How to fire up AirPods not charging

AirPods charging mechanisms

The case is the main component for the charging mechanism, and holds multiple full charges. Once fully loaded, your AirPods get up to five hours of listening time or two hours of talk time on a single charge.

When you run out of battery, charge your Airpods for about 15 minutes, and you get about three hours of listening time or one hour of talk time. The built-in battery in the AirPods is 93 milliwatts and usually has a long shelf-life. Yet there’s a possibility that the batteries may be showing signs of wear and tear. Chances are, your charging issue is more likely related to the contact points on the AirPods.
Three key electronic contact points on AirPods


The USB Cable head that is connected to the power source/port


The Lightning Connector contact point on the case


Airpods contact points on the case

When your Airpods stop charging or charge slowly, the chances are that one of these contact points has an issue or you are having a problem with the battery itself.

The Lightning Connector contact point on the case.
How to fix AirPods that won’t charge
Check the status light on the charging case.

With your Airpods in the case, the status light should show green, meaning fully charged. If you consistently see an amber light instead even after charging overnight, it could mean that you are having charging issues with the device.

AirPods charging status light shown in orange.
Check the charging cable.

Start by checking the charging cable that you are using to charge the Airpods.

Apple recommends using the iPhone or iPad charger to charge the case.


Try a new iPhone/iPad charger and see if it makes a difference


Connect your AirPod charging case to your MacBook instead and see if charges up to the green status light

We suggest borrowing an iPhone/iPad charger from a friend and trying it out just to rule out any issues with the charging cable.

Make sure that your Airpods are placed correctly in the charging case when you close the lid. If they are not adequately contacting the charging points, your Airpods will fail to get any charge.
Do you see the charging icon displayed?

The AirPods charging indicator on iPhone looks fully charged.

Open the case lid and hold it close to your iOS device. Wait a few seconds to see a charging icon next to the battery icon while your AirPods are connected to power. Do you see the charging icon? If you don’t see it, that would mean that the units are not getting any charge at all. Similarly, double-check the battery on your Apple device to ensure it’s working.
Check the AirPods charging ports and contact points.

Do you clean your Airpods regularly? Many AirPod users often forget to do the regular maintenance on their AirPods, and this can lead to issues such as slow charging or no charging.

As with any electronic device, the external ports of the device can accumulate dust and debris with everyday use. When the charging contacts gather enough debris, it can impair the charging process.

Tools needed for cleaning AirPods charging contacts.

You are going to need a soft bristle toothbrush, a clean microfiber cloth, and a soft interdental brush. Start by evaluating the charging points on your AirPods case. Clean the case charging port using a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean AirPods charging case.

Once you have cleaned the external charging contact on the case, next inspect and clean the internal contacts if required using a very soft interdental brush.

Clean AirPods case interior contacts.

Use 70% isopropyl alcohol and a clean microfiber cloth to clean the Airpods charging case, and make sure to not get any liquid into the charging port on the case.

Check and Clean the Airpods ends to make sure there is no debris on the end connectors.



Use the soft brush, try to gently clean inside the end of the AirPods charging contact point.

Once cleaned, put the AirPods in the case and charge for 15 minutes and check. Are you able to see the charging icon on your iPhone?

In most cases, we have seen the charging issue immediately resolve once any dirt is removed from the Airpods charging contacts.
Reset your AirPods and check charging.

If you are having charging issues even after inspecting and cleaning the charging contacts on the AirPods, try resetting the Airpods and see if it helps with the problem.

To reset your AirPods, press and hold the button on the back of the charging case. Please check the article below to see details around resetting your AirPods.

If you still cannot charge your Airpods, or your Airpods charge very slowly, you will have to reach out to Apple Support for repair and replacement information.
How much to replace or repair AirPods?

Apple suggests that the price of replacing the battery on your Airpods and the AirPods charging case is $49. This does not include the taxes and the shipping fee of $6.95 if you decide to mail them in for repair.

Source: Apple

The best thing to do is to try cleaning the charging contacts on the case and the Airpods, and if it doesn’t work even after a reset of the unit, you will have to reach out to Apple and order in replacements or service the battery.Sponsor ads:

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