Why Do My AirPods Die So Fast? 14 Troubleshooting Tips (2024)

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Co-authored byHannah Dillon

Last Updated: March 3, 2024Fact Checked

Lower the Volume

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1. Louder volumes draw more power. Turning the volume down on your AirPods reduces strain on your battery and keeps them alive much longer.

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Avoid the AirPods Microphone

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1. Don't use your AirPods to take calls. No matter what model of AirPods you have, using the microphone will make them die faster. The AirPods (3rd generation) and AirPods Pro (2nd generation) have around 6 hours of listening time on a single charge and around 4 to 4.5 hours of talk time on a single charge.^[1][2]

   • Using the microphone can also make one AirPod die faster than the other.

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1. Don't allow your AirPods to die completely. Allowing the battery of your AirPods to run so low it dies can degrade the quality of your battery over time. Charge your AirPods before they completely die to keep the battery in optimal shape.

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Keep the Case Charged

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1. AirPods charge fast, but you need a charged case to keep them topped up. Make sure you keep your AirPods case charged by plugging it in after charging your AirPods a few times, or if it's been sitting unused for a while.

Store AirPods In the Case

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1. If you don't store AirPods in their case, they will slowly leak charge until they die. Keeping them in the case ensures the battery stays topped up and healthy.

   • Once your AirPods are full, they will stop charging, so you don't have to worry about overcharging the battery.

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Protect Your AirPods from Damage

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1. AirPods are somewhat durable but not bulletproof. Dropping your AirPods or allowing other damage to happen can damage the battery, which reduces the amount of charge the device can hold.

Enable Optimized Battery Charging

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1. Optimized Battery Charging helps reduce wear and tear on the battery. This feature works by waiting until you need your AirPods to charge them past 80% capacity. If you have AirPods Pro or 3rd AirPods that are dying fast:

   • Open Settings and tap Bluetooth.
   • Tap the "i" button next to your AirPods.
   • If Optimized Battery Charging is not turned on, enable it here.^[3]

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Turn Off Noise Cancellation

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1. Noise Cancellation is handy but drains your battery faster. To turn off Noise Cancellation, open the Control Center while using your AirPods. Tap and hold the volume slider until the extra controls come on the screen, then tap the noise control icon in the bottom left until it says "Off."

Disable Automatic Ear Detection

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1. Automatic Ear Detection can impact your AirPods battery. Automatic Ear Detection makes it so your music or audio will pause if you remove one or both of your AirPods from your ears, but it can drain your battery faster.^[4] Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the "i" button next to your AirPods. You can switch off Automatic Ear Detection from this menu.

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1. Extreme temperatures affect how your AirPods operate. If they're in a very cold or very hot place, the battery can overheat or stop working properly, causing them to die fast. Bring your AirPods to room temperature and allow them to charge before using them again.

Update AirPod Firmware

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1. Outdated firmware can lead to poor battery life. If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can check the firmware version of your AirPods.

   • Navigate to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the "i" button next to your AirPods.
   • Compare the Version number to the current firmware version on this Apple support page.
   • If your AirPods have outdated firmware, plug them in and leave them near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac that is connected to Wi-Fi so they can automatically update.
   • It may take some time for your AirPods to update firmware, so check back in a few hours to see if the firmware version has been updated.

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Reset Your AirPods

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1. Reset your AirPods to fix strange battery life issues. To reset your AirPods, place them in the case and close the lid. Wait 30 seconds, then open the lid and press and hold the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds. The status light will flash amber, then white. You can then attempt to re-pair your AirPods with your device.^[5]

Repair Your AirPods

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1. Contact Apple for help. If your AirPods battery is broken, you may want to get it repaired. You can contact Apple to repair your AirPods by going to the AirPods repair page. You can schedule a repair visit, arrange to have your AirPods sent to Apple for repair, or contact an Apple Support Advisor for more help.

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Replace Your AirPods

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1. If your AirPods are old or broken, replace them with a newer model. Unfortunately, AirPod batteries degrade over time, so depending on your situation, it may be more efficient to get a new pair of AirPods instead of replacing the battery on your old ones.

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