How to charge AirPods wirelessly or with a power cable

One of the best features of the Apple AirPods is the ability to insert the earbuds into the MagSafe charging case when the battery is low to fully charge. Thanks to Apple's fast charging speeds, just 5 minutes inside the case will give you an hour of music playback (for AirPods Pro). You can also store up to 30 additional hours of charge in the MagSafe case, compared to the five to six hours of battery life AirPods provide when fully charged.

Like AirPods, MagSafe cases will also run out of battery. However, when that happens, the case can be recharged using a Lightning USB cable, USB-C if you own the latest AirPods Pro, or wireless charging (in some cases). Here's how to charge AirPods!

Charge AirPods using a wired power connection

If an AirPods model, such as the first generation and early second generation versions, does not come with a wireless charging case, or otherwise uses the wireless charging capabilities of newer models, a cable connection will be required. to charge the AirPods or AirPods Pro case, which in turn charges the AirPods. Here's how.

Step 1: Insert AirPods into the charging box.

All AirPods have a charging case to store and protect the headphones while also charging the battery. The first step should always be to put the AirPods back in the charging case.

Each case is designed to position the AirPods inside in a specific way: The old charging case had the speaker tips facing outward, while the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro have the speakers facing each other. The status light will flash every time the AirPods are placed properly.

The exception here is AirPods Max, over-ear headphones without a charging case. Skip this step and find the charging connection located right on the AirPods Max.

Step 2: Connect the charging box to the power source using the Lightning cable

Looking at the bottom of the AirPods case, you'll see the Lightning port, or in the case of the latest AirPods Pro, the new USB-C port. That's how to recharge the case when needed. After connecting your AirPods to an Apple mobile device, open the charging case near the device and see an instant notification of the current battery life of each AirPod and the case itself.

Step 3:

AirPods come with Lightning to USB, and AirPods Pro now include a USB-C cable for charging. This cable can be connected to any compatible adapter or USB port on the computer. Connect the Lightning or USB-C end to the case and it will start charging.

Charge AirPods wirelessly

Can Airpods be charged wirelessly? That depends on the type of container you have. For the first generation AirPods, the case that comes with that model does not support wireless charging so a cable will have to be used. As for the AirPods 2, some versions don't have wireless charging, and some versions upgrade to a wireless charging case (buyers have a choice when buying directly from Apple), so you'll have to check that out. Which version did I buy? If you have AirPods 3 or AirPods Pro, all versions come with a wireless charging case, including the latest USB-C AirPods Pro 2.

You can also choose to purchase a separate wireless charging case that will work with both first-generation AirPods and AirPods 2 to get this capability. It is currently not possible to purchase a separate wireless charging case for AirPods Pro.

Now all that's needed is a wireless charger.

How to use the wireless charger

If you have a wireless charging case, you will need a Qi standard wireless charger. The good news is that most wireless chargers on the market use the Qi standard.

Apple has its own MagSafe charger, compatible with AirPods cases, and there are many other great options from Belkin, Logitech, and other brands. Many people even combine wireless charging docks for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time.

Additionally, the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2 cases also work with the Apple Watch charger.

Step 1 : Once you have the wireless charger, plug it into a power outlet and place the AirPod case directly on it with the indicator light in front/facing out. The indicator light will light up and stay on throughout the charging process.

If you're wondering 'How do I charge the AirPods Pro wireless case?', don't worry: All of these steps are applicable to the AirPods Pro, although the case design is a little different.

Step 2 : View the charging status light for more information

Each AirPods case has an indicator or status light to monitor the charging process. For genuine wireless charging boxes, the status light is inside so you will have to open the box. All other cases have a status light on the outside, on the front.

When the light on the case is amber, it means the battery reserve is low and it's time to fully charge. To check the status when charging via cable or wireless charging, open the charging case to check the status light. If it lights green, the case is fully charged.