musicMagpie Blog

Are your AirPods battery life draining suspiciously fast? If you're sick of popping in your AirPods only for them to die within a mere hour or so, you've come to the right place!

We'll show you how to improve your AirPods battery life with the help of some simple tips and tricks. Keep reading to find out more!

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In this blog:

• How long do AirPods usually last?
• Keep them in the charging case
• Leave the case alone
• Try using one earbud
• Avoid extreme temperatures
• Turn smart features off
• Try a lower volume

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How long do AirPods usually last?

First, let's see what the typical AirPods battery life is to check if your AirPods are meeting their expectations!

	AirPods (1st gen)	AirPods Pro (1st gen)	AirPods (2nd gen)	AirPods Pro (2nd gen)	AirPods (3rd gen)
Listening time (buds)	5 hours	5 hours	5 hours	6 hours	6 hours
Talk time (buds)	2 hours	3.5 hours	3.5 hours	4.5 hours	4 hours
Total listening time (with case)	24 hours	24 hours	24 hours	30 hours	30 hours
Total talk time (with case)	11 hours	18 hours	18 hours	24 hours	20 hours

 

If your AirPods are running out of battery considerably faster than they are supposed to, there are a few things you can try before righting them off completely!

 

How to extend AirPods battery life

Keep them in the charging case

This is a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to put their AirPods back in the case!

The case provided with your AirPods will recharge your earbuds back to full capacity each time they are put back into the case, so if you're leaving them loose instead of putting them back in the case to charge, this could be why your AirPods are dying.

This won't improve your battery life, but it could be the reason why your AirPods don't last very long and it'll get you consistently recharging your AirPods!

 

Try a lower volume

If you're often blasting your music at top volume when using your AirPods, that kind of usage will likely run through your battery faster than usual.

A high volume means a high level of battery is needed to keep up with the demand in volume, so a low volume will last longer. A lower volume is better for your ears too!

Try turning down the volume on your AirPods to a medium-low level to get your AirPods battery life to last longer. While this will give your AirPods some extra juice, it will be minimal as AirPods use more power on things like Bluetooth.

 

Leave the case alone

While fidgeting with your AirPods case can be fun, it could be why your AirPods are losing their charge quickly.

Repeatedly opening and closing the case will reduce its battery charge, even if your AirPods aren't inside. If you tend to do this a lot with your case, it could be why your AirPods charging case runs out of charge quickly.

While it won't directly affect how long your AirPods hold a charge, it will affect how fast your case loses charge, which is a big deal if you're without a charger for a while.

 

Avoid extreme temperatures

Electronics don't do so well in extreme heat or cold. These temperatures will impact your AirPods battery life, as they can cause the battery to overheat or shut down.

In fact, these conditions can permanently damage your device, so you should avoid extreme cold or heat when using your AirPods in general!

Try keeping your AirPods (including the case) out of direct sunlight when possible and store them somewhere that won't get frosty and cold.

 

Try using one earbud

Many people prefer using one earbud at a time so they can still hear their surroundings, but did you know that it also preserves your AirPods battery?

If you listen to a single earbud instead of both, you're only using up half the power you would usually use. Plus, if you keep the other earbud you aren't using in the charging case, it will stay charged so that you can simply swap earbuds when one runs out of charge.

You'll have to switch your AirPods over to mono audio to ensure your music plays correctly through a single earbud, which can be done via the settings on your phone.

 

Turn smart features off

AirPods come with several handy smart features which make for better listening, but they come at a price… both literally and figuratively!

While all the AirPods smart features are handy, not all of them are necessary and they tend to be battery-draining culprits. Features such as Automatic Ear Detection, Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, Transparency and charging case sounds all need extra power.

You can turn off any or all of these features by going into your setting on your iPhone. Remember, if you turn off certain features, you'll have to alter how you use your AirPods. For example, if you turn off Automatic Ear Detection, you'll have to remember to turn your music off manually.

Constantly touching your AirPods controls can also waste battery power, so try not to tap the controls unless you really need to.

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Plus, you can sell your unwanted tech with us to get money for your new AirPods! We offer iPhone trade in and Samsung trade in options, along with trade in options for a whole range of other tech items. So whether you're wondering "where can I sell my phone for quick cash?" or "how can I get money for my old MacBook", look no further than musicMagpie!