If these don't work, call Apple
Is your AirPods case not charging? If you’ve tried all the troubleshooting steps to fix the charging problem with your AirPods, let’s focus on fixing common issues with charging its case.
Why Is My AirPods Case Not Charging?
There are plenty of reasons why your AirPods case could be exhibiting faulty charging behavior. Before we try these fixes, let’s first check the basics. If your AirPods case suddenly stopped charging, was its battery life good before this happened?
If the answer is no, you should check if your AirPods are more than two years old. With older AirPods, the battery life reduces, and eventually, the earbuds’ ability to hold a charge diminishes significantly.
If you’ve experienced these things before your AirPods stopped charging, you can consider contacting Apple support or a service like The Swap Club to fix your AirPods. If your AirPods are in warranty or covered by AppleCare+, you’ll get a replacement relatively easily.
Before you try that, go through our list of common issues with AirPods case charging and see if these fixes help you out.
1. Check Another AirPods Case
If you know someone with the same model of AirPods as you, you can try using their AirPods case with your charging peripherals. This will confirm whether the issue is with your AirPods case or the charging accessories.
2. Examine the Charging Port
As with every Apple device that faces a charging problem, the first port of call is the charging port. Examine the Lightning port closely to see if lint or other materials are in there. If you spot any foreign materials, it’s time to clean the charging port on your AirPods or AirPods Pro.
You can use a soft toothbrush, a toothpick, or any other brush with soft bristles to clean the port. Avoid using any kind of metal to clean the port because you can damage the charging pins inside. If you do this, you’ll have no option but to buy a new AirPods case.
Once the port is clean, try plugging in the Lightning cable, and it should begin charging. To verify this, check the status light on your AirPods. If you see it flash amber, it’s charging. After a few minutes, you can open the case and unlock your iPhone or iPad. You’ll see a pop-up that mentions that your AirPods case is charging.
3. Try a Different Cable
A faulty charging cable is among the common reasons behind AirPods case charging issues. You can rectify this by trying a different USB cable to charge your AirPods case. Always stick to Apple’s original accessories or MFi-certified alternatives. Using uncertified counterfeit charging adapters and cables could damage your AirPods battery.
4. Use Another Power Adapter
If the cable isn’t the problem, it could be the charging adapter. Are you plugging your Apple AirPods into your Mac or PC for charging? The USB port on those devices may not be delivering power correctly. Sometimes using a different USB port as a power source can fix the issue too.
You should also try using a different charging adapter to charge your AirPods case, which might fix the problem. You can also plug in the charging adapter to a different power outlet to rule out issues with the plug point.
5. Double-Check the Wireless Charger
If your issue is specifically with the wireless charging case that ships with some AirPods models, you can quickly try a few fixes. First, check the wireless charging pad’s box or manufacturer’s website to see if that model is Qi-compatible. If it is not, you should try using a Qi wireless charger instead because that’s the standard used by the AirPods case.
You should also try moving the AirPods case to different spots on the charging pad. Some wireless chargers have a relatively small or oddly located charging spot. If your AirPods case moves out of this sweet spot, it may not charge.
Keep an eye on the charging light on the case. If the light flashes briefly, it may indicate that the case can draw power at some spots on your charging pad.
6. Software-Related Fixes
Sometimes AirPods case charging issues could be related to a software issue. A glitch in iOS or a bug in an older version of AirPods firmware could lead to these problems. In such cases, you should see if you can update AirPods firmware to fix the problem.
7. Try Resetting the AirPods
If nothing else fixes this problem, you could try to factory reset your AirPods. This will restore your AirPods to factory settings, and before you go ahead with that, remember to go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone, tap the i button next to your AirPods, and select Forget This Device.
This will make the reset process go smoothly.
If Nothing Works, Contact Apple
If none of these fixes work for you, it’s time to contact Apple. You can either reach out to them online or schedule a trip to the nearest Apple Store to find a solution.