How to Charge Your AirPods Pro (Two Ways)

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Dec 8, 2020

Like many things with Apple's top of the line earbuds, even simple things like learning how to charge the AirPods Pro can be tricky. For instance, can you simply use the case to charge them? Does the case need to be plugged in to charge the earbuds?

The earbuds of the AirPods Pro need to be placed inside of the case to be charged.

How charging works with the Apple AirPods Pro

Let me give you a brief introduction to charging with AirPods Pro. If you'd prefer to just jump to the steps, then feel free to skip ahead to step 1.

The AirPods Pro case

The case for your AirPods Pro earbuds comes with its own battery that can be charged via the included lightning to USB-C cable. This stored power can be transferred to your AirPods Pro earbuds even when the case is disconnected from a power source. So, this means that you can put your AirPods Pro earbuds into the case to charge them, even when the case is in your pocket.

The AirPods Pro earbuds

The earbuds of the AirPods Pro need to be placed inside of the case to be charged. If the case is plugged in at the time, then the earbuds will draw on the external power source—and both the case and earbuds will charge.

Our comprehensive review

For an even more in-depth look, see our AirPods Pro Review, where we cover everything from the AirPods Pro's essential features to how to use the AirPods Pro.

Apple AirPods Pro

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Plug your AirPods Pro case into a power source, using your lightning to USB-C charging cable.

The case will light up orange, if the case needs a charge. It will light up green, if the case is fully charged.

If the case does not light up when plugging it in, then it's not receiving power. Check to make sure your outlet is working and that your charging cable isn't damaged.

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Put each individual AirPod Pro earbud into its slot with the little metal part facing down.
Once they are completely in the case, close the lid of the case.

The indicator light will either—show orange, if the earbuds need to be charged or show green if the earbuds are already fully charged.

Note: the light is not an indicator of how much charge is missing from the earbuds. That's what the final step in this guide tells you.

It took me a while to figure this one out, so let me save you the time by telling you how to check your charge levels with the AirPods Pro.

Have a device open that you've synced with the AirPods Pro (such as your iPhone or Mac).
Put your AirPods Pro's earbuds into the case and close it.
Now, simply open up the lid of your AirPods Pro case.
Look on the screen of the synced device.

You should see the charge levels for both the AirPods Pro case and earbuds (as displayed above).

Pause Audio on AirPods Pro Reset AirPods Pro

Show all in the AirPods Pro Basics series

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Ash (362)

Jan 9, 2021

2 minutes

So you've got yourself a new pair of Apple AirPods or AirPods Pro. Apple AirPods can pair with other devices using Bluetooth. This means that, yes, you can use AirPods with Android phones.