AirPods and AirPods Pro of all generations are designed to work seamlessly with Apple's Bluetooth-supporting devices, but they are not immune to battery draining issues of one sort or another.

iPhone 14 AirPods
Fortunately, these problems are usually fixable at home without having to contact Apple or return the AirPods. If you have a battery drain problem with your AirPods or are keen to avoid one, try the following tips before you do anything else.

1. Keep AirPods in Case When Not in Use

One of the most common reasons why AirPods lose their charge so fast is that people don't keep them in the charging case when they aren't in active use.

airpods pro 2 thumbnail
If you leave an AirPod hanging around outside of its case, the earbud is still using battery because it is connected to (or periodically trying to connect to) your device's Bluetooth. So if it's not in your ear, put it back in the case where it will charge.

2. Avoid Needlessly Flipping Open the Case

Every time you open the lid of your AirPods Charging Case, the Bluetooth chip is activated as your AirPods search for a nearby device to connect to.

airpods pro 2 purple
If you have a habit of idly flipping the lid of your AirPods case open and closed when they aren't in use, give it a rest if you can. The batteries in your earbuds will love you for it.

3. Disable Automatic Ear Detection

Apple's AirPods include a feature called Automatic Ear Detection that allows the audio routed from a connected device to seamlessly switch to the AirPods the moment that you put them in your ears. This allows the AirPods to automatically pause the audio track when you remove them, and resume playback when you put them back in again.

automatic ear detection
If relied on too frequently, Automatic Ear Detection can cause your AirPods batteries to drain faster, so if you can live without it, we recommend disabling the feature. On your iPhone or iPad, launch the Settings app and tap the name of your connected AirPods, then turn off the switch next to Automatic Ear Detection.

4. Avoid Using Only One AirPod at a Time

If one AirPod battery is draining quicker than the other AirPod, it could be because you are using it more. This causes the AirPod's battery to go through more cycles than its twin, which ultimately makes its ability to hold a charge deteriorate faster.

airpods 3 vs airpods pro 6
While using one AirPod first and then switching to the other AirPod is a convenient way to keep extending your listening time by keeping one charged in the case, it's best practice to avoid using one earbud more than the other one, otherwise battery life will not be balanced across left and right channels.

5. Enable Optimized Battery Charging

‌AirPods Pro‌ and AirPods (3rd generation) include an Optimized Battery Charging feature that is designed to reduce the wear on your battery and improve its lifespan by reducing the time that AirPods spend fully charged.

When enabled, Optimized Battery Charging learns from your personal device habits and waits to finish charging your AirPods all the way up until it's time for you to use them. This keeps your AirPods at an optimal capacity for battery health by reducing the amount of time that they are sat in the Charging Case at 100% charged, which can reduce their life over time.

optimized battery charging
You can make sure Optimized Battery Charging is enabled by opening the AirPods case. Open Settings on your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, tap the name of your AirPods, then turn on the switch next to Optimized Battery Charging.

6. Turn Off Spatial Audio

On ‌AirPods Pro‌ and AirPods (3rd generation), Spatial Audio uses Dolby Atmos to create a richer, more immersive soundstage when listening to supported songs in the Apple Music catalog.

If it's not something you appreciate, you're better off disabling Spatial Audio, which will extend your AirPods battery.

  1. Make sure your AirPods are connected to your ‌iPhone‌.
  2. Launch the Control Center with a diagonal swipe down from the upper right of the screen.
  3. Touch and hold the volume control bar.
  4. Tap the Spatial Audio button to turn it on or off.

control center

AirPods 3 are capable of up to 6 hours of listening time with a single charge (but only up to 5 hours with Spatial Audio enabled). Similarly, ‌AirPods Pro‌ are capable of up to 6 hours of listening time with a single charge (but only up to 5.5 hours with Spatial Audio and Head Tracking enabled).

7. Update AirPods Firmware

Apple occasionally releases firmware updates for its AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌ wireless earphones that can include performance improvements, feature tweaks, and bug fixes. If you're having a battery drain issue with your AirPods or ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌, or if you just want to make sure they're up to date with the latest software, then follow these steps.

  1. Insert your AirPods in their case if they aren't already.
  2. Connect the AirPods charging case to a power source using the included Lightning/USB-C cable, or alternatively, place the case on a Qi-compatible wireless charging mat if you have a Wireless Charging Case or ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌.
  3. Move the ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ that the AirPods have been paired with near to the charging case, and make sure the iOS device has an internet connection.

After a short while, any available software updates should be automatically downloaded and installed. If you're having trouble updating your AirPods, make sure the charging case is fully charged.

settings
To check the version of the firmware that you have installed to make sure it's up to date, select your connected AirPods in Settings, scroll down to the "About" section, then tap Version.

8. Turn Off Find My

The ‌Find My‌ network and allows your AirPods to be located through connections with the Apple devices owned by other people, but the feature does draw from the battery. If you tend to keep your AirPods at home in a safe place, you can probably turn off the feature without issue.

airpods find my
On your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, launch the Settings app and tap the name of your connected AirPods, then turn off the switch next to Find My Network.

9. Reset Your AirPods

Apple's AirPods and ‌AirPods Pro‌ have a reset function that returns them to their factory settings. This can come in handy if you're having battery drainage problems with them.

  1. Put your AirPods in their case and close the lid.
  2. Wait 30 seconds, then open the lid.
  3. On your iOS device, go to Settings -> [Name of your AirPods].
  4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Forget This Device, then tap again to confirm.
  5. With the AirPods case lid open, press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds until you see the status light flashing amber. (If you have AirPods 4, Apple has moved the capacitive button to the front of the case, concealing it just below the status light.) If your AirPods case charges only over a wired connection, the status light is inside the case between the AirPods. If you have ‌‌AirPods Pro‌‌ or your AirPods case charges wirelessly, the status light is on the front of the case.
    AirPods pro

  6. With the case lid open, place your AirPods close to your device and follow the steps on your device's screen to reconnect your AirPods.

10. Regularly Clean AirPods

Perhaps the most common reason an AirPod loses battery charge is because the charging contacts are dirty and have grime on the AirPod stem, inside the Charging Case, or both. This prevents the electrical charge from passing through sufficiently, but you can clean things up using the method outlined below.

What You'll Need

  • Lint-free or microfiber cloth
  • Periodontal brush, straw cleaner, or Q-tip.
  • 70% isopropyl alcohol (optional)

Using the dry, lint-free fabric, clean the stem of the AirPod, focusing around the silver contacts on the end.

cleaning airpod not charging
Then take a periodontal brush or similar tool, and clean the internal contact points in each AirPod bay inside the Charging Case. If you encounter any stubborn gunk, take a Q-tip and moisten it with water, or spray it with some isopropyl alcohol (DO NOT spray alcohol or water directly on the case) and work the Q-tip over the dirty area.

If you use your AirPods daily, to recover and maintain proper contact between the AirPods and the Charging Case, ideally you should clean them every week.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full Release Notes for iOS 18.2

Thursday December 5, 2024 11:48 am PST by
Apple seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.2 today, which means it's going to see a public launch imminently. Release candidates represent the final version of new software that will be provided to the public should no last minute bugs be found, and Apple includes release notes with the RC launch. The iOS 18.2 release notes provide a look at all of the new features that are coming...
Apple AI Command Center Concept Mock 3

Apple Expected to Launch This All-New Device Next Year

Wednesday November 27, 2024 1:05 pm PST by
Apple is expected to kick off 2025 by launching an all-new smart home hub, also referred to as a "command center," as early as March. The hub is expected to feature around a six-inch display that can be attached to a tabletop base with a speaker, or mounted on a wall. The device is said to run a new "homeOS" operating system with a customizable widget-focused home screen, and it is expected...
New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

20 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Friday December 6, 2024 4:42 am PST by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in the second week of December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature

iPhone 17 'Air' Expected to Be ~2mm Thinner Than iPhone 16 Pro

Friday December 6, 2024 4:07 pm PST by
In 2025, Apple is planning to debut a thinner version of the iPhone that will be sold alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This iPhone 17 "Air" will be about two millimeters thinner than the current iPhone 16 Pro, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The iPhone 16 Pro is 8.25mm thick, so an iPhone 17 that is 2mm thinner would come in at around 6.25mm. At 6.25mm,...
iPhone 14 Pro Display Two Times Brighter Feature

Every Display Upgrade Rumored for Apple's iPhone 17

Friday December 6, 2024 5:14 am PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 lineup may bring some of the most significant display improvements we've seen in recent years. While the iPhone 17 series isn't expected until late 2025, multiple rumors suggest Apple is working on substantial screen upgrades across its entire smartphone range. From enhanced refresh rates to advanced materials and improved power efficiency, these display...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Expected Next Year: Here's What We Know

Thursday November 28, 2024 3:30 am PST by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch sometime in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds Release Candidate Versions of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration

Thursday December 5, 2024 10:03 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth betas. Alongside the release candidate versions of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and HomePod Software 18.2 RCs....
open ai logo

OpenAI Launches $200/Month ChatGPT Pro Plan

Thursday December 5, 2024 4:19 pm PST by
OpenAI today announced the launch of ChatGPT Pro, a $200 per month subscription service that provides unlimited access to OpenAI o1, the company's newest and most advanced large language model. The plan includes unlimited use of OpenAI o1, o1-mini, GPT-4o, and Advanced Voice, along with o1 pro mode, an o1 version that uses more compute to provide better answers to the hardest problems. In...