That can of tuna sitting in your pantry is probably going to last longer than your AirPods.
Joke aside, how long do AirPods last exactly?
Keep reading to find out:
- How many years AirPods last.
- 5 tips to make your AirPods last longer.
- Whether you should repair or replace your AirPods once they’re worn down.
- And so much more…
How many years do AirPods last?
AirPods should last about 2 years. This is mostly due to the lithium-ion batteries that AirPods use. It’s usually the first component that wears down. Charging your AirPods often degrades the battery. Clear signs you’d see that they’re declining are poorer sound quality and shorter listening time.
5 vital tips to make your AirPods last longer
#1: Stop discharging your batteries
How long do you wait to charge your AirPods?
Does their battery drop at 20%?
Maybe 10%?
Or do you hammer them down to 0%?
I’m guilty of doing this.
I used to maximize the juice out of my AirPods before fully charging them back to 100%.
But a scientific report reveals that discharging your batteries decreases their overall capacity.
Put simply, if your battery’s overall capacity allowed you to use 5 hours of listening time…
Discharging your batteries often leads to only 3 hours of listening time.
And the worst-case scenario? 1 to 2 hours only of listening to music.
Sure – you still have 1 to 2 hours of listening time.
However…
That also means you’ll need to charge your AirPods more throughout the day.
And what happens next?
Your battery’s overall capacity and lifespan decline at a faster rate.
The sweet spot for when you should charge your batteries is between 20% to 40%.
In fact, your iPhone or iPad should notify you when your AirPods need charging.
As soon as your battery level hits 20%, charge them.
But if you want to wait until they hit 10%, you’re pushing your luck, friend.
The longer you keep that up, you’ll notice your AirPods dying faster than normal.
You don’t want that, right?
#2: Avoid fully recharging to 100% frequently
Discharging your batteries is one thing.
But, there’s one thing that’s even worse than that.
And it’s charging your AirPods fully to 100%.
Si señor.
It sounds odd.
But hear me out.
Charging your AirPods to 100% doesn’t hurt every once in a while.
If you’re going on a long trip, sure. Go ahead and charge em’ with maximum juice.
But if you’re simply going out for the day…
Or taking a light stroll around the park or mall…
Do you really need to charge it to 100%?
The problem with charging your AirPods to 100% all the time is it adds mechanical stress to your battery.
When your battery’s constantly under stress, you can guess what happens, right?
Its life span takes a downhill turn.
Think of it this way:
Would you eat to the point your stomach feels heavy and full for every meal of every day?
No, right?
And if you did, it’d probably lead to stomach issues beyond just regular bloating.
The same with your AirPods.
Long-term, you’d experience battery issues.
In the end, your AirPods life span won’t even make it to 3 years.
So, how long should I charge my AirPods then?
You should charge your AirPods to hit at least 80% and that should be enough.
Luckily, 3rd-gen AirPods and AirPods Pro have a feature called Optimized Charging.
It helps to extend your battery’s lifespan.
In addition, it reduces any wear and tear on your AirPods’ condition.
Note: Apple mentions it’s already turned on by default after pairing your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad.
On that note, if by some chance you’re using a wireless charger…
Don’t use it all the time.
Wireless charging or inductive charging puts more heat stress on your battery.
In other words, heat and batteries isn’t a good combo.
As mentioned before, the more heat stress your battery goes through, the faster it dies.
Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t use a wireless charger at all.
What I’m advising you to do is alternate between the wireless and the traditional way of charging.
#3: Turn off any smart features you don’t use
Smart features always look appealing on paper.
But, if you’re trying to conserve battery life, these don’t help.
At. All.
Now, smart features don’t have a direct impact on your AirPods or battery’s lifespan.
However…
If you don’t need to use smart features like…
- Active EQ.
- Spatial Audio.
- Transparency Mode.
- Automatic device switching.
Turn off those settings.
By doing so, you conserve battery life.
As a result, your AirPods last longer throughout the day.
That means you won’t have to charge it as often or…
Run the risk of discharging your batteries completely.
#4: Alternate between your AirPods when taking calls
Ever wonder why one AirPod drains faster than the other?
It’s probably because you’re only using one AirPod for taking calls.
Meaning, you’re using one AirPod more than the other.
And because of that, the lifespan of that one AirPod also declines faster.
Instead, alternate between your left and right AirPod.
That way, it balances out.
If you have to charge your right AirPod more often than your left AirPod, then…
Your right AirPod’s battery lifespan will be much lower long-term.
The last thing you want is to have a functioning left AirPod and a right AirPod that’s worn and torn.
Worse – your right AirPod has charging issues due to a worn-down battery.
Dig deeper: (11 Fixes) Right AirPod Not Charging
#5: Keep your AirPods in their case when you’re not using them
After using your AirPods, do you…
- Leave them out in the open?
- Keep them back in the case?
- Let them sit in your ear until well…you have to sleep?
If you’re not keeping your AirPods back in their case after using it…
It drains your AirPods until there’s no more juice left.
Why is that bad?
Because it carries the risk of discharging your batteries.
Basically, leaving your AirPods out in the open just lets the battery drain even when it’s not in use.
The benefit from all this?
You don’t have to charge your AirPods battery as often.
And you get more listening time and can take more calls throughout the day.
Lastly, you prevent any risk of damaging or losing your AirPods.
One more thing.
If your AirPods are stored in your AirPods case, don’t fiddle with the case.
And I mean…
Don’t flip it open and close it repeatedly.
Doing so might seem tempting while you’re bored but it…
Also damages the battery charge of your case.
So if your AirPods die, and your case is also worn down…
That’s double the expense for you.
Yeah – who would’ve thought flipping the case could be that catastrophic, right?
People also ask:
Should you repair worn-down AirPods or replace them?
It’s more cost-effective to replace AirPods than repair them.
Repairing your AirPods isn’t exactly…well, possible.
You could go so far as to say that AirPods are unfixable.
Why?
Because most of the components are glued together.
That means it’s hard to piece the parts back together if one or two parts become defective.
Not to mention, Apple has the final say on whether the product’s repairable or not.
In other words, if Apple says your AirPods can be repaired, go ahead.
Their Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Parts Service allows you to do so.
Apple ships the replacement parts to you, and you take care of the rest.
However, it’s not going to be an easy repair.
If you’re willing to take on the challenge, better watch this video first before making the jump:
Now, what about replacing your AirPods?
If you have AppleCare+, you get a 2-year warranty.
So if your AirPods broke down within 2 years, you can contact Apple support to cover the replacement.
But if you don’t have AppleCare+ or are past the warranty date, your best option is a battery service.
Battery service for AirPods and AirPods Pro costs $49 for each earpiece.
That’s $98 in total, and much cheaper than buying a new pair which costs $169.
Worst case, if your battery can’t be fixed, you may have to buy brand new AirPods.
Why do AirPods have a short lifespan?
The short lifespan of AirPods is due to their lithium-ion batteries. On average, these batteries last for only 2 years.
However, this also depends on how often you use your AirPods.
Allow me to explain.
Your Airpods most likely use a Varta CoinPower lithium-ion battery.
These batteries, on average, should have 500 charge cycles.
What is a charge cycle?
It’s the number of times you can charge a device to 100% and deplete to 0%.
Think of them as the lifespan of your AirPods battery.
If your AirPods have 500 charge cycles, it doesn’t mean you can only charge them 500 times.
It means you have 500 chances to let your AirPods run from 100% to 0%.
Put simply, if you drain your AirPods from 100% to 0% every day, they’d last you 500 days.
That’s roughly 1 year and 5 months.
After 500 charge cycles, you’d notice a steady decline in your AirPods battery life.
From here, it’s a downhill slope until your AirPods battery gives up and dies.
It’s also worth noting that every time you charge your AirPods, you lose a tiny amount of battery capacity.
It’s not much, of course.
But it partially contributes to your AirPods battery decline.
Overall, your AirPods lifespan is dependent on…
- How often you’re using them.
- The number of times they depleted to 0%.
- The frequency at which you’re charging them.
If you live and breathe with your AirPods, expect them to last between 2 to 3 years.
But if you’re using them sporadically or not as much, their lifespan can go up to 5 years.
Provided, of course, that you’re taking care of your AirPods too.
One good example is avoiding extreme temperatures.
If you’re leaving them to barbecue inside your car on a hot summer day, good luck.