Do AirPods Charge One at a Time?

As an AirPods owner, I have experienced my fair share of frustrations when it comes to charging my beloved earbuds. After doing some research and testing, I am here to share how I solved the issue of “Do AirPods Charge One at a Time?” and the other solutions I discovered.

The answer to your question is yes; you can definitely charge each AirPod individually. All you’ll have to do is place the AirPod that you want to recharge in its designated area in the case, close the lid, and connect the case to a power outlet.

Tips
You can charge AirPods one at a time in their individual case.
You can charge an AirPod inside its case without connecting the case to a power outlet.
You cannot charge a single AirPod without putting it in the charging case.
Charging AirPods one at a time provides extended listening and talk time, and allows for urgent calls.
You can check the battery power percentage of an AirPod by placing it in the charging case near your iPhone or iPad, or by going to the “Batteries” widget on your device.

Table of Contents

Can I Charge My AirPod in Its Case Without Plugging the Case Into a Power Outlet?

A lot of people are wondering if you can charge AirPods one at a time inside their case without connecting the case to a power outlet. Again, the answer is yes, which can be a bit confusing for many newbie Apple users.

The thing here is that an AirPods case has a battery of its own. So, you can charge it separately without inserting an AirPod into it.

Then, later when you’re outdoors without access to a power socket, you’ll be able to simply charge your individual AirPod by putting it in the fully charged case. It’ll likely take around 20 minutes for the single AirPod to charge.

In this situation, your AirPod case will double as a power bank, and doesn’t that just feel great?

Can I Charge a Single AirPod Without Putting It in the Charging Case?

No. You can’t charge a single AirPod or both AirPods without putting them in the charging case. This is because there’s no Lightning or USB-C port built into the mini headphones themselves.

The charging case is specifically designed for that purpose.

What Are the Benefits of Charging AirPods One at a Time?

Having the opportunity to charge your AirPods one at a time can be life-saving in many situations.

For example, if you need to make an urgent call but the AirPods’ batteries are low, you don’t have to give up on both of your AirPods to wait for them to charge. Simply, you can choose to let one AirPod charge and use the other for the call.

Now, by the time the battery of the AirPod you’re using dies, the other one will have enough power to allow you to continue your call. Here, you can switch places and repeat the process over and over again, at least until the charging case is out of power!

Another benefit of being able to charge your AirPods individually is that you can extend the time that you use your AirPods to double.

See, a single AirPod gives you five hours of listening time when it’s fully charged. If you decide not to use AirPods together, you can have a total of ten hours of listening time if you keep switching between your AirPods.

You’ll only be able to do that if you have the ability to charge each AidPod separately, which you do, so, there you go!

However, because listening to music on your AirPods doesn’t consume the same power as making a call, the battery life can reach three hours of talk time. This means an overall of six hours if you don’t use both AirPods at the same time.

For business people who are always on hours-long calls, this feature is definitely a must-have!

How to Check the Battery Power Percentage on an AirPod?

Ever wondered if you can check the battery status on a single AirPod without having it displayed as a collective pair? Well, the good news is that it’s possible, and here are two easy ways to do it:

Checking AirPod Battery Status While in the Case

In this first method, you’ll need both the charging case and the other AirPod for things to work.

Put both AirPods in their places in the case

Close the lid and place the case near your iPhone or iPad, then open the lid
Wait for a few seconds
A pop-up message will appear on your device’s screen, showing you the battery percentages of each individual AirPod as well as the case itself

If both AirPods are fully charged, the screen with show a 100% status underneath the pair as a whole

Checking AirPod Battery Status Without the Case

You may prefer this method if you don’t have access to the other AirPod or charging case at the moment. It also works if you’re already wearing your AirPod and don’t want to take it off.

Head over to the “Widgets” screen on your iPhone or iPad

Go to “Batteries”
The battery percentages of both your AirPods and the charging case will show up on your screen

Final Thoughts

Do AirPods charge one at a time?

Fortunately, the answer is yes, allowing you to use each AirPod on its own and extend your overall listening and talk time.

It’s hard not to fall in love with Apple’s technology with how it makes our lives easier, right?