Why Are My AirPods Dying So Fast? [And How To Fix That]

If you’re wondering “why are my AirPods dying so fast?” there might be a couple of reasons.

How long you can use your AirPods after charging them fully depends on the model, but if your AirPods die much faster than how Apple rated them, then there are a couple of things you can do to extend their battery life.

Here are 7 most common reasons why your AirPods’s battery life doesn't last as long as you want it to and how you can fix that.

7 Reasons and Solutions for Why AirPods are Dying Fast

AirPods Generation

If you’re trying to figure out “how long does AirPod battery last on average?”, Apple has the answer.

Depending on the model and the number of charges in your case, you can get anywhere between 24-30 hours of listening time on your AirPods. 

According to Apple, here’s how long your AirPods can last depending on the model, charging time, how you use them, and what features you have enabled:

High Volume

Running your AirPods at high volume requires more power than when the volume is lower.

To save battery, you should try lowering the volume and see if that helps. It's also better for your ears.

Temperature

Batteries are sensitive to extreme temperatures. Using your earbuds in very cold or hot conditions can permanently shorten your AirPods lifespan.

Although cold temperatures aren’t ideal for any batteries, they’re especially averse to hot weather.

If you routinely leave your earbuds in direct sunlight or in a location where the case gets extremely hot (like inside the car in summer), your AirPods will lose the ability to charge as quickly as they did when you bought them and will die out faster.

It’s best to store your AirPods where the temperature is between 14º and 113º F.

Charging 

The batter in the earbuds is tiny, which means you need to charge them more often than other devices like your iPhone, and that cycling can reduce their ability to hold a charge. 

If you want your AirPods to last longer, you should make sure that you charge them before they run all the way down (also known as deep discharge). Ideally, you should put your AirPods in the case before the battery drops below 30%.

The same is true about charging your AirPods fully. Stopping the charge before it gets all the way to 100% charge will extend your AirPods’ useful life.

So, how long should I charge my AirPod?

AirPods typically take about 20 minutes to fully charge in the case, which means you should take them out around the 17-minute mark. Here’s how to check the battery perecentage on your AirPods.

Problems With Charging Case

If you want your earbuds to get the most out of the case, you should take care of its battery too.

This means keeping the case at room temperature and learning how to charge the case properly (the fastest way is to use an iPad or iPhone USB charger or plug it into your Mac) 

You should also avoid repeatedly opening and closing the case, which can reduce its battery charge.

It’s also important to keep your earbuds in the charging case when you’re not using them. They won’t overcharge and some of the latest models have an Optimized Battery Charging that lets your device learn how and when you charge your AirPods and wait until it thinks you’re about to take them off the charge to charge them all the way to 100%.

Turn Off Noise Cancellation

If you have AirPods with a built-in noise cancellation feature– which reduces background noise–like the AirPods Pro, your batteries will run down much faster.

To disable noise cancellation:

1. Open the iPhone Control Center. 
2. Tap and hold the volume meter.
3. Tap Noise Control in the bottom left corner.
4. Switch the control to Off.

Disable Automatic Ear Detection

By default, your AirPods can tell when you’re in your ear, which is when they receive audio from your device. 

The automatic ear detection feature allows them to automatically pause when you remove one (and stop when you remove both) and resume playing when you put them back.

This feature also drains your battery faster.

To turn it off:

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your AirPods near the top of the screen.
3. Toggle the switch to turn the feature Off.

Other Ways to Extend Battery Life

If nothing you’re tried has worked, here are other ways on how to make AirPods battery last longer.

Reset your AirPods

To reset your AirPods:

1. Put your AirPods in their case; 
2. On your iPhone go to Settings, and then tap on Bluetooth;
3. Tap on the i on the right.
4. Select Forget This Device and confirm that you want to unpair the AirPods from your phone.
5. Pair your AirPods on your phone again.

If you don’t have the standard AirPods- iPhone setup, here’s how to unpair your AirPods Max or reset your AirPods on your Android device.

Cleaning AirPods and charging ports

If you don’t clean your AirPods, the dirt that accumulates (including that on your charging ports) can prevent your earbuds and your case from charging properly, which can greatly affect battery life and cause ear infection and ear canal irritation.

Here’s how to clean your AirPods in under 5 minutes.

Use Apple-certified charging cables

Using a third-party charger may save you some money in the short-term, but it can affect battery performance. 

How AirPods Battery Life Cycle Works

All earbuds’ batteries have a finite number of life cycles. 

And how many cycles can Airpods last?

The exact number largely depends on how you charge them. On average, your AirPods should last at least 3, which is around 350-500 charge cycles, before you need to replace them.

This is because their lithium-ion batteries are small. Since they can only hold a charge for about 5 hours, AirPods owners have little choice but to charge them more frequently which causes the batteries to gradually deteriorate after every charge.

And if they go through deep discharge cycles frequently (under 10%), they’re likely to have a lower lifespan.

Bottom Line

Apple's AirPods are undeniably popular but their batteries have a finite life cycle but there are plenty of things you can do to stop them from deteriorating sooner than later– even before you notice that they don’t last as much as they did when you first bought them. 

Some of the things you can do are turn off certain features that drain the battery, make sure you keep them in the case at room temperature and avoid running your AirPods completely empty.