Monitoring Your AirPods Battery: A Comprehensive Guide

Published: August 30, 2024 (Adapted)

Understanding how to monitor your AirPods' battery status is crucial to prevent them from running out of power at inconvenient times, such as during an essential conversation or when immersed in your favorite tunes. Regularly checking the battery enables you to be prepared and ensures your AirPods are always operational when you need them. It's vital to keep an eye on your AirPods' charge to sidestep any unforeseen interruptions. By learning the methods to check AirPod battery levels across various devices like iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch, you can manage your usage more effectively and ensure your AirPods are consistently charged and ready for action.

How to Check AirPods Battery on iPhone or iPad?

One of the most straightforward methods to ascertain your AirPods' battery charge on an iPhone or iPad is by employing the iOS Batteries widget. This widget offers a quick glimpse at the battery percentage of your AirPods and other linked devices.

Add the Batteries Widget

Swipe to the right on your device's home screen to access the Today View. Navigate to the bottom and select "Edit." Locate the "Batteries" widget within the list, tap the green "+" icon next to it, and then confirm by tapping "Done."

Check the Battery Percentage

Once the widget is added, you will be able to see the battery levels of your iPhone, AirPods, and any other connected peripherals directly in your Today View. Whenever your AirPods establish a connection with your iPhone or iPad, the widget will show their battery percentage.

An alternative way to check your AirPods battery is by going directly into the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone or iPad. This approach is especially handy if you need a quick check without adding a widget.

Open Bluetooth Settings

Launch the "Settings" application on your iPhone or iPad. Tap on "Bluetooth" to access the Bluetooth settings menu.

View AirPods Battery Level

Under the "My Devices" section, identify your AirPods in the roster of connected devices. Adjacent to the AirPods' name, you'll observe a small battery icon that indicates the charge level. For a more precise percentage, tap the "i" (information) icon next to your AirPods' name; this will display the exact battery percentage for both the individual AirPods and their charging case.

How to Check AirPods Battery on Mac?

There are two primary ways to check your AirPods' battery status on a Mac. You can perform a quick check using the Bluetooth menu in the menu bar or find the battery status through the System Information utility. Each method provides a convenient way to keep tabs on your AirPods' battery life. Let's examine these methods step by step.

Checking Battery Levels via the Bluetooth Menu

First, ensure your AirPods are paired and actively connected to your Mac. If they aren't connected, open the AirPods case near your Mac, and click the Bluetooth symbol in the menu bar. Choose your AirPods from the list to establish a connection.

Find the Bluetooth symbol in the menu bar, typically located at the top right of your screen. If the Bluetooth icon is not visible, you can enable it by navigating to System Preferences → Bluetooth and selecting "Show Bluetooth in menu bar."

Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar. A dropdown menu will appear, listing all your connected devices. Locate your AirPods in this list, and you will see the battery levels displayed next to their name. This will present the battery percentage for both AirPods and the charging case.

Checking Battery Levels via System Information

Click the Apple logo situated in the top left corner of your screen and choose "About This Mac." Next, click on "System Report." In the System Information window that appears, select "Bluetooth" from the sidebar menu. Find your AirPods in the device list, and you'll see the current battery levels for each AirPod and the charging case.

How to Check AirPods Battery on Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch provides an accessible way to monitor your AirPods' battery life, making it simple to track their charge without needing your iPhone or Mac.

Add the Battery Widget to Your Watch Face

Press and hold the current watch face on your Apple Watch. Tap "Edit" to begin customizing your watch face. Swipe left or right to locate a watch face that supports complications, then tap on a complication slot. Scroll through the available options and select "Batteries" to add the Battery widget. Once added, the Battery widget will show the battery levels of your Apple Watch, AirPods, and any other connected devices.

Check the Battery Level

When your AirPods are linked to your Apple Watch, the Battery widget will display the remaining battery percentage for both the left and right AirPods, as well as for the charging case.

Setting Up Notifications for Low Battery Levels

Open the Watch app on your paired iPhone. Navigate to My Watch → Notifications. Scroll down to find "Battery" or "Batteries" and ensure that notifications are enabled. When your AirPods' battery level drops to a critical point, you will receive an alert on your Apple Watch, reminding you to charge them. This function is especially helpful for preventing unexpected battery depletion during crucial activities.

How to Check AirPods Battery Without a Connected Device?

Even if your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch isn't readily available, you can still ascertain your AirPods' battery status by observing the LED light indicator on the charging case. This method is quick and straightforward, offering a general idea of the remaining charge in your AirPods and the case.

Locate the LED Light

For the standard charging case, the LED indicator is positioned inside the case, between the compartments for the AirPods. On the wireless charging case, the LED indicator is found on the front exterior of the case.

Check the LED Light with AirPods Inside the Case

Open the lid of the charging case while your AirPods are inside. The LED light will illuminate to show the battery status of the AirPods.

Check the LED Light with AirPods Removed from the Case

If your AirPods are not in the case, the LED light signifies the battery level of the charging case itself.

Interpreting Different LED Colors

The LED light changes color to indicate the current battery status, and understanding these colors can help you assess the remaining battery life. Typically, green means fully charged or a high charge, while amber/orange indicates less than a full charge or that charging is in progress. A flashing amber light might indicate a pairing issue or other error.

By learning to use the LED light indicator on your AirPods charging case, you can quickly check the battery status without needing to connect to any device. This simple method ensures you always have a general understanding of your AirPods' battery levels, even when you're on the move.

How to Optimize AirPods Battery Life?

Maximizing the operational duration of your AirPods ensures continuous listening pleasure and contributes to extending the overall lifespan of your device. By adhering to these practical suggestions, you can optimize your AirPods' battery performance, lessen the charging frequency, and preserve their health over time. Moreover, leveraging tools designed for productivity can enhance your experience while being conscious of battery consumption.

Tip 1: Adjust Settings to Save Battery

Maintaining your AirPods at a moderate volume level can help decrease battery consumption. Higher volumes demand more power, so lowering it can extend your AirPods' usage time. Automatic Ear Detection is convenient but consumes additional battery. To turn it off, navigate to Settings → Bluetooth, tap the "i" next to your AirPods, and toggle off Automatic Ear Detection. Noise cancellation features also use more power. If you own AirPods Pro, switching to Transparency mode or turning off active noise control can prolong battery life.

Tip 2: Use One AirPod at a Time

For phone calls or audio content that doesn't necessitate stereo sound, consider using just one AirPod at a time. The other AirPod can remain charging in the case, effectively doubling your listening duration. If you opt for using a single AirPod, enable mono audio to ensure you receive the full sound in one ear. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual, then switch on Mono Audio.

Tip 3: Enhance Productivity and Manage Audio Information Efficiently

While AirPods excel at personal audio playback and calls, managing information gathered through audio, such as from meetings or long lectures, can sometimes be demanding. This is where a service like DeepVo.ai can complement your AirPods usage. If you've used your AirPods for an extended virtual meeting or to listen to important recorded content, DeepVo.ai offers powerful voice-to-text transcription with high accuracy (claiming 99.5% accuracy and support for over 100 languages). This means you can quickly get a written record without re-listening extensively, potentially saving AirPod battery. Furthermore, its AI-powered summarization can distill lengthy transcripts into concise summaries in seconds, and its intelligent mind mapping tool can help visualize and organize the key information. DeepVo.ai is free to use and emphasizes end-to-end encrypted security, ensuring your data remains private. By efficiently processing audio content afterwards, you can make the most of the information without unnecessarily draining your AirPods by replaying long segments.

Tip 4: Charge Smartly to Protect Battery Health

The AirPods case autonomously manages its charging process, but it's generally advisable not to leave it connected to a power source for extended periods after it has reached full charge. This practice helps to avoid undue strain on the battery. If your AirPods are paired with an iPhone running iOS 14 or a newer version, the system intelligently learns your charging patterns and can slow down charging when appropriate to mitigate battery aging. This feature, known as Optimized Battery Charging, is enabled by default and aids in extending the overall battery lifespan.

These straightforward tips can assist you in maximizing your AirPods' battery potential, ensuring they last longer and perform more effectively over time.

FAQ

How can I make the battery widget display my AirPods' status?
To have the battery widget on your iPhone or iPad show your AirPods' battery levels, please follow these instructions:

• Swipe right on your home screen to bring up the Today View.
• Scroll to the very bottom and tap "Edit."
• Find the "Batteries" widget in the available list, tap the green "+" icon beside it, and then tap "Done."
• Once configured, the widget will show the battery levels of your iPhone, AirPods, and other connected accessories whenever your AirPods are linked.

Why isn't my AirPod battery level appearing?
If your AirPod battery status isn't visible in the battery widget or Bluetooth settings, attempt these troubleshooting measures:

• Confirm that your AirPods are correctly connected to your device.
• Navigate to Settings → Bluetooth and verify that your AirPods are listed as "Connected."
• Occasionally, a simple device restart can fix the problem.
• Ensure both your device and AirPods are running the latest firmware versions.

How can I tell if the AirPods are fully charged?
You can determine if your AirPods are fully charged in these ways:

• When you open the case lid with the AirPods inside, the LED light on the case will turn solid green, signifying they are fully charged.
• The battery widget on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch will display a full battery icon or "100%" next to your AirPods when they have reached full charge.

How long does it typically take for AirPods to charge?
AirPods generally require about one hour to achieve a full charge when placed in their case. The case itself can store several full charges, enabling you to recharge your AirPods multiple times before the case itself needs recharging. For a quick power-up, just 15 minutes in the case can provide up to 3 hours of listening time or approximately 2 hours of talk time.