Check battery on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac

The easiest way to see your AirPod battery is to open the case near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. A battery widget appears on your screen showing the charge level of each earbud and the case itself. This works whether your AirPods are inside the case or already in your ears.

On iPhone or iPad, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, then look for the battery percentage displayed there. On Mac, click the battery icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Both show your AirPod charge alongside your device's own battery.

If the widget does not appear when you open the case, your AirPods may not be paired with that device yet, or Bluetooth may be turned off. Check your Bluetooth settings and make sure your AirPods are in pairing mode (hold the button on the back of the case for a few seconds until the light flashes white).

Key Takeaways

  • Open your AirPod case near your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to see a battery widget showing the charge of each earbud and the case.
  • On iPhone or iPad, you can also swipe down from the top-right corner to check battery in Control Center.
  • On Mac, click the battery icon in the menu bar to see AirPod charge levels alongside your computer's battery.
  • If no battery widget appears, check that Bluetooth is on and your AirPods are paired with the device.
  • Siri can tell you your battery level by voice — just ask "What is my AirPod battery?"

Ask Siri for your battery level

You can ask Siri to tell you your AirPod battery without looking at your screen. Say "What is my AirPod battery?" or "How much battery do my AirPods have?" Siri will read the charge level aloud, which is useful when you are driving or your hands are full.

This works on any Apple device where Siri is enabled and your AirPods are connected. Make sure Siri is turned on in your settings — on iPhone, go to Settings > Siri & Search and toggle Siri on.

Check battery on Apple Watch

If you wear an Apple Watch, you can see your AirPod battery there too. Swipe up from the bottom of the watch face to open Control Center, then look for the battery icon. It shows your AirPods' charge level alongside your watch and phone batteries.

This is handy if you are out without your phone but wearing your watch. The battery percentage updates whenever your AirPods connect to the watch.

Understand what the battery percentages mean

Each AirPod shows its own battery percentage separately. If one earbud is at 80% and the other is at 60%, they are draining at different rates — this is normal and does not mean one is broken. The case battery is shown separately and represents how much charge is left to refill your earbuds.

When an earbud drops below 10%, you will see a low battery warning on your device. At that point, you have roughly 1 to 2 hours of listening time left, depending on your model and what you are doing (calls and active noise cancellation drain faster than music playback).

The case itself typically holds enough charge to refill your AirPods about five times. Once the case battery is low, you need to plug it in to a power source — most AirPod cases charge via Lightning cable or USB-C, depending on your model.

What to do when battery is low

When your AirPods are running low, put them back in the case to charge. They will charge as long as the case has power. If both the earbuds and case are dead, you will need to plug the case into power for 15 to 20 minutes before you can use them again.

If one earbud dies before the other, you can still use the remaining earbud alone — it will switch to mono mode automatically. The dead earbud will charge in the case while you keep listening.

Troubleshoot if battery is not showing

If you do not see a battery widget when you open your AirPod case, first check that Bluetooth is turned on. Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone or iPad and make sure the toggle is on. On Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and check that it says "Bluetooth: On".

If Bluetooth is on but the widget still does not appear, your AirPods may not be paired with that device. Hold the setup button on the back of your AirPod case for about 15 seconds until the light inside flashes white, then select your AirPods from the Bluetooth menu on your device.

If you have tried pairing and the battery widget still does not show, restart your device. Turn it off completely, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then open your AirPod case near the device again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check my AirPod battery on Android?

No. AirPods only show battery information on Apple devices — iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. If you use Android, you will not see a battery widget. You can estimate battery life by how long you have been using them since the last charge, but there is no official way to check the exact percentage.

Why does one AirPod show lower battery than the other?

AirPods charge and drain independently. If you use one earbud more than the other, or if one sits in the case longer between uses, they will show different percentages. This is normal. Both will eventually reach the same level as you use them together over time.

How long do AirPods take to charge?

A single earbud charges to full in about 15 to 20 minutes inside the case. The case itself takes about 30 to 45 minutes to charge fully from empty, depending on whether you use a standard charger or a faster one. Charging speed also depends on your AirPod model.

What does the orange light in the case mean?

An orange or amber light means the case is charging your AirPods. A white light means they are ready to pair or are already paired. If the light does not turn on at all, the case battery may be completely dead — plug it in and wait a few minutes.