As an owner of Apple AirPods, I found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with the fact that my AirPods would stop charging when they were full. I did some research and testing to try to figure out the answer to this question. Now, I’m here to share how I solved this issue, as well as some other solutions I discovered along the way.
Apple’s AirPods are designed to stop charging once they reach 100% capacity. Apple also uses lithium-ion batteries in their Airpod’s cases, which can be damaged by overcharging. However, the case itself stops charging automatically once the battery is full.
| Tips for Taking Care of Your Apple AirPods |
|---|
| Apple AirPods will stop charging at 100% capacity |
| The charging case has an internal lithium-ion battery |
| The battery maintains over 80% of its capacity after 500 charge cycles |
| Apple AirPods are not waterproof, but some are water-resistant |
| Store AirPods at appropriate temperatures (room temp) |
| Avoid exposing AirPods to temperatures over 114ºF |
| Don’t use wet AirPods until they’ve fully dried out |
Table of Contents
Do AirPods Stop Charging When Full?
The new generation of Apple Airpods is a fantastic product. However, with all the new features —such as water resistance and wireless charging— comes a lot of worrying and questioning about how long it can last and what about its battery life.
For example, if you’ve been wondering whether you’re overcharging your AirPods or not, rest assured you’re not. The case and the AirPods themselves are created so that when they’ve reached full capacity, they’ll stop charging immediately.
Actually, Some companies stop charging their electronic devices once they’ve reached a certain percentage. So, this line of thought is completely natural. Nevertheless, with these Apple products, you don’t have to think about it twice!
Read more: What if AirPods don’t fit?
How the Charging Case Works
The charging case of AirPods is a small, sturdy box that houses your AirPods when they aren’t in your ears. It’s designed to keep them safe and charged up so you can get back to jamming out as soon as possible.
The AirPods case has an internal battery that charges your AirPods when they’re not being used. Just place the AirPods in their case, and the case will charge them automatically.
Some users even use wireless charging to do this!
The battery inside the case is made of lithium-ion, which maintains over 80% of its original capability even after 500 charge cycles. The downside of lithium-ion batteries is that they can be damaged by overcharging for long periods of time.
Thankfully, Apple’s team has developed a case that automatically stops charging once it reaches 100%.
However, it does have one drawback: After those 500 charge cycles, the battery will hold less of a charge and will probably lose capacity even faster.
You can check the battery percentage of your AirPods or their charging case in a few different ways on your iPhone, iPad, or even MacBook. Here’s one of those methods:
- Insert the AirPods in their case
- Open the lid on the case and hold it near the device its paired with
- Wait a few seconds, and you’ll see the percentages of the case and the AirPods appear on the device
How to Maintain Your AirPods and Their Case Batteries
Even though you can’t overcharge the AirPods or their case, keep in mind that there are other ways of damaging the batteries. Let’s take a look at two factors that can affect your batteries the most.
Read more: Do AirPods hurt your ears?
Temperature
For your AirPods to operate properly and last a long time, you’ll need to keep them stored at appropriate temperatures, e.g. room temperature. When your device is exposed to extreme heat or cold, it may automatically adjust its performance to control its temperature.
For instance, leaving the AirPods in a place where the temperature is less than 14ºF may temporarily shorten the battery’s life and possibly turn off the device. Once you bring it back to a place with regular room temperature, it’ll go back to normal.
Furthermore, using or leaving the AirPods in an area with temperatures over 114ºF can permanently shorten the battery’s life span. Hence, avoid leaving them outside under the sun or in a parked car where the temperature can exceed the allocated range.
Water
There’s a difference between a waterproof product and a water-resistant one. It’s actually quite common to confuse both terms. A device that’s waterproofed can be submerged in water without sustaining any damage at all.
On the other hand, a water-resistant device can only handle a spill or splash but cannot handle submersion or continuous streams of water.
Apple’s AirPods are not waterproof, but some models have a water-resistant coating. This means that you can use them in most environments without worrying about them getting damaged by water or other liquids.
The original AirPods, as well as the second-generation AirPods and the AirPods Max, aren’t water resistant at all. Nor are their charging cases.
However, the third-generation AirPods and the AirPods Pro have a water-resistance rating of IPX4. This means it can handle a small splash of water or maybe a little sweat, but don’t dunk it in the pool!
If your AirPods happen to get wet, don’t use them until they’ve dried out to prevent damage to the batteries, and follow these steps:
- Dry the AirPods using a microfiber cloth
- Dry the ear openings using a clean cotton swab
- Leave the AirPods to dry out for at least two hours
Conclusion
So, do AirPods stop charging when full? Yes, they stop charging immediately once they’ve hit 100%!
The AirPods charging case and the AirPods themselves have been designed to automatically stop drawing power once they’re fully charged. We hope this article has put your fears about overcharging your AirPods to rest.
