AirPods and AirPods Pro are genius inventions that represented key milestones in the development and popularization of hands-free technology. As we all know, we can use these handy devices to do so much more than listen to music. You can use your AirPods to ask Siri a question, or to make a phone call without touching your iPhone.
According to Apple, first-generation AirPods give as much as five hours of listening time or up to two hours of talking time. Second-gen have an extended talk time of three hours, while AirPod Pro battery life is four and a half hours of listening or three and a half hours of talking.
As a general rule, users who are looking to prolong the battery life of their AirPods should always return them to the case when they aren’t using them. Apple warns against opening and closing the case repeatedly as a fidget tool, as this can reduce battery charge.
Listening to one bud at a time – while another is left to charge – is another way to ensure you are never caught out by both buds being drained of battery simultaneously. While this isn’t the user experience most signed up for, it does mean that a user can have music in their ears until the AirPod case dies.
Turning off some of your AirPods’ smart features should further help improve battery life. Turning off automatic ear detection, and avoiding using the double-tap feature unless necessary, will contribute to saving a few more minutes of battery life.
iOS 14 also brought an update for AirPods, called Optimized Battery Charging, allowing your iOS device to learn your daily charging routine and only charge your earbuds to 80% until just before you are ready to use them – a handy feature to have enabled to reduce battery ageing.
Employing just some of these tips will make sure you maximize your five hours of music time.
