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AirPods Not Charging Evenly (Causes and How to Fix)

As an AirPods owner, I know all too well the frustration of seeing one charge faster than the other. I recently had this issue, and after doing some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved it and other solutions I discovered. In this blog post, I’ll be discussing the causes of AirPods not charging evenly and how to fix them.

AirPods won’t charge evenly if there’s a problem with the internal battery of the AirPods or if something is blocking the case from charging them properly.

ProblemCauseSolution
Uneven Battery HealthUsing one AirPod more oftenTry to use both AirPods evenly
Dirt Blocking Charging PortDirt and grime accumulationClean the charging ports of AirPods and case with a lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol
Malfunctioning AirPods/CaseDamage or manufacturing defectTake AirPods to a certified service center for repair
Software ProblemsGlitching connectionReset the connection between AirPods and your device

4 Reasons AirPods May Not Charge Evenly

There are several factors that may prevent your AirPods from charging evenly. Let’s have a closer look at each one of them:

1. Uneven Battery Health

The main reason why AirPods end up not charging evenly is that you’re using one more than the other.

If you typically use a specific AirPod, you’ll need to charge it more often, which consumes more charging cycles, and therefore, shortens the battery life.

After continuous use, the AirPod’s battery will hold less charge, so it’ll end up charging slower than the AirPod that you don’t use more often.

This happens because we typically prefer one ear over the other when it comes to listening, so we typically end up choosing the same AirPod every time.

2. Dirt Blocking the Charging Port

Read more: AirPods keep disconnecting and reconnecting

Another common reason why AirPods don’t charge evenly is caused by dirt and grime that ends up blocking the charging cycle, especially when it comes to the charging case.

The charging port in the AirPod case, also known as the “data port”, can be easily filled with dirt particles, which disrupts the charging cycle in the affected AirPod.

This is because AirPods are designed to slow down the charging speed if the electric current is disrupted to avoid damaging the components of the AirPods.

While checking the AirPods case for dirt blocking the charging port, you should also check the AirPods themselves, especially at the connection point.

3. Malfunctioning AirPods/Case

Read more: AirPods keep cutting out

Sometimes, even without dirt or grime blocking one charging port, the AirPod case might be suffering from a malfunctioning problem itself.

This can happen for a wide range of reasons, including damage to the charging port or any other part of the charging cycle. 

This damage can be caused by physical shocks and power surges/shorts in addition to other factors like manufacturing defects.

4. Software Problems

Another aspect that can also cause AirPod charging problems is software issues, although it’s not as common as the other causes mentioned above.

A glitching connection may prevent the AirPod from charging at a normal speed, which ends up slowing that AirPod down. As a result, you might notice that one AirPod is charging much faster than the other.

AirPods
AirPods

How to Troubleshoot AirPods Not Charging Evenly

Based on the factors that cause AirPods to charge unevenly, the troubleshooting method will vary. Here are some of the solutions that can fix the problem:

1. Try to Charge the AirPods Overnight

This simple trick helped a lot of people fix their AirPod charging problems, including uneven charging. 

If there’s an electric short that caused one AirPod to undercharge, allowing the AirPods to charge all the way can even it out, restoring some of the battery health lost.

2. Clean the Charging Ports

If you find dirt or grime blocking the charging ports in your AirPods or their case, cleaning them up will help you restore the original charging speed.

To do this, make sure that you only use a lint-free cloth for cleaning. If you need extra cleaning power, you can add a drop of isopropyl alcohol. Make sure that the AirPods dry up before using them.

3. Reset the AirPods Connection

For software problems as well as other factors and glitches that can disrupt the charging cycle of the AirPod, you can try resetting the connection between the AirPods and your device.

To do this, simply open “Settings” and choose “Bluetooth”, then scroll down to your AirPods, then choose “Forget This Device”.

  1. Then, Put your AirPods in the case
  2. Open the lid 
  3. Hold the button on the case, for 15 seconds, until the light flashes amber then white
  4. Reconnect your AirPods to your device

Connect the AirPods again to your iPhone or iPad, and your AirPods should charge evenly if the problem was caused by a software problem. Re-establishing the connection will also download any pending AirPods updates automatically.

4. Take the AirPods to a Certified Service Center

If all else fails, there might be a hardware issue or a permanent battery health problem that is stopping one AirPod from charging as fast as the other. 

In that case, you can either take them to a certified service center to be checked or get newer ones if yours are pretty old.

Wrap Up

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons that can prevent one of the AirPods from charging properly.

Luckily, there are also various methods to help you troubleshoot the issue and fix it. To avoid this problem in the future, make sure that you don’t use a single AirPod excessively while leaving the other.