How to Calibrate the AirPods Battery and Avoid Consumption Problems

Surely on more than one occasion you have noticed strange things in your AirPods, like suddenly one earphone runs out of battery much earlier than another. This type of thing could have several explanations and as solutions there is the calibration of the battery. In this article we will delve into the subject and we will explain how to carry out this process in order to end these tedious situations.

It should be noted that everything we explain in this article applies to both first and second generation AirPods, as well as AirPods Pro. AirPods Max with headband design have a different calibration process, so they are not included in the explanations .

Calibrate the AirPods Battery

If the headphones are not the same age

If you ever had to request a replacement for one of the headphones, this one will have less battery drain than the other. With time and use, it is completely normal for the battery to end up degrading and if the other headset has more time than the other it is also normal that its autonomy lasts less. That is why the calibration process might not work in this case, since in the end it will be very difficult (if not impossible) to balance both headphones and have the same autonomy.

A first step is to unlink them from the iPhone

We say iPhone, but the process also works if you want to unlink the AirPods from an iPad, Mac or even Android devices. What you will do is restore the firmware of the headphones, without the device they are connected to having really relevance in the process. To do this, you must follow these steps:

  1. Open the AirPods case.
  2. Press and hold the back button for about 15 seconds.
  3. Release the button when an orange light is flashing.

desvincular airpods

Once this is done you will have to re-link them to a device. If you use an iPhone, it will be enough to close and open the case with that device nearby, since an animation will appear in it that will allow you to link them. If this animation does not appear or you are using another device you will have to go to the Bluetooth settings and link them from there.

AirPods case and earbuds calibration

It must be said that the calibration of the battery as such regenerates the battery of the headphones, since it is something physically impossible. What it does in the end is balance them out and make both the left and right earbuds go hand in hand and don’t wear out one before the other. Although the battery percentage of one and the other could still be different, it should not be a difference of more than 1-3%.

The process you must follow for this is the following:

  1. Make both the earbuds and the case drain their battery. It may take several days, especially the case, but both should be at or close to 0%.
  2. Leave the case open with the headphones outside for at least 6 hours.
  3. Once the time has passed, insert the headphones in the case, close it and put it to charge via cable (preferable even if it is compatible with wireless charging bases).
  4. Keep the charge for approximately 6 hours, even if it has already reached 100% both in headphones and in the case. It is important that you do not open the lid or remove the headphones at any time.

Auriculares AirPods

Maintain good AirPods charging habits

Regardless of whether or not the battery calibration has worked in your case, you must take into account a series of factors that will ultimately cause the battery to suffer less over time. Does this mean that it will not wear out? No, but it will take longer.

  • Turn off optimized charging for AirPods if you don’t have a regular usage habit. That is, if you don’t always use them at the same times. This is an intelligent function that analyzes your hours of use and tries to make the charge take place at certain times, but if you are not regular in use it might not work. To deactivate it you must have them on and on an iPhone or iPad open Settings> Bluetooth, touch the “i” icon of the AirPods and look for the option in its settings.
  • Try not to let them download completely . The normal autonomy is usually between 4 and 5 hours. Perhaps it is 3 with a medium level of deterioration, so in principle you should have enough time to use them without problem of running out.

AirPods cargando batería

  • Charge the case regularly and don’t let it run low on battery power. The fact that it runs out of battery will also mean that it cannot charge the headphones when they are inserted in it.
  • Make sure you place them correctly in the case through the LED indicator that flashes when it has been inserted. Many times we think that putting them in is enough, but if you have not made contact in one of the hearing aids, you will not be able to charge your battery correctly.
  • Never leave the case open and try to open it only to remove or insert the headphones.

What to do if problems persist

If, despite following the battery care advice and even having calibrated it, you continue to have battery problems with the AirPods, it is best to go to Apple‘s technical support or, failing that, to one authorized by the brand. Keep in mind that if they are already more than 2 years old, you will not only have a guarantee, but it will also be more normal that they present certain failures, more if they have been used intensively in that time.

contacto soporte técnico apple airpods

In any case, it is advisable to discuss the problems with a qualified technician of the company, since they can even check the headphones and the case if you wish to verify where the problem is. If it were some kind of factory defect, you could even get a free replacement using the legal warranty.

If your headphones are old and on top of that they are without warranty, you may want to buy new ones. Perhaps it is not the most desirable thing, but considering that the price of the replacements is high, many times it ends up paying more to pay something more and get some AirPods of more modern generations.