As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing extra and helps keep this site free.
Quality chargers and cables extend battery cycles by 30–50%.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Dirty contacts are the #1 cause. Look at the bottom of each AirPod stem and inside the case at the magnetic charge points. You'll see small gold pins.
Cheap or counterfeit cables fail more than the case. Use a known-good Apple-branded MFi cable. Test in 2 different outlets.
If your case supports wireless charging (most do): place on a Qi pad. If wireless works but wired doesn't, your case's port is dead — replacement case is $99 from Apple.
Sometimes the firmware gets stuck. Settings → Bluetooth → tap (i) next to AirPods → Forget This Device. Then place case near iPhone with lid open and re-pair.
Open the case lid. Look at the small LED. Amber when charging, green when full. If no LED at all: the case battery is fully dead and might have failed entirely. Try charging for 30 minutes and re-check.
Settings → Bluetooth → tap (i) next to AirPods. If a firmware version number doesn't appear, plug case into power, place near iPhone, and wait 30 min — Apple pushes firmware automatically.
If cleaning + cable test + re-pair don't work, you need a replacement case ($99 Apple, $29 with AppleCare+) or replacement set. Apple doesn't repair AirPods cases — they swap them.
When AirPods 3 battery capacity drops below 80% or lifespan falls under 4 hours per charge, replacement is needed.
Cost: $95–$129 | Turnaround: 5–7 days mail-in | Includes service and 30-day warranty.
Cost: $50–$80 | Turnaround: 3–5 days | Aftermarket batteries; 30–90 day warranty.
New AirPods 3 cost $169. If battery service is $100+ and your AirPods are 2+ years old, new AirPods offer current tech and fresh warranty.
Battery replacement is extremely difficult—requires opening sealed earbuds and microsoldering. Not recommended for consumers.
If DIY repair isn't for you, our certified technicians can fix it fast.
Start a Mail-In Repair →