It was so liberating to bid farewell to the wired earphones and headphones when Apple introduced AirPods in December 2016. This wireless technology brought great convenience to our lives. AirPods are compact and offer outstanding quality audio. They are also easy to wear anywhere, anytime. However, they have to remain charged for you to enjoy that perfect listening experience.
It can feel terrible to realize that one AirPod isn’t charging. And to make the matter worse, AirPods don’t come cheap. Replacing them isn’t something many of us can afford. Anyway, don’t worry if you’ve found yourself in this situation.
There are easy ways to fix this problem at home, and that’s what this article is all about. But, understand why the problem happens first. So, we’ll start with that.
Why One AirPod Is Not Charging
Before you think about the solutions, you should know why one AirPod isn’t charging. That’s an essential step if you wish to understand how the solution will work.
Without further ado, here’s probably why one of your AirPods doesn’t charge:
- Airpods rely on a charging case to charge. You can’t charge them directly from the power outlet. That means if one AirPod isn’t charging, then it’s likely that the problem is with the case. Perhaps your charging case itself isn’t charged.
- Another reason why an AirPod would refuse to charge is if you’ve not positioned it well for charging inside the case.
- There could also be a problem with the mechanical and software components of the AirPods.
How To Fix One AirPod Not Charging
You need to ensure that your AirPods charging case is charged fully. Place your AirPods in the case and allow them to charge for about 30 seconds. Open the case near your iPad or iPhone and check the view of the charging status. Implement the following solutions if the problem persists.
Solution #1: Reset your AirPods
You can resolve the charging problem by resetting your AirPods. A mechanical or software issue could prevent one of your AirPods from charging. It’s easy to complete the reset process by following these steps:
- Place your AirPods in the charging case and close the lid.
- Wait for about 30 seconds.
- Open the lid of the charging case.
- On your phone, go to “Settings,” choose “Bluetooth,” and then click on the “More Info” button. Proceed to the next step if you don’t find your AirPods by following the above steps.
- Hit on the “Forget This Device” option. Click again to confirm.
- While the lid is open, press and hold the setup key on the back of your charging case for 10 to 15 seconds. You should see the status light flash amber and then white.
Solution #2: Re-insert Your AirPods
The charging case may have plenty of battery. But still, your AirPod won’t charge. As mentioned, you might have placed the earpiece in the case incorrectly. That means the charging case and AirPod aren’t having proper contact.
- Remove any accessories, e.g., ear tips, and then reinsert the AirPod.
- Now take the AirPods close to your iPad or iPhone. See if the charging icon shows up next to it.
Proceed to Solution #3 below if the charging problem persists.
Solution #3: Clean the Charging Case and AirPod
Regular cleaning should be part of the AirPods maintenance regime. We recommend that you give them a thorough cleaning at least weekly.
Dirt could have accumulated in the charging case or AirPod and is now presenting proper contact to enable charging. Giving the case and the AirPod a good cleaning can help resolve the problem.
Here’s how to go about it:
- Find a microfiber or lint-free cloth. Also, look for a periodontal brush, Q-tip, or straw cleaner and 70% isopropyl alcohol (not necessary).
- Use the dry and lint-free cloth to clean the steam of your AirPod. Focus more on the silver contacts.
- Clean the internal contact points in the AirPod bay within the charging case using the periodontal brush (or similar tool).
- If you find any stubborn grime, use the Q-tip moistened with water. You can also spray the gunk with isopropyl alcohol. Gently work the Q-tip on the dirty area.
Avoid spraying water or alcohol directly on the charging case. Doing so would make the problem worse!
Final Thoughts
AirPods have become our companions to the gym, work, and outdoors. They are a must-have accessory for us who love listening to music most times of the day. It can be disappointing to find out that one AirPod isn’t charging.
Fortunately, there are ways to resolve this problem at home. Understanding the possible causes of the problem is essential to understanding the logic behind your particular solution. We have described three effective solutions above. They include resetting, reinserting, and cleaning the AirPods and the case.
You should also contact Apple Support if none of these methods works for you. But, we hope that this post was helpful and you won’t have to get in touch with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Place your AirPods into their charging case. Shut the lid and wait about 30 seconds. Then open it, press, and hold the setup key at the back of your AirPods’ case. You should see the status light on the case flash amber and then white. That ought to indicate that the AirPods have been reset successfully.
AirPods utilize lithium-ion batteries to operate. Over time, these batteries can degrade, continuously making each charge shorter. In other words, your AirPods will start running out of battery more quickly as time goes by. That’s because the capacity of the lithium-ion batteries inside the earbuds has started to decrease.
You should see an amber or red light when placing the AirPods inside the charging case. The light indicates that the earbuds are charging. When fully charged, the red/amber light should turn green.
