AirPods (2nd generation and earlier) Wireless Charging Case - Technical Specifications - Apple Support (2024)

FAQs

Do AirPods 2nd gen case support wireless charging? ›

Charge the AirPods or AirPods Pro case

Wireless charging case: For AirPods (2nd generation) or AirPods (3rd generation) with a wireless charging case, or AirPods Pro (all generations), place the case with the status light facing up on the center of a MagSafe wireless charger or a Qi-certified charger.

The AirPods with wireless charging case has a charging pad that comes with it. The AirPod case can just be laid to charge on this wireless charger pad, and it will charge. The non-wireless AirPods have a regular charging case that needs to be plugged in with a lightning connector to charge.

How do I know if my AirPods case is compatible with the USB-C Wireless Charging Dock? If you have the wireless charging case, then it should have an LED light on the front of the case, that will light up orange (temporarily) when it is charging, and green when fully charged.

Gen 2 AirPods either have a wired or a wireless charging case. If it's a wired charging case, then Gen 2 case is identical to the Gen 1 case. It's not as easy as comparing the AirPod pro case vs the AirPod case. The only way to tell the Gen 1 and 2 cases apart would be the serial number under the lid.

The ability to place your AirPods case onto a wireless charger for its power-up makes the charging process easier and reduces the need for wires and outlets. The added benefit is that you can still charge via a wire if it is more convenient, or you want your AirPods to charge as fast as possible.

Check the lightning cable or wireless charging pad if the AirPods case is not charging. You should also clean the inside of the case, the charging port, and the contact points on the AirPods to ensure that dirt or debris isn't blocking the connection. Try updating the AirPods' firmware or resetting the connection.

While AirPods Pro with MagSafe may offer convenient magnetic alignment, the charging speed is generally similar to the standard version without MagSafe. The primary advantage of MagSafe lies in the secure and efficient magnetic attachment rather than significantly faster charging times.

The AirPods with the wireless charging have a different case that allow them to charge on a wireless charger pad. The non wireless AirPods have a regular a charging case that need to be plugged in with a lighting connector to charge.

Wireless charging case

The most obvious difference between the AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) USB-C and the old AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) with Lightning is that the charging case on the former has a USB-C port instead of the Lightning port on the original version.

If you have the AirPods 3 or the AirPods Pro, all versions come with a wireless charging case, including the latest USB-C AirPods Pro 2. You can also choose to buy a wireless charging case separately that will work with both the first-gen AirPods and the AirPods 2, allowing you to upgrade to this capability.

How to tell if an AirPods case is MagSafe? ›

MagSafe Charging Case: The status light is on the front of the case. Wireless Charging Case: The status light is on the front of the case. Lightning Charging Case for AirPods (1st and 2nd generation): The status light in your charging case sits between the spaces for your AirPods.

It's not possible to charge AirPods wirelessly without their case.

If you can't use Settings to get your model number, you can find it on your AirPods. The model number is on the first line of the text printed on the underside of each AirPod, or underneath the left cushion of your AirPods Max.

Neither AirPods sound profile hews particularly close to our headphone preference curve, but the AirPods (3rd generation) has more advanced software and hardware. It uses bass reflex ports and Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the low and midrange frequencies to compensate for the unsealed design.

If you have the AirPods 3 or the AirPods Pro, all versions come with a wireless charging case, including the latest USB-C AirPods Pro 2. You can also choose to buy a wireless charging case separately that will work with both the first-gen AirPods and the AirPods 2, allowing you to upgrade to this capability.

Quick Charging: Supports both wired and Qi-compatible wireless charging. This charging case can be fully charged in 2 hours. Your 2nd & 1st Gen AirPods Pro can be fully charged in just 30 minutes.

Charge the AirPods or AirPods Pro case

Charge with a cable: Connect the case to a power outlet using a Lightning to USB Cable and a compatible power adapter. If the case for your AirPods Pro (2nd generation) has a USB-C connector, connect the case to a power outlet using a USB-C cable and a compatible power adapter.

Charging Your AirPods Wirelessly with iPhone 15

The iPhone 15 comes equipped with a feature that allows you to charge your AirPods wirelessly, leveraging the convenience of Qi-compatible charging. This method is perfect for when you're on the go and don't have access to a power outlet.