken to referring to the new iPhone 17...
iOS 18 on iPhone Feature

Everything New in iOS 18 Beta 4

Tuesday July 23, 2024 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple released the fourth beta of iOS 18 today, introducing small changes to a number of features throughout the operating system. There are no big additions in this beta, but Apple is continuing to refine existing settings and design choices. Apple plans to continue updating iOS 18 over the next few months, with the update set to be released this fall. We've rounded up all of the changes...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Launch Early Next Year With OLED Display, 48MP Camera, and More

Monday July 22, 2024 7:22 am PDT by
The fourth-generation iPhone SE will offer a series of major upgrades over the current model, the leaker known as "Ice Universe" claims. The information was listed in a post on Weibo, which also detailed the specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup. As previously rumored, the fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to feature Face ID and USB-C, marking a major upgrade from current and previous ...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...

Top Rated Comments

zilchfox Avatar
24 months ago
Good way to validate you’re buying genuine AirPods from Craigslist and the like. Also good that you can still use them anyways.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
russell_314 Avatar
24 months ago

A person would have to be really desperate to use fake AirPods
There’s actually a market for them. Some people just don’t want to pay full price
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
killramos Avatar
24 months ago
My AirPods the Apple Store replaced 2 months ago are flagged as fake lol. Seems like the feature works super well
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalIdea Avatar
24 months ago

I've had a few pairs of fake air pods

they aren't much worse sounding than real ones. if you like the form factor but don't care about owning apple everything they can be a decent buy

only issue I've had with some pairs is that the batteries sometimes crap out pretty quickly
But this isn’t about just liking the form factor. This is about devices that falsely report that they are legitimate apple products instead of scammy trash.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
visualseed Avatar
24 months ago

A person would have to be really desperate to use fake AirPods
A lot of people think they are buying real AirPods at a good but still reasonable price. Since real AirPods are often being sold at steep discounts, it's hard to even warn people about deals that seem to good to be true.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nathansz Avatar
24 months ago

A person would have to be really desperate to use fake AirPods
I've had a few pairs of fake air pods

they aren't much worse sounding than real ones. if you like the form factor but don't care about owning apple everything they can be a decent buy

only issue I've had with some pairs is that the batteries sometimes crap out pretty quickly
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)