Check battery on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac

The easiest way to see how much charge your AirPods have is to open the case near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. A battery widget appears on your screen showing the charge level of each AirPod and the case itself. You do not need to open the case or remove the AirPods — just bring the closed case within a few inches of your device.

If the widget does not appear, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and your AirPods are already paired with that device. The widget stays on screen for a few seconds, then disappears. If you need to check again, straightforward bring the case close to your device a second time.

On an iPhone or iPad, you can also swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then look for the battery percentage next to the Bluetooth icon. This shows the battery of whichever AirPod is currently active, not both.

Check battery using Siri

Ask Siri "What's the battery level of my AirPods?" and Siri will read the charge percentage aloud. This works on any Apple device where your AirPods are paired, including your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod.

Siri gives you the percentage for each AirPod individually and the case. This is useful if you want to know the exact number without looking at a screen, or if you are driving and cannot safely check your device.

Check battery in the Settings app

On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, then tap Bluetooth. Find your AirPods in the list of connected devices and tap the information icon (the small circle with an "i"). The battery percentage for each AirPod and the case appears on this screen.

On Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click Bluetooth, find your AirPods, and click Details or the information icon. The battery levels display the same way.

This method is slower than the case widget, but it is useful if you want to check battery without having the case nearby, or if you need to see the exact percentage and the widget has already disappeared from your screen.

Key Takeaways

  • Bring your closed AirPod case near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to see a battery widget showing the charge of each AirPod and the case.
  • Ask Siri "What's the battery level of my AirPods?" to hear the percentage read aloud on any paired Apple device.
  • Open Bluetooth settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac and tap the information icon next to your AirPods to see battery percentages in the Settings app.
  • The case widget is the fastest method; Settings is useful when you do not have the case nearby or need to reference the number later.

What the battery percentages mean

Each AirPod shows its own battery level separately. If one AirPod has 100% and the other has 60%, you are seeing the actual charge in each earbud. This matters because AirPods can drain unevenly depending on which one you use more or how you store them in the case.

The case battery is separate from the AirPod batteries. A full case can charge your AirPods multiple times. For example, if your AirPods are at 10% and your case is at 80%, putting the AirPods back in the case will charge them back to full, and your case will drop to a lower percentage.

When either AirPod reaches very low battery (usually below 10%), your device may play a sound or show a notification warning you to charge soon. This gives you time to put them in the case before they shut off completely.

Troubleshooting when battery does not show

If the battery widget does not appear when you bring your case near your device, first check that Bluetooth is turned on. Go to Settings on iPhone or iPad, tap Bluetooth, and make sure the toggle is green. On Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and confirm it says "Bluetooth: On".

If Bluetooth is on but the widget still does not appear, try unpairing and re-pairing your AirPods. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the information icon next to your AirPods, and tap "Forget This Device". Then open your AirPod case, hold the setup button on the back for 15 seconds until the light flashes white, and bring the case near your device to pair again.

If you are using an older AirPod model (first or second generation), the battery widget may not work the same way. Try checking battery through Siri or the Settings app instead, which work on all models.

Battery life expectations

Standard AirPods last about 5 to 6 hours on a single charge with normal use. AirPods Pro last about 6 hours, and AirPods Max last about 20 hours. These numbers drop if you use features like active noise cancellation, which drains the battery faster.

The case holds enough charge to refill your AirPods multiple times. A full case can charge standard AirPods about 4 times, giving you roughly 24 hours of total listening time before you need to plug in the case itself.

Battery life degrades over time. After a few years of regular charging, your AirPods may not hold a charge as long as they did when new. If your AirPods are draining much faster than expected and you have owned them for several years, the battery may be aging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does one AirPod show lower battery than the other?

AirPods can charge and drain unevenly depending on which one you use more, how you store them in the case, or if one earbud has a hardware issue. This is normal. If the difference is extreme (one at 100% and one at 5%) and stays that way after multiple charge cycles, contact Apple Support.

Can I check AirPod battery on an Android phone?

No. The battery widget only works on Apple devices. If you pair AirPods with an Android phone, you cannot see the battery level through the phone itself. You would need to check battery on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac instead.

What should I do if my AirPods battery drains very quickly?

First, put your AirPods in the case for a full charge cycle and check if the problem continues. If one AirPod drains much faster than the other, try forgetting and re-pairing them. If the issue persists after several months of ownership, the battery may be failing and you may want to contact Apple Support about repair or replacement options.

Does the battery percentage update in real time?

The battery widget updates when you bring the case near your device, but it does not update continuously while you are wearing your AirPods. If you want the most current reading, bring the case close to your device again or check through Siri.