AirPods Pro won’t charge? Don’t worry, it happens more often than you think. Whether it’s caused by dirt, software issues, or simple connection problems, there’s usually a quick fix. In this article, you’ll learn the most common causes, what you can do yourself, and how to save yourself from buying expensive replacements from the manufacturer in an emergency.
Common Reasons Why a Single AirPods Pro Earbud Won’t Charge
5 Most Common Reasons Why a Single AirPods Pro Earbud Won’t Charge
If one of your AirPods Pro suddenly stops working and can no longer charge, it doesn’t mean there’s a major technical failure behind it. There are everyday reasons that are easy to overlook:
- Connection issues caused by dirt or earwax: Dust, skin oils, or even a thin layer of earwax can prevent an AirPod from properly seating itself in the charging case. As a result, there’s no electrical connection. The earbuds simply won’t charge. Here’s how cleaning works.
- Charging case: The AirPods may not be the only culprit. The charging case is often the real cause. If it has very little power or the contacts inside aren’t working properly, one of the earbuds will be left without power. Check that the charging case is fully charged and clean the contacts inside thoroughly.
- Misplacement: It seems like a trivial thing, but it happens more often than you might think: If the AirPod isn’t placed in the exact position it’s supposed to, the case won’t recognize it properly and won’t charge.
- Firmware or software interference: Software bugs can also interfere with the charging process. Especially after an update, an AirPod may have become “gone bad” and need to be reconnected or reset. This is how you can force a firmware update.
- Wear and tear: With prolonged use, there may be a defect in the battery or charging electronics, or moisture damage. In such cases, a replacement or Apple support is usually the only option left, if the warranty is still valid.
How to fix the problem
Check the battery level in the charging case
When one AirPod stops charging, the culprit is often the charging case. Generally speaking, if it’s below 10% charged, the case doesn’t have enough juice to charge both AirPods.
To check the battery level in your charging case, first put your AirPods in the case and close the lid. Next, bring the case closer to your iPhone and open the lid. You should see an AirPods card appear on your iPhone screen, showing the battery level of both the charging case and AirPods.
You can check the charge status of your AirPods using the Battery widget. You can add this to your iPhone’s Today View by tapping the Edit button at the bottom of the screen (swipe right on the first screen of apps on the Lock screen or your Home screen). Alternatively, you can add the Battery widget to your Home screen.
If your problem is that the battery in the charging case is running low, you now know how to charge the case using a Lightning or USB-C cable, depending on the case model. Since its battery lasts a long time on a single charge, it’s easy to forget to connect the charging case to a power supply, so it’s best to get used to charging it every day or every other day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. That way, you’ll never run out of battery for your AirPods while you’re on the go.
Reinsert the AirPod
If your AirPods aren’t charging even though there’s plenty of battery in the charging case, the earbuds may be improperly seated in the case and not making a proper connection with the charging port. Try removing accessories like foam eartips, reinserting the AirPods, and see if the charging icon appears next to them when you bring them close to your iPhone.
If your AirPods still won’t charge, the contacts may be dirty, and the AirPods case and/or charging case may need cleaning. See the cleaning instructions below to learn how.
Clean AirPods and Charging Case
Sometimes the most common reason AirPods won’t charge is that the charging contacts are dirty, with dirt on the AirPods stem, inside the charging case, or both. This prevents the electrical charge from traveling properly, but you can clean things up using the method below.
What you’ll need,
- Lint-free or microfiber cloth
- Periodic brush, straw cleaner, or Q-tip
- 70% isopropyl alcohol (optional)
Using a dry, lint-free cloth, clean the AirPods stem, focusing on the silver contacts at the ends.
Then, take a toothbrush or similar tool and clean the internal contact points of each AirPods bay inside the charging case. If you find any stubborn gunk, take a Q-tip and dampen it with water, or spray a little isopropyl alcohol (do not spray alcohol or water directly on the case) and work the Q-tip over the dirty area.
If you use your AirPods daily, you should clean them every week to restore and maintain a proper connection between the AirPods and the Charging Case.
Reset AirPods
Apple’s original AirPods, AirPods 2, AirPods 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Pro (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation) all have a reset function that returns them to their factory settings. This can be useful if you’re having any kind of issue with them, such as when one of your AirPods refuses to charge.
- Place your AirPods in their case and close the lid.
- Wait 30 seconds, then open the lid.
- On your iOS device, go to Settings ➝ [your AirPods’ name]. Alternatively, go to Settings ➝ Bluetooth and tap the circled “i” icon next to your AirPods.
- Scroll down and tap Forget This Device, then tap again to confirm.
With the AirPods case lid open, press and hold the button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds until the status light turns amber. (If you have AirPods 4 or AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the case, just below the status light.) If your AirPods case charges only via a wired connection, the status light is inside the case between the AirPods.
When the cover opens, place your AirPods near your device and follow the steps on your device’s screen to reconnect your AirPods.
That’s it. Now that your AirPods have been reset, note that they will no longer automatically recognize any devices associated with your Apple account. Opening the AirPods case near an iOS device will start the setup process, just as it did the first time you used them.
Contact Apple Support
If none of the above suggestions resolve the problem of AirPods not charging, it’s time to contact Apple Support, as the Apple team can determine whether your AirPods or charging case needs repair or replacement.