Tech Reference

How to check your AirPods' battery life on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac

Read in app

Oh, AirPods — maybe Apple's best product since the iPhone. They're cordless, convenient, and cool. But while they definitely up your style game, the sleek design can make it difficult to figure out how much battery they have left.

Thankfully, you can check your AirPods battery at any time using a paired iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Here's how.

How to check your AirPods' battery on an iPhone or iPad

You can use either of these methods once you've paired your AirPods with your iPhone or iPad at least once.

Opening the case

1. Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone or iPad. You can do this through the Control Center or the Settings menu.

how to airpod battery 1
Make sure that you have Bluetooth enabled.  Christine Kopaczewski/Business Insider

2. Hold your AirPods case, with the AirPods inside, near the iPhone/iPad and open the case.

3. A pop up should appear at the bottom of the screen. It'll show the battery life of the AirPods and their case.

how to airpods battery 2
The battery life of both AirPods and their case will appear at the bottom of the screen.  Christine Kopaczewski/Business Insider

Using the battery widget

If you want to see your AirPods' battery life while you're wearing them, you can use the battery widget on your widget page.

1. On your iPhone or iPad's first Home page, swipe to the right to access your widgets.

2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and tap Edit, then tap the plus icon at the top-left corner of the screen.

The Widgets page on an iPhone, with the Edit and add widgets icons highlighted.
Open your Widgets page and go to add a new one.  William Antonelli/Insider

3. Go to the bottom of the widgets list and tap Batteries, then choose how big you want the widget to be.

Showing how to add a Batteries widget and pick its size.
Find the "Batteries" widget and add it.  William Antonelli/Insider

4. Place your widget, then tap Done in the top-right corner.

Placing the Batteries widget on an iPhone.
The battery life of your iPhone and everything connected to it will be displayed.  William Antonelli/Insider

Now you'll see your AirPods' battery life on the widget page, as well as the battery percentage of your iPhone and any other connected devices (like an Apple Watch).

How to check your AirPods' battery on a Mac

If your AirPods are paired with your Mac, you can view their battery life from the desktop. If they're in their case when you do this, just remember to open the case.

1. In the menu bar at the top of your Mac's screen, click either the Bluetooth icon or the speaker icon.

2. Select the AirPods, and you'll see the battery life for each earbud and the case.

Checking a pair of AirPods' battery life on a Mac.
On a Mac, you can see a readout of your AirPods' battery life from the Bluetooth menu.  William Antonelli/Insider

Read next

Christine Kopaczewski is a Philadelphia-based freelance lifestyle writer. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her Scottish Terrier puppy or exploring the east coast with her British husband. Her previous work has been published by Good Housekeeping, PureWow, and Yahoo.
ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.