Do AirPods Drain Battery When Not in Use? 2024 Guide

AirPods provide a magical listening experience that takes you to a whole new world. With more features comes greater battery use, which is why the AirPods are loaded with a 398 mAh battery. With this battery, users can expect about 5 to 6 hours of playtime, which is quite impressive.

Have you, however, recently discovered that your AirPods are using much more battery than usual?

It gets extremely frustrating when you can’t figure out why your gadgets drain more battery than usual. However, the question of focus for today is whether the AirPods drain the battery when not in use.

You can consider me an expert when it comes to battery problems, as I’ve been through so many situations myself. I’ve tested the AirPods battery in different scenarios to see how much battery gets drained in different cases.

This guide will also walk you through some fixes you can try to improve the battery life of your AirPods. So, stick with me till the end, and you’ll know everything about your AirPods battery. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Contents

Do AirPods Lose Battery When Not in Case?

Yes. In standby mode, AirPods use power and drain battery charge. AirPods don’t feature ON/OFF buttons like the majority of Bluetooth headsets or earpieces. As a result, the AirPods battery cannot be turned off. They either operate in connected mode or are waiting for a connection while you are not using them.

AirPods are often in standby or sleep mode when we perceive them to be off. Although not significantly, these modes do use power. Apple only disclosed the AirPods’ battery life for listening and talking. The amount of standby battery usage, however, is not revealed.

But if we look at comparable Bluetooth devices, we can estimate how much power the AirPods will need when they are on standby. According to research, any Bluetooth gadget with a 5-hour listening period typically has a standby time of 60 to 120 hours.

According to additional studies, a good Li-ion battery can maintain its charge for a full year even while disconnected from a device. AirPods battery will thus deplete in Standby mode, although far more slowly.

What Takes Place When AirPods Are Not in the Case

Being without battery life in your AirPods is a tremendous bummer. Don’t be irresponsible and leave them lying about. In addition to being wireless, the charm of utilizing AirPods is that there is no switch to turn on or off as required.

To listen to music or answer a call, just take them out of the AirPods case and put them in your ear. If you use AirPods frequently, you’ll also be aware of how long they may survive without a case. Five hours will be spent listening, and three and a half hours will be spent talking.

If there is adequate battery power, your AirPods will be ready to use as soon as they have been properly linked with your smartphone. However, because your AirPods are made to constantly be ready for use, you will run out of charge if you don’t put them back in their case.

When not in use, the AirPods go to a low power mode. This is what uses up the battery power. There will be some power loss as long as the AirPods are Bluetooth-connected to your smartphone.

Your AirPods’ proximity sensing function consumes power when it is left on. The sensor’s goal is to make sure that you never lose access to your AirPods immediately. As a result, the AirPods battery will run out if it is kept outside of its case and linked to your phone when not in use.

In order to work in the background, the proximity sensor will use battery power. You may check the battery level of your AirPods on your phone to see how much power has been consumed.

Reasons For AirPods Losing Battery When Not in Use

As I’ve already mentioned, AirPods remain on even when you’re not using them. The sensors in AirPods are extremely habit-adaptive. Your AirPods consume batteries even when they are in sleep mode since they need to be aware of your movements when you tap or pick them up.

The following are the main causes of AirPods’ battery draining when not in use:

AirPods Case Has Low Battery Level

The AirPods will utilize their own power to stay awake if your charging case is insufficient to power them.

The necessary power is always delivered to the AirPods battery through a fully altered AirPods casing. As a result, while it is charging, your earpiece does not need to utilize its own battery.

Out of the case, AirPods

When your AirPods are not in the charging case, they do not go to sleep. The proximity sensor is on and keeps your Bluetooth connection alive, so once you put AirPods in your ear, music may start up again.

The earpieces are frequently left out of the charging case by users. They lose 20% of their charge by doing this.

Phone’s Bluetooth Is Active

If your phone’s Bluetooth is turned on, AirPods offer a capability that will connect to your iPhone automatically. When Bluetooth is turned on on your phone, AirPods maintain a stable connection. Because when you hit play again, its AI is programmed to carry out orders instantly.

High Temperature

Lithium-ion batteries are used in AirPods to power them. The lithium-ion batteries are extremely heat-sensitive. Your AirPods batteries may be harmed by any temperature that is above usual. AirPods can also have the same problem if they are exposed to direct sunlight.

Fixes for AirPods Losing Battery When Not in Use

Your AirPods do not permanently turn off. Therefore, there is no way to completely halt your AirPods’ battery from draining. But you can nearly completely eliminate the battery charge drain by doing a few simple measures.

Remember that using these techniques will disable some of your AirPods’ advanced features.

The following are various solutions for AirPods Battery Drain When Not in Use:

Avoid Hot Temperatures

Your AirPods’ lithium-ion batteries are harmed by high-temperature exposure. Apple advises using AirPods between 0° and 35° C (32° and 95° F) and storing them between -4° and 113° F (-20° and 45° C) at room temperature.

Lower The Volume

By lowering the volume, you can extend AirPods’ battery life by a few minutes. Although it doesn’t really affect battery life, depending on the circumstance, it may be useful.

Retain AirPods in their Case

Your AirPods’ batteries are not drained when in the charging case. Additionally, the charging case guarantees that AirPods are completely charged and used when playing music.

Your talking duration and listening time both rise to 20+ hours and 24-30 hours, respectively, when you charge your AirPods.

Turn Off Bluetooth on the Device

When using linked devices, Airpods immediately connect. Airpods will thus automatically connect to your device’s Bluetooth when it is ON and wait in standby mode for additional instructions. That depletes the battery in the AirPods.

The methods to disable Bluetooth on your device are as follows:

Android

From your home screen, swipe downward.
Hold down the Bluetooth option button.
Switch off Bluetooth.

iPhone

From your home screen, swipe up.
Keep holding down the Bluetooth symbol.
Select Bluetooth settings.
Disable the Bluetooth feature.

Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection

The automatic ear detection function might occasionally result in Bluetooth communication problems. This feature’s deactivation can fix the AirPods’ No Sound issue.

The ways to disable automatic ear detection are as follows:

Find your way to Settings.
Select Bluetooth, then click the Info button.
Flip Automatic Ear Detection to off.
After that, unplug your AirPods and wait a while before plugging them back in. Your AirPods will be connected, and the no audio issue will be fixed by doing this.

Turn Off the AirPods Double Tap Command

The smart sensors in your AirPods are turned off by turning off the Double Tap sensor. However, you have to set it up independently for each of your earpieces.

The following procedures will turn off the AirPods Double Tap command:

From your home screen, swipe up.
Keep holding down the Bluetooth symbol.
On your AirPods, click the “i” symbol in the upper right corner.
Click the left option.
Choose OFF.
Pick the appropriate choice.
Select OFF.

FAQs

Why do my AirPods keep dying when not in use?

AirPods are often in standby or sleep mode when we perceive them to be off. Although not significantly, these modes do use power. They either operate in the connected mode or are waiting for a connection while you are not using them.

How long do AirPods last when not in use?

When not in use, AirPods typically last 60 to 120 hours when kept in the charging case.

Why do AirPods use the battery when not in use?

Because it isn’t kept in its case when not in use, your AirPods battery discharges. Additionally, even after usage, the Bluetooth on your phone or computer is continuously active. Or the battery in the charging case is low. And as a result of heat exposure or aging, your AirPods are degrading.

Do AirPods lose battery when in case?

If your AirPods are still using Bluetooth to connect to your device, leaving them in their case might deplete their battery. Their battery does deplete if they are still linked to your phone, albeit not as rapidly as they would if they were being used constantly.

How long do AirPods stay charged when not in use?

On a single charge, your AirPods may last up to 5 hours of listening or 3 hours of talking. You may receive up to 3 hours of listening time or up to 2 hours of speaking time from your AirPods if you charge them for 15 minutes in their case.

Do the AirPods drain power even when they are not paired?

Your AirPods continue to lose battery life when they aren’t maintained in the case. This is due to the fact that they are still Bluetooth-connected to your smartphone. Your AirPods stay in an active, always-ready condition to connect for your convenience even if you switch off Bluetooth.

Is it bad to leave AirPods in the charging case if fully charged?

Your AirPods case will simply cease charging once the battery is fully charged. As a result, it is secure to leave the case attached to a lightning cord or placed on a Qi mat overnight. No negative effects or overcharging will occur.

Wrapping It Up

To sum everything up, AirPods never completely shut off. Either standby or sleep mode is where they always remain. As a result, it practically always consumes its battery. However, while they are in the charging case, they use up the energy of the charging case rather than charging it.

You can try multiple methods to extend the battery life of your AirPods. You are requested to be careful while using your AirPods. Do not leave them out of their case when not in use, as it’ll drain their battery for no reason. Hopefully, this article will have been helpful to you. Thank you for reading, and we wish you all the best.