How Long Do AirPods Take to Charge?

While the AirPod charging time varies, most models get a full charge within an hour. Several factors can affect how long AirPods cases take to charge, including:

Generation
Use
Charging method
Age of the AirPods and battery degradation

This article dives into these factors and how to get the most listening time from your AirPods. Don't want to wait for the answer? The newest generations offer the fastest charging times compared to how much listening time you get.

How much do AirPods charge in 5 minutes?

AirPods can get a surprising amount of charge in just 5 minutes. That's typically enough to give you about an hour of listening or talk time, as long as your battery is in good condition.

Charging for 5 minutes from completely dead using the case only

If your AirPods are dead but your case still has a charge, you can expect the following usage from your AirPods after 5 minutes of charging:

AirPods Generation 1: 1 hour
AirPods Generation 2: 1 hour
AirPods Generation 3: 1 hour of talk or listening time
AirPods Generation 4: 1 hour of talk or listening time

Charging for 5 minutes from completely dead

The time hardly changes, even if the case is completely dead when you start charging your AirPods. When you charge them for 5 minutes from completely dead, you can expect the following listening times:

AirPods Generation 1: 1 hour
AirPods Generation 2: 1 hour
AirPods Generation 3: 1 hour
AirPods Generation 4: 1 hour

AirPods charging times by generation

AirPods charge at different rates depending on the generation. However, other factors also affect AirPod charge time, such as how many charge cycles they've gone through. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't provide official estimates on how long each AirPod generation charges, but you can expect each battery to charge faster with each newer generation. Just like the AirPods 4 may have a quicker charging time than the AirPods 1, the same applies to the AirPods Pro 1 and 2.

Can I use an iPhone charger for AirPods?

You can use an iPhone charger for your AirPods if the case accepts it. Charging is quickest if you use an iPhone or iPad USB charger. On AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 2 cases, you can also use a USB-C cable — though many people opt for wireless charging. AirPods Pros and AirPods 3 and 4 let you tap the case while it sits on the charging mat to view your battery percentage at a glance.

For seamless and efficient wireless charging, consider pairing your AirPods with the OtterBox 3-in-1 Charging Station for MagSafe or the OtterBox MagSafe 3-in-1 Charging Station. Both chargers are compatible with AirPods cases that support wireless charging and allow you to charge multiple devices simultaneously, saving space and keeping your setup tidy.

How to tell if AirPods are charging

AirPods cases have a built-in status light that shows the charge status of the earbuds or case. Simply open the case's lid for the charge level. When your AirPods aren't in the case, the light indicates the battery life of the case. The three colors have the following meanings:

Green: The AirPods are fully charged
Amber: The AirPods aren't fully charged — if they're out of the case, it means the case has less than a full charge remaining.
No light: The case's battery is dead.

Can you overcharge your AirPods?

Don't worry about leaving your AirPods in their case for long periods, even if they're on the charger. There's no risk of overcharging them, thanks to their design. The batteries stop charging once they reach 100%.

Charging issues and how to fix them

AirPods can run into all sorts of charging issues, including:

The case stops charging.
The AirPods stop charging, but the case works.
The AirPods or case charge slower than usual.

AirPods case isn't charging

If you set your AirPods case on the charger but see no changes to the status light, they may not be charging. Unfortunately, without the charging case, you can't recharge your AirPods. This can happen for several reasons, including:

It fell and was damaged.
It's a defective case.
The battery is worn out.

Unfortunately, all three indicate it's time for a new AirPods case.

AirPods aren't charging in the case

Did you put your AirPods in the case only to find they aren't charging? This may be because:

The AirPods or case have gotten dirty. Gently clean them with a cotton swab.
The contact points aren't connecting. You should hear a click when the AirPods are put in the case.
Your firmware is outdated. Go to the Bluetooth settings for your AirPods and confirm it's up to date or install the most recent update.
You got a new case, but it's incompatible with your AirPods.

How to check your AirPods battery percentage

Checking your AirPods battery percentage is simple with other Apple products. Available methods include:

Checking on an iPhone or iPad by opening the case or using the Batteries widget
Checking from the Control Center on your Apple Watch
Checking from the Control Center on your Mac

Method 1: Checking AirPods battery on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch

To check the charge on your AirPods on an iPhone or iPad, open your case lid while your device's screen is on. Within seconds, it displays how charged your AirPods and case are.

Alternatively, you can use the Batteries widget on your iPhone or iPad. At least one AirPod has to be in the case to check this way.

On an Apple Watch, swipe up from the bottom of the watch face to open the Control Center. Tap on the battery percentage icon. Your AirPods charge should appear at the bottom of the screen.

Method 2: Using a Mac to monitor AirPod battery percentage

Take your AirPods out of their case. Then, click the Control Center icon in the menu bar. If you hover over it, it displays the charge on the left and right AirPod.

Why is my AirPods battery dying so fast?

Over time, AirPods batteries degrade. This can result in shorter battery life over time. However, other issues can lead to reduced battery life, including:

Exposure to extreme temperatures, such as sitting in hot cars for long periods
Dirty charging pins that discharge the battery, even when the AirPods aren't inside

How you use them also affects battery life. For example, using Siri with one AirPod can quickly drain that side before the other. Noise cancellation and Spatial Audio features can also result in quicker battery drain.

Is it bad to use AirPods while charging?

Your AirPods must be in the case to charge, so you can't listen to them while they're charging. However, you can listen to one while charging the other or leave the case charging without the AirPods inside. Feel free to let your case finish charging while you jam out to your favorite tunes.

Why do AirPods charge so slowly?

When they're in good working condition, AirPods charge quickly compared to many wireless earbuds on the market. However, several factors can affect how quickly they charge, including:

Wireless charging: This typically takes longer than wired charging.
Dirty contact points: This can interrupt the connection between the AirPods and the case, resulting in a slower or nonexistent charge.
Battery degradation: Lithium-ion batteries degrade as they go through charge cycles. Older, heavily used AirPods typically charge slower and get less battery life.

How to charge AirPods faster

If you need to charge your AirPods faster, several changes can help, including:

Disabling optimized battery charging: Optimized battery charging is supposed to extend the battery life of AirPods Pro or AirPods 3 or later models by limiting the time they spend fully charged. This can result in a slowdown as you charge from 90% to 100%.
Choosing high-quality chargers: Consider using a Lightning Cable or another USB-C charger instead of charging your AirPods wirelessly.
Checking all cable connections: If the charging cable isn't firmly plugged into the power source and the case, it could slow your charging speed.

Which AirPods charge faster?

Newer generation AirPods tend to charge faster than older models, with an average of 5 minutes of charge for an hour of use. The AirPods Max can give you about 1.5 hours of use after 5 minutes of charging.