This article will tell you how long your Apple headphones last (both between charges and throughout their lifetime) and how to make them last as long as possible.
The question of how long AirPods should last is really two questions: how often do they need to be replaced, and how long do they last on a single charge? Let’s answer the second question first.
Apple says that a fully charged AirPods should last between five and six hours, "[depending on] device setup, environment, usage and many other factors." That's not super specific, but here's what they mean:
- Device settings: Listening at higher volumes or using features such as noise canceling or monitoring can shorten battery life.
- Environment: Temperature affects battery life, and using noise cancellation in a busy environment can make AirPods "work harder" and consume more energy.
- Usage: Using the AirPods' microphone (whether making phone calls or Siri requests) will shorten battery life. Apple estimates that the current line of AirPods can deliver three to four and a half hours of talk time, so any combination of listening and talking will reduce the total time between charges.
More expensive models like the AirPods Pro may have higher-capacity batteries or more efficient processors, so they last longer on a single charge. A charging case is also available for a little extra, increasing the total listening time to about 24 to 30 hours.
Of course, the bigger question is how long the AirPods last overall, and that largely depends on the battery.
The lithium-ion batteries in AirPods have a limited "throughput" (how much power they receive and transmit).
A study on lithium-ion battery life concluded that a fully charged battery lasts one to two years in storage before its capacity decays, but that's not how people typically use AirPods (i.e. say, don't use them at all).
The same report says that one particular type of decay - lithium plating - can cause battery life to decrease and can occur after a varying number of charge cycles. The best results were that the battery capacity dropped to 80% after about 400 cycles.
It depends on your actual use. You can put them back into the charging case to charge after each use, but it's really not necessary. If you charge your AirPods every other day, you won't notice a significant reduction in capacity until about 27 months.
However, you can still use them later. The same results show that the battery maintains 50% capacity for about 475 cycles (about 31 months, charging every other day), but you get progressively worse results after that.
Generally speaking, with regular use, your AirPods may get three years of good performance before you have to replace them, and you can help them with some basic care and maintenance.
Need to replace your AirPods? You can find them on Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.
A few basic practices will keep your AirPods working reliably for as long as possible.
First, keep them away from extreme temperatures (and keep them dry); room temperature is the best environment for AirPods. Large changes can affect a battery's ability to charge and maintain a charge. For example, you can leave them behind if you're going to the beach (or keep them out of direct sunlight if you carry them). If it's cold outside, keep them in your pocket.
Cleanliness is also important. This isn't just to keep dust and dirt out of the case (although that's a good idea, too). Keeping your speakers clean allows them to work most efficiently. If it's clogged with debris, sound won't come out either. You may need to adjust the volume to compensate, which means more battery drain.
Don't always turn on transparency or noise reduction. Of course, you want transparency when you're taking a walk or need to know what's going on around you, but if you're just hanging out at home, you probably don't need it.
Charge to at least 80%. You don't need to worry about "charge memory" issues with lithium-ion batteries, but it's a good idea to make sure your AirPods have enough charge to increase the time between full charges.
