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Can the AirPods case charge without AirPods?

As an AirPods owner, I was frustrated to find out that my AirPods case wouldn’t charge without the AirPods in it. After some research and improved expertise, I discovered the answer is YES, the AirPods case can charge without AirPods inside. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing how I solved this issue and other solutions I discovered in the process.

Key Takeaways for Charging AirPods
– AirPods case can be charged with or without the AirPods inside.
– You can charge the AirPods case with a traditional Apple USB-C charging cable or a Qi-certified charging mat.
– Check the battery percentage of your AirPods through your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac.
– It is safe to leave your AirPods in the charging case as the charging case will stop charging when the AirPods reach full battery.

Can You Charge AirPods Case With the AirPods Inside?

The Apple AirPods are very unique in how they are built. You have the case for the AirPods, with its battery, as well as batteries within each of the earbuds themselves.

For the charging case, you can charge it with or without the AirPods inside. There is no difference at all to the charging case in terms of which route you go.

You can use a traditional Apple USB-C charging cable for the AirPods, or you can also use a Qi-certified charging mat. Apple AirPods (original), as well as the AirPods Pro, function the same way when it comes to charging.

Read more: Can you charge AirPods with someone else’s case?

AirPods
AirPods

Can You Charge the AirPods Case Without the AirPods Inside?

The great thing about the Apple AirPods case is that there is a lot of versatility in how it is constructed. You can work with it any way you please, charging it on the fly so that you always have earbuds with a full battery.

What we mean by this is that, even while you are using the AirPods or earbuds, you can be charging your case in the background.

Because the case for the AirPods has its unique battery, you do not need the AirPods themselves inside of the case for charging.

Again, to charge up the case, you can go with a wired connection. The Lightning Cable that came with your AirPods presents to you one option, one opportunity.

You can also use a USB-C to Lightning Cable to charge the case. The fastest route to charging is to plug it into a power source, but a charging mat is also an option.  

When you charge the case, you are setting yourself up to then be able to charge the AirPods when you are done.  

The easiest way to check the battery percentage of your AirPods is with your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac.

Take the case and place it near any of these devices.

Then, open up the case lid and wait a few seconds. The charge status will then appear on the screen so you can see the charge state of the case as well as the AirPods.

Read more: How long does it take to charge AirPods Pro?

Are You Meant to Remove AirPods Pro from the Case Before Charging It?

Apple knows that you want to use your AirPods Pro the second you bring them home. No one wants to open them up only to have to plug them in and watch them charge up for some time.

Due to this, Apple tries to ship their products with charging already halfway. There is about a 50% charge in every AirPods Pro when they leave the Apple factory to go to a retail store and eventually your home.  

The charge that comes with your AirPods Pro is enough so that you can easily turn on the AirPods Pro and pair them with your iPhone or iPad device.

The only thing to consider is, if you buy AirPods Pro that has been sitting for a while since they left the factory, the charge may not be as potent.  

The great thing is it only takes about 20 minutes to charge up the AirPods Pro fully, so you can charge them up and be on your way in no time.

How Do I Know if the AirPods Case is Charging?

There are visual indicators on the charging case that can help educate you as to the state of the Apple AirPods charge.

When you first plug the AirPods case in for charging or place it on a charging mat, you want to position it appropriately. Place the charging case with the status light facing up and the lid closed.  

When you first plug the case in, the initial task it will take on is to show you the state of the charge. The status light will show you the current charging level for about eight seconds in total.

From there, the status light is your guide to how well the charging case is doing in taking on power.

When you see a green light after tapping on the status button, you have a full charge. If you still see the amber or orange light, charging is still taking place.

Is It OK to Leave AirPods in the Charging Case?

The engineering of the Apple AirPods is great in that the design is in place to be sure you never overcharge the headphones.

When the charging case gets the headphones or earbuds up to 100%, the case realizes this and will stop charging.

This means it is perfectly safe for you to leave the AirPods in the charging case. There is no concern, no issue at all with leaving the AirPods in the charging case.

It is great to get a new shiny set of Apple AirPods. They are complex in their design, but usability is as simple as can be.

The more you learn about how to properly charge them, the easier it will be to maintain them over time.  

When it comes to charging your AirPods case, there are both benefits and drawbacks to doing so with or without the AirPods inside. Here are the pros and cons of charging your AirPods case without the AirPods inside:

  • Pros:
      • No need to wait for AirPods to charge before charging the case.
      • Can charge the case with a wired connection or a Qi-certified charging mat.
      • Can check battery percentage of AirPods through your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac.
      • Charging case automatically stops charging when the AirPods reach full battery.
  • Cons:
      • AirPods may not be able to charge as quickly as when in the case.
      • AirPods may be more prone to damage when left outside of the case.