How Long Does It Take Airpods to Charge? Fast Charging Guide

You've seen 'em everywhere: people bobbing their heads to the beat, talking on the phone without a wire in sight. That's right, Apple AirPods have flipped the script on how we groove and gab on the move. These sleek little buds are all about ease, comfort, and sound that's on point. But here's the thing—folks are always wondering, "How long do these babies need to power up?" So, buckle up, because in this blog, we're spilling the tea on charging your AirPods. We're talking case tricks, wireless magic, and all the good stuff.

How long do Airpods take to charge?

The newest models, like the 3rd gen and the Pro 2, take about an hour to go from zero to full. Quick charge in 5, and you’re good for an hour of tunes.

The 2nd gen AirPods Pro are like the hare in a race—they charge fast. Five minutes on the charger, and you get an hour of jammin’ or chatting. Full charge? About an hour. And the case keeps you going for up to 30 hours of music.

Oh, and there’s a switch-up: USB-C Charging. The latest AirPods, including the Pro 2, come with a USB-C case now, not the old Lightning. The Pro 2’s case is the “MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C)”. It’s all about making things easier and matching up with other devices.

Do AirPods Come with a Charger?

No Wall Chargers Included

AirPods come with a charging case, which serves as both a protective case and a charger for your earbuds. However, they do not come with a iphone charger. All recent AirPods models including AirPods Pro do not ship with a iphone wall charger included in the box. Only the AirPods earbuds themselves and a Lightning to USB-C cable for charging are provided.

USB-C Cable Enables Wired Charging

The latest AirPods models, such as AirPods Pro 2, now come with a USB-C charging case. The USB-C cable included in the box allows you to charge your AirPods case by connecting it to a computer’s USB port or a USB wall adapter. You can use any compatible USB-C charger, like those that come with newer iPhones or MacBooks, to charge your AirPods case.

Important notes:

• Older AirPods models (like 2nd generation AirPods) still use the Lightning connector for charging.
• The MagSafe charging case for AirPods Pro 2 is now USB-C compatible, officially called “MagSafe Charging Case (USB-C)”.

The new USB-C port offers broader compatibility, allowing AirPods to work with a wider range of devices and chargers.

Considerations for Picking a Charger

When selecting an aftermarket charger for AirPods, opt for a 5W or higher power adapter from trusted brands with sufficient safety certifications. Lower wattage chargers can charge AirPods too but will have slower charging speeds.

How Do I Charge My AirPods Using the Case?

To charge your AirPods with wired Lightning charging case, connect the Lightning cable that came with your AirPods to the charging port at the bottom of the case. Plug the other end into a wall outlet, computer, or external battery pack with a USB port for power.

How to Wirelessly Charge the AirPods Case?

Ensure You Have a Wireless Charging Case

Before attempting wireless charging, confirm your AirPods case is a wireless charging capable model. Wireless cases have a LED lightning icon at the bottom. If you have a wireless charging case for your AirPods or AirPods Pro, you can charge it using a Qi-compatible wireless charger. Simply place the case on the wireless charging pad with the LED indicator facing up. The case will begin charging wirelessly.

Wanna dial up your wireless charging game? Hook up with UGREEN's 2024 charger series. These top-shelf chargers are the real deal, straight from a brand that knows its stuff.

Align Case Properly on Qi Charger

For contactless charging to work, the internal charging coil inside the AirPods case needs proper alignment over the charging area of the Qi wireless charger pad you use. Place the case centered atop the wireless charger. The LED lightning icon should face down contacting the pad.

Expect Longer Charge Times Than Wired

A big caveat is that wireless charging AirPods takes longer than cabled charging. Allow roughly 2 to 3 hours for a complete wireless charge; 1 to 1.5 hours wired. Newer generations with optimized wireless charging can achieve full power within 60 to 120 minutes though.

How Do I Know if My AirPods Case is Charging?

Lightning Bolt Icon Illuminates

When you correctly connect your AirPods wireless charging case to a power source either via Lightning cable or Qi wireless charger, a tiny lightning bolt icon on the case's LED interface lights up to confirm charging has started.

Case LED Changes Colors Over Time

The LED interface light shifts colors to indicate current charging progress. It glows amber/orange at the lower end, white above 30%, and starts blinking when nearly fully topped off. Finally it emits a solid green light when 100% charged.

Charging Animations on Connected Device

If your AirPods case is paired to an iPhone, iPad or Mac, additional charging notifications and battery percentage indicators will display on-screen. This allows monitoring charging status directly on your connected Apple device as well.

AirPods Case Feels Warm When Charging

While wireless charging offers convenience, it's important to note that some heat generation is normal during the process. As UGREEN's comprehensive guide on phone overheating points out, various factors can contribute to your device warming up during charging. In the case of wireless charging, such as with AirPods cases, the slight warmth you feel is often a result of the electromagnetic induction process. This heat is typically harmless and actually serves as an indicator that charging is in progress. However, if you notice excessive heat, it may be worth investigating further using the tips provided in UGREEN's article to ensure optimal charging conditions for your devices.

Is It Possible to Overcharge the AirPods Case?

Built-In Battery Protection

Modern lithium-ion batteries in the AirPods case come equipped with dedicated protection circuitry that guards against overcharging and related mishaps. This regulates voltage and current to prevent overheating or damage when fully charged.

Auto Power Cutoffs When Full

Most chargers including wired Lightning and Qi wireless pads automatically stop supplying charge current to AirPods case once internal battery indicates 100% capacity reached. So leaving it docked overnight won't cause issues.

Discharging Cycles Important Too

While overcharging itself is quite unlikely nowadays, regularly leaving the AirPods case plugged in for extended durations after hitting max capacity does reduce overall battery longevity over long term.

Best Practice Tips Against Overcharging

Disconnect your AirPods case once the solid green light indicates completely full to allow periodic slight self-discharging cycles that prolong overall battery capacity.

FAQ about How Long Does It Take Airpods to Charge

Why is there a difference in charging times?

Wired Lightning charging is generally faster than wireless Qi charging used by the wireless case models. Also the latest generations have enhanced charging speeds, with the 2nd gen AirPods Pro achieving 50% in 30 minutes wired.

Do AirPods charge faster on iPad versus Mac?

Not really - AirPods charge at similar rates through any Lightning cable connected USB-A port that can deliver sufficient power. So iPhone, iPad or MacBook would charge roughly the same. A higher wattage wall adapter may be slightly faster.

Why do my AirPods charge slower recently?

Over long term usage, slight battery degradation can gradually reduce charging speeds. Also dirty Lightning connector contacts or misaligned wireless charging coils may affect charging performance. If you're noticing a sluggish charge, try giving those charging contacts a gentle clean or adjusting how your phone sits on the charger. These quick fixes, along with the UGREEN's in-depth guide on slow phone charging, might just be the ticket to getting your juiced up faster.

Can I charge my AirPods case with a wireless charger not made by Apple?

Yes, you can use any Qi-compatible wireless charger to charge your AirPods case, such as the wireless charger for iPhone from UGREEN.

Conclusion

Charging your AirPods from 0 to 100% takes about one hour, and this simple process can be done faster using a high-quality charger from a trusted brand like UGREEN. By using Ugreen fast charger for your Airpods charging case you can ensure that your AirPods are always ready when you need them.