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One AirPod Loses Charge Faster: A Brief Troubleshooting Guide

As an owner of Apple AirPods, I was frustrated when I noticed that one of my AirPods was losing charge faster than the other. After doing some research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved the issue, as well as some other solutions I discovered. In this blog post, I’ll be providing a brief troubleshooting guide for anyone else experiencing this same problem.

There are several reasons why AirPods on one side may drain their battery faster, whether it’s due to using one side more frequently, problems with the charging case, software issues, or relying on special properties of the AirPods.

IssuePossible Cause(s)Solution(s)
One AirPod losing charge faster than the otherDirty charging portClean the AirPod’s charging port and the charging case using a lint-free cloth, dampened with isopropyl alcohol if needed.
Favoring one earbud over the otherStart using the other AirPod more often to balance out the battery life between the two. If necessary, consider buying a new AirPod with full battery health.
Microphone setup or control settingsChange the “Microphone” mode in AirPods settings from automatic to left or right to balance things out. Adjust control settings for specific AirPods to avoid overusing one side.
Software issuesReset the AirPod connection by forgetting the device in Bluetooth settings, then pair the AirPods back to your device.
Battery issuesAllow the AirPod to fully drain before charging it fully. If that doesn’t improve the battery life, consider purchasing new AirPods.
Need to reset the AirPodsForget the AirPods from your devices, put your AirPods in the case, open the lid, hold the button on the case for 15 seconds until the light flashes amber then white, and reconnect your AirPods to your device.

1. The Charging Port of the AirPod is Dirty

Let’s start with one of the main reasons why this problem might start happening. AirPods are charged through the charging case port.

Since this case is designed so that the port is in the bottom, it’s pretty easy for small dirt particles to accumulate there, which can impact the charging speed of that AirPort. As a result, the AirPod ends up running out of battery much quicker than the other side.

You can troubleshoot this problem by checking the data port at the bottom of the AirPod as well as its housing in the charging case.

Make sure that you only use a lint-free cloth for cleaning and dampen the cleaning tip with some isopropyl alcohol if necessary.

Read more: Only one AirPod works at a time

2. You Favor One Earbud Over the Other

A few factors can explain why you’re experiencing battery drainage on one side more than the other, but the most common one is that you’re simply using it more often.

A lot of people find using a single earbud more practical than being completely isolated with two AirPods, especially while performing other tasks, such as taking calls or doing physical activities.

According to studies, humans tend to prefer one ear over the other, and as a result, we end up choosing the same AirPod over and over. As a result, it goes through more and more charging cycles.

Since AirPod batteries tend to last in full health for only 1 to 1.5 years, you might notice that that ear drains much faster when you use the two AirPods together.

The best solution here is to start using the other AirPod more often to balance out the battery life between the two. If necessary, you can simply buy a new AirPod with full battery health.

Read more: One AirPod is louder than the other

AirPods
AirPods

3. Your AirPod Setup Relies on That AirPods More

Both AirPods are fitted with microphones. However, the microphone is set to automatic by default.

In this mode, the microphone is activated in the first Airpod that you take out of the charging case. 

Since we tend to take out the AirPods in the same order, the microphone will always be activated in that ear.

If you make a lot of calls or you use apps that rely on the microphone more often, such as Siri, the earbud that has the microphone activated will end up running out of battery faster.

Luckily, you can solve that problem by changing the “Microphone” mode in the AirPods settings from automatic to the left or right to balance things out.

In addition to calls and using Siri, you can also set different ears to control various aspects of the AirPods, such as switching between tracks by touching the AirPods.

If you typically shuffle through your playlist more often, you’ll end up using a specific AirPod more than the other, which also ends up draining the battery faster.

4. Software Issues

Although the AirPods connection is pretty stable, some errors might end up preventing the AirPods from charging properly when inserted in the charging cases.

Luckily, most software issues can be easily solved by resetting your AirPods connection to your iPhone or iPad.

To reset the AirPod connection, head to the Bluetooth section in your iPhone or iPad, then choose your AirPod, then tap on the “Forget This Device” button.

After that, pair your AirPods back to your device. If a software issue was the culprit, this should take care of the problem.

5. Battery Issues

As previously mentioned, an AirPod battery will start malfunctioning as it gets old, especially after 1.5 to 2 years of frequent use.

First, you might want to allow that AirPod to fully drain before charging it fully. If that doesn’t improve the battery life of the AirPod, you might want to go for new AirPods.

6. You need to reset the AirPods

Sometimes, simply resetting the AirPods is all it takes. To reset AirPods, do the following:

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

Wrap Up

There you have it! A brief troubleshooting guide with all the reasons why one AirPod might be losing charge faster than the other.

As you can see, there are several reasons for this to happen, whether it is due to user habits, software issues, or actual problems with the AirPod battery.

Luckily, in most cases, you can actually fix the problem on your own by following some of the tips provided above.