Short listening sessions don’t mean your AirPods need to be replaced.
One of the biggest challenges manufacturers face with wireless earbuds is battery longevity, and Apple is no exception. Lithium-ion batteries like the ones in AirPods typically get roughly 300 to 500 charge cycles before significant battery degradation kicks in — that’s about two to three years. If your AirPods haven’t hit that lifecycle stage yet, you need to check Apple’s battery-life rating for your specific model. For instance, Apple rates AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation (ANC) at four hours of listening time with ANC on and five hours with it off.
If you have a habit of leaving the earbuds out of their case, that explains a lot. Each bud continues consuming power so long as it’s connected to a device or searching for one. Get into the habit of putting them back in the case when you’re done. Over time, the case’s battery will wear out as well, losing a bit more capacity with every charge cycle, though your AirPods may still charge to 100 percent. The more features you have enabled, the more strain on the battery. Spatial Audio is a great listening experience, but it isn’t energy-free.
How to fix AirPods that keep draining quickly
Before you dive headlong into Settings and start tapping toggles on and off, make sure the buds are charging. All it takes is a little bit of dust or earwax to block the tiny contact points inside the case. Then, even when your AirPods slide into place, the circuit won’t close, and the earbuds won’t charge. But junk doesn’t build up in your case equally, at least not most of the time. With your earbuds in the case and charging, check each AirPod’s charge level on your iPhone. If the contacts are blocked, the charge levels will likely be uneven (for example, one at 22 percent and the other at 65 percent).
Also, remember to keep your AirPods clean. You don’t have to scrub them down every day, but the occasional lint-free cloth works wonders. Don’t jam hard objects in there and attempt to scrape the contacts clean. The contacts are pretty delicate, and you can damage them easily. Apple says it’s fine to wipe the case with a cloth slightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol. If you do, go very, very light with it, keep it out of the charging ports and make sure it’s all dried out before attempting a charge. The company also advises AirPods owners to use a soft-bristled toothbrush dipped in micellar water, especially on the meshes, followed by a distilled-water rinse.
As with most electronics, there’s always the reset option. The instructions for doing so depend on the model, but it’s a fairly basic process regardless. Put your AirPods in their case, then navigate to Settings > Bluetooth > More Info > Forget This Device. From here, follow Apple‘s instructions specific to your AirPods model. Once you’re done, reconnect them as if they just came out of the box. When they’re up and running, reassess the charge time and how long they last on a charge.
Why do my AirPods run out of battery even when they start at 100 percent?
A full battery is not necessarily a happy and healthy battery. The percentage indicates how full the battery is, sure, but 100 percent after 368 charge cycles isn’t the same as 100 percent on the first charge cycle. Rechargeable batteries age and lose capacity, so an older pair will naturally deliver less listening time.
You can stretch things out a little by considering which features you need. If you listen to music or audiobooks in a quiet environment, ANC is unnecessary and turning it off saves power. Disabling Spatial Audio will do the same. The benefits depend on your AirPods and the current settings, and dropping a few features will only buy you a sliver of time. Turning off Spatial Audio may tack on an extra 30 minutes if you’re rocking dinosaur-era AirPods.
With experience comes wisdom, and there’s an important lesson here. Next time you purchase brand-new AirPods, check Optimized Battery Charging. Open your AirPods near your iPhone and go to Settings > Your AirPods > Battery. Then, if it’s been switched off, toggle on Optimized Battery Charging (and, on newer models, Charging Notifications for low-battery alerts). Now, your AirPods will learn your charging routine and reduce the time spent fully charged. Last but not least, contact Apple if all of the above fails. With AppleCare+ coverage, Apple offers battery service at no extra charge when the battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity.
