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 AirPod and the case itself. This widget stays visible for a few seconds, then disappears.

If the widget does not appear, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and your AirPods are paired to that device. Open Settings, tap Bluetooth, and confirm your AirPods show as connected. The battery widget only displays when your AirPods are in range and paired.

You can also check battery in the Control Center. Swipe down from the top right corner of your screen (or up from the bottom on older iPhones), then look for the battery percentage next to your AirPods name. This shows the same information as the widget but stays visible as long as the Control Center is open.

Key Takeaways

  • Open your AirPods case near an unlocked iPhone or iPad to see a battery widget showing the charge of each AirPod and the case.
  • The Control Center on iPhone and iPad displays your AirPods battery percentage when you swipe to open it.
  • On Mac, click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar and hover over your AirPods to see battery levels.
  • Apple Watch shows AirPods battery in the Control Center when you swipe up from the watch face.
  • If you do not see battery information, confirm your AirPods are paired and Bluetooth is on.

Check battery on your Mac

Click the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen. A dropdown menu appears listing all paired Bluetooth devices. Find your AirPods in the list and hover your cursor over them. The battery percentage for each AirPod and the case displays next to the name.

If you do not see a Bluetooth icon in your menu bar, open System Settings, click General, then Bluetooth. Toggle Bluetooth on. The icon should appear in the menu bar. Once it does, you can use the same hovering method to check your AirPods battery anytime.

Check battery on your Apple Watch

Swipe up from the watch face to open the Control Center. Look for the battery icon—it usually appears near the top of the screen. Tap or press firmly on the battery icon. A detailed view shows the battery percentage of your Apple Watch, your iPhone, and any connected AirPods.

The AirPods battery appears as a separate line item in this view. If your AirPods are not showing, confirm they are paired to your watch. Open the Watch app on your iPhone, go to Bluetooth, and check that your AirPods are listed as connected.

What the battery percentages mean

Each AirPod shows its own battery level separately. If one AirPod reads 80% and the other reads 75%, they are draining at slightly different rates—this is normal. The case battery is listed separately and shows how much charge remains to refill your AirPods.

When an AirPod drops below 10%, your device may send you a notification. At 0%, that AirPod stops working until you place it back in the case to charge. The case itself can recharge your AirPods multiple times before the case battery runs out.

Why the battery widget does not appear

The widget only shows when your AirPods are in range and paired to the device you are using. If you open the case but see no widget, check that Bluetooth is on and your AirPods are connected. You can verify this in Settings under Bluetooth on iPhone, or in System Settings on Mac.

If your AirPods are paired to a different device, they may not connect to your iPhone or Mac right away. Move closer to the device you want to check, or manually select your AirPods in the Bluetooth menu to reconnect them. The widget should appear once they are actively connected.

On older iPhone models (iPhone 10 and earlier), the battery widget appears when you swipe up from the bottom instead of down from the top. The information is the same—just the gesture is different.

Charging your AirPods when battery is low

Place your AirPods in the case and close the lid. A small light on the front of the case shows charging status: amber means charging, green means fully charged. Your AirPods charge inside the case even when the case battery is low, though the case itself will not charge your AirPods once it reaches 0%.

To charge the case, connect it to power using the Lightning cable (standard AirPods and AirPods Pro) or the USB-C cable (AirPods Pro 2nd generation and newer AirPods Max). Charging time varies, but a full case typically takes one to two hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see my AirPods battery on Android?

No. The battery widget and Control Center display only work on Apple devices. If you use Android, you can check battery in the Bluetooth settings menu by looking at your AirPods in the list of paired devices, though the information is usually less detailed than on Apple devices.

Why does one AirPod show lower battery than the other?

Each AirPod has its own battery and drains at slightly different rates depending on how much you use each one. This is normal. Both AirPods will continue to work until one drops to 0%, at which point that AirPod stops functioning until recharged.

What should I do if the battery widget never appears?

First, confirm Bluetooth is on in your device settings. Then restart your AirPods by placing them in the case for 15 seconds, removing them, and holding the setup button on the back of the case for 10 seconds until the light flashes white. This resets the connection and often fixes the widget issue.

Does checking the battery drain my AirPods faster?

No. Viewing the battery percentage uses no additional power. The battery widget and Control Center display pull information that your AirPods are already sending to your device.