How fast do AirPods charge? Apple’s AirPods are excessively popular for a few different reasons, one of which is how fast the earbuds can charge. The convenience of wireless earbuds is that they can be quickly refueled by placing them in a charging case. There is no difference between AirPods and AirPods Pro.
While countless wireless earbuds are available these days, AirPods have managed to stay some of the most popular. As it stands right now, Apple has three versions of AirPods to select from. AirPods 2 price just $129 and are the cheapest currently available. They immediately pair with the iPhone, seamlessly switch between Apple devices, and support ‘Hey Siri’ voice commands — all the core AirPods features users have come to expect. AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro are more expensive at $179 and $249, respectively, but they add additional capabilities that make the listening experience that much better.
The understanding of using AirPods is undeniably great, but none of that matters if it takes too long for the earbuds to charge in between use. Thankfully, the exact opposite is true. Apple states that AirPods 2 deliver up to 3 hours of listening time after being in the charging case for 15 minutes. Apple also demonstrates that AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro offer about 1 hour of listening time after just 5 minutes of charging. Fast charge times are a must for any pair of wireless earbuds, and this is an area where Apple has had every AirPods model to date.
What’s the battery life of AirPods?
Your AirPods will offer you up to 6 hours of listening time or up to 4 hours of talk time on a single charge. Battery life varies between models and depends on the volume, use of features, and many other factors. Also, keep in mind that battery life debases over time.
A fresh pair of AirPods (3rd generation) should last you for this long on a single charge:
- Up to 6 hrs of listening time (spatial audio turned off)
- Up to 5 hrs of listening time (spatial audio enabled)
- Up to 4 hrs of talk time
When the battery runs low, a five-minute charge will provide you with an extra 60 minutes of listening or talk time. Though we suggest charging them for at least 15 to 20 minutes, which should give you nearly a full charge.
The MagSafe charging case that comes with the AirPods (3rd generation) holds multiple charges and can improve the battery life of your AirPods:
- Up to 30 hours of listening time
- Up to 20 hours of talk time
Your AirPods Pro should have this much juice after a complete charge:
- Up to 5 hrs of listening time (ANC off)
- Up to 4.5 hrs of listening time (ANC on)
- Up to 3.5 hrs of talk time (ANC on)
As with the AirPods (3rd generation), a fast five-minute charge adds an extra one hour of listening or talk time.
Both buds snap into the case magnetically just like before, and you can even purchase the case separately.
Your AirPods (2nd generation) should work for this long on a single charge:
- Up to 5 hours of listening time
- Up to 3.5 hours of talk time
On a low battery, a 15 minutes charge will deliver you 180 minutes of listening time or 120 minutes of talk time. Again, it’s best to charge them for more extended if you can.
The AirPods and AirPods Pro charging cases can top up the AirPods for:
- Up to 24 hours of listening time
- Up to 18 hours of talk time
Complete Charge Times for AirPods&AirPods Pro
Getting a lot of battery life in just a few minutes of charging is significant, but how long does it take to completely charge AirPods from 0 – to 100 percent? While Apple doesn’t have official numbers on its website, different reporting from real users paints a good picture of what to expect. In the case of AirPods 2, Music Critic reports that a complete charge takes between 20 and 30 minutes. For some context, 15 minutes of charge time gets AirPods to over 50 percent of their entire battery capacity.
In the case of AirPods Pro, it appears that full charge time takes a bit longer. Some users on the MacRumors Forums report that a full recharge can take up to 60 minutes, with AirPods Pro taking a long time to get to 100 percent after hitting the 98 percent marker. While there’s no need to wait for AirPods to reach 100 percent battery before using them again, full charge is noticeably slower than AirPods 2. Apple hasn’t created any official comment as to why this is, but it could be an attempt to preserve the battery inside AirPods Pro. Fast recharging lithium-ion batteries over and over again isn’t great for their long-term health, so by slowing charge speeds once AirPods Pro reaches 90 percent and above, Apple is likely providing battery performance remains strong for as long as possible. There’s not much data regarding AirPods 3 total charging time, though it’s probably in line with AirPods Pro.
Regardless, the main takeaway from all of this is that AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro all have fast charge times for most situations. The full charge times may not be the most amazing. However, getting 3 hours of use in 15 minutes or 1 hour in 5 minutes is nothing to scoff at.
