How to Check Your AirPods Battery Level on iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch

Check battery on your iPhone or iPad

The easiest way to see your AirPods battery is to open the case near your iPhone or iPad while it is unlocked. A battery widget appears on your screen showing the charge level of each earbud and the case itself. This works with all AirPods models — Pro, Max, and standard AirPods.

If the widget does not appear, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and your AirPods are paired to that device. You can also swipe to your lock screen and look for the battery widget there, or open Control Center (swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones, or up from the bottom on older models) and look for the AirPods icon.

To see the battery percentage in numbers rather than a visual gauge, go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your AirPods in the list of devices, and tap the information icon next to them. The screen shows the exact percentage for each earbud and the case.

Key Takeaways

Open your AirPods case near an unlocked iPhone or iPad to see a battery widget that displays the charge level of both earbuds and the case.
Go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the information icon next to your AirPods to see exact battery percentages in numbers.
On a Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and hover over your AirPods to see battery levels for each component.
Apple Watch shows AirPods battery in the Control Center or in the Batteries widget if you add it to your watch face.
If your AirPods are low on battery, the device will send you a notification when one earbud drops below 10 percent charge.

Check battery on your Mac

Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Your AirPods appear in the dropdown list. Hover your cursor over the AirPods name and a small window shows the battery percentage for the left earbud, right earbud, and case.

If you do not see the Bluetooth icon in your menu bar, go to System Settings > Bluetooth (on newer Macs) or System Preferences > Bluetooth (on older ones), and turn on "Show Bluetooth in menu bar." After that, the icon will appear and you can use the hover method above.

Check battery on your Apple Watch

Swipe up from the bottom of your watch face to open Control Center. Look for the Batteries icon — it shows a small battery symbol. Tap it and you will see the charge level of your AirPods and case listed there.

You can also add a Batteries widget to your watch face so you see the information without opening Control Center. Press and hold your watch face, tap Edit, swipe to find the Batteries widget, and add it. The widget displays battery levels for all your paired devices, including AirPods.

What to do when battery is low

When one earbud reaches 10 percent battery, your device sends a notification to alert you. At that point, you have roughly 5 to 10 minutes of listening time left, depending on your AirPods model and what you are doing (calls drain battery faster than music).

Put your AirPods back in the case to charge them. The case itself holds multiple full charges — a standard AirPods case holds about 24 hours of total listening time across multiple charges. If the case battery is also low, plug it into a USB-C or Lightning cable (depending on your model) to charge both the case and the earbuds inside.

Battery life varies by model and activity

AirPods Pro last about 6 hours of listening time on a single charge, or 5 hours if you use Active Noise Cancellation. Standard AirPods last around 5 hours. AirPods Max last about 20 hours. These numbers drop if you are on a phone call instead of listening to music, since the microphone and processing use more power.

Older AirPods models may show shorter battery life than newer ones, especially if the battery inside has degraded over time. If your AirPods consistently show very low battery after only an hour or two of use, the internal battery may be wearing out and you may want to contact Apple Support to discuss replacement options.

Troubleshooting when battery information will not show

If the battery widget does not appear when you open your AirPods case, first check that your device's Bluetooth is on and that your AirPods are actually paired. Unpair and re-pair them if the widget still does not show: go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the information icon next to your AirPods, and select Forget This Device. Then open your AirPods case near the device and follow the pairing prompt.

If you see a battery widget but the percentages look wrong — for example, showing 0 percent when the AirPods are clearly working — try restarting your device. On iPhone, hold the power button and slide to power off, wait a few seconds, and power back on. On Mac, click the Apple menu and select Restart. After the restart, open your AirPods case again and the battery information should refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the battery widget not appear when I open my AirPods case?

The widget only shows when your iPhone or iPad is unlocked and Bluetooth is on. If you have disabled Bluetooth or your AirPods are not paired to that device, the widget will not appear. Try turning Bluetooth off and back on, or re-pairing your AirPods by forgetting them in Settings and pairing again.

Can I see AirPods battery on an Android phone?

No. The battery widget and detailed battery information are Apple features and only work on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. Android phones can connect to AirPods via Bluetooth, but they cannot display the battery levels. You would need to check the battery on an Apple device instead.

How long does it take to fully charge AirPods?

A single earbud charges in about 15 to 20 minutes in the case. A full case charge takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes with a standard charger. Charging speed depends on the power adapter you use — faster chargers will reduce this time. AirPods Max take longer, around 2 hours for a full charge.

What does it mean if my AirPods case battery is at 0 percent?

Your AirPods case is completely drained and cannot charge the earbuds. Plug the case into a USB-C or Lightning cable right away. The case will begin charging when ready, and once it has some power, it can start charging your earbuds. You can use your AirPods while the case is plugged in and charging.

Do AirPods battery levels drain when they are in the case but not in use?

Very slowly, yes. AirPods in the case will lose a small amount of charge over weeks or months if the case itself is not plugged in. If you store your AirPods for a long time, charge the case before putting them away. When you take them out after storage, they may need a few minutes in the case to regain full charge.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.