Can you charge the airpod case without the airpods inside

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Have you lost your Apple AirPods’ charging case and don’t know what to do? Well, we know how painful it is to lose your AirPods’ charging case with our without the AirPods inside. Nevertheless, we’re here to help you. We get the query “how to charge AirPods without case” from many of our readers daily.

Therefore, we’ve put together a detailed guide to help charge your AirPods when the wireless charging case is missing.

Is it even possible to charge Apple AirPods or AirPods Pro without their case? If yes, how? We’ll answer all these questions right here. Read further to know more.

How to Charge AirPods Without Case – The Tried and Tested Solution

While you may find multiple solutions to charge AirPods without case online, hear us out. You “cannot” charge your AirPods without the case. So, whether you’ve lost your AirPods charging case or dropped your AirPods and charging case in water, here what you can do:

Buy a Replacement Wireless Charging Case

If you’ve lost your original Apple AirPods case, we recommend buying a new case to resolve the issue quickly. It’s the only option you have. When it comes to buying a replacement wireless charging case, you have two options:

Original Apple Wireless Charging Case

To get an original Apple wireless charging case, you need to contact Apple support.

You’ll need the following details before you contact the customer support:

1. Apple AirPods model
2. Serial number of the charging case you’ve lost (to ensure they send you the right replacement case)

To find the serial number, you can check the “My Devices” page on Apple.com. However, in case you’re unable to find the serial number, you can visit your nearest Apple store with your AirPods for a quick solution.

Once the Apple support has the necessary details, they’ll charge you a fee (about $100) and ship your replacement Airpods charger.

Even though initially, the first generation Apple AirPods did not support wireless charging, you can now make the most of a wireless charging case to charge them without a wire.

Replacement AirPods Case by Other Brands

Here’s some good news for all AirPods Pro and AirPods users. If, for some reason, you’re unable to get the original AirPods charger, you can also buy an AirPods Pro case or AirPods case by other brands. You can easily find multiple such options for a different case online for any AirPods model you have.

However, alternative charging cases may not be as fast and reliable as the real AirPods charging case. Also, they may not come with all the features and functionalities found in the original AirPods case.

These alternative charging cases can be used to connect AirPods and keep your AirPods charged.

You can charge these alternative AirPods cases using:

1. A QI certified charging mat
2. A lightning cable

How to Charge AirPods Using the Alternative Wireless Charging Case and a Qi Certified Charging Mat?

Follow these steps to charge your AirPods first generation, AirPods Pro, AirPods second generation and AirPods third generation using an alternative charging case and a QI certified charging mat:

• Place the wireless charging case on the charging mat (with or without the AirPods)
• Examine the status light that will blink to display the charged status of the case for approximately 8 seconds (amber light if charging and green light if fully charged)
• Reposition the wireless charging case if you do not see the status light soon after placing it on the charging mat

How to Charge AirPods Using the Alternative Wireless Charging Case and Lightning Cable?

Follow these steps to charge your AirPods first generation, AirPods Pro, AirPods second generation and AirPods third generation using an alternative charging case and a lightning cable:

• Use a USB-C to Lightning cable or a USB to Lightning cable
• Plug the Lightning cable into the Lightning connector on your case
• Plug the other end of the cable into a USB charger or port

Remember, charging is thr fastest and most efficient when you use an iPhone or iPad USB charger or plug the lightning cable into your Mac.

Also, please note that the location of the status light may vary from one alternative wireless charging case to another.

Avoid Experimenting Based on Myths

As we’ve clearly mentioned above, you cannot charge your AirPods or AirPods Pro without their charging case. Therefore, we highly recommend you don’t get trapped by the following myths:

Myth 1: You Can Use a Narrow Pin Charger to Charge AirPods

No, you cannot charge your AirPods using a narrow pin charger. In fact, you may end up damaging your AirPods.

This method requires you to insert the pin into your AirPods directly for a few seconds. After trying this method, we were unable to pair the AirPods. Therefore, it’s best not to experiment and follow the right process, i.e., using a wireless charging case.

Many of our readers tried to charge their AirPods and AirPods Pro using Nokia 1110’s narrow pin charger; however, like us, they ended up doing more harm to their AirPods than charging them. Remember, if you don’t provide the correct voltage for charging, you’ll end up ruining your AirPods.

Myth 2: You Can Use a Mobile App to Replenish Your AirPods’ Battery

Another popular myth — you can charge your AirPods’ battery using mobile apps. No, you cannot; that’s not a reliable method. We tried a variety of apps claiming to charge AirPods but none of them worked for us. Therefore, it’s best to avoid the mobile app solution. This means your AirPods are safe only when charged wirelessly.

How Long Do AirPods Take to Charge?

Per Apple support, if you charge second generation AirPods for 15 minutes in their case, you can get up to 3 hours of listening time or up to 2 hours of talk time.

If you charge third generation AirPods for 5 minutes in their case, you can get up to 1 hour of listening time or up to 1 hour of talk time.

If you charge AirPods Pro for 5 minutes in their case, you can get up to 1 hour of listening time or up to 1 hour of talk time.

How to Know If AirPods Are Charging?

You can check the charging status of your AirPods on your Apple devices, such as your iPhone, Mac, iPod Touch, and iPad.

How to Determine the Battery Status of Your AirPods on Your Mac?

Follow these steps to know the battery status of your AirPods or AirPods Pro on your Mac:

• Open the lid of the AirPods charging case or remove the AirPods from their case
• Open Bluetooth from the menu list
• Hover the cursor over your AirPods on the menu list and see the status

How to Determine the Battery Status of Your AirPods on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad?

There are two ways to check the battery status of your AirPods using your Apple device:

Place the Open Charging Case Near Your Apple Device

• Open the lid of the AirPods charging case
• Hold the open case near your Apple device
• Wait for a few seconds for the charging status to get displayed

Please note that silicone covers may interfere with this activity. Therefore, if the charging status is not getting displayed, remove the silicone cover and try again.

Use the Battery Widget on Your Apple Device

This method is fairly simple. Open the battery widget on your Apple device to view the status of your AirPods. However, ensure that at least one AirPod is placed in the wireless charging case when you’re inspecting the battery using the Battery Widget.

Why Isn’t My AirPods Case Charging?

If you’re wondering why your AirPods case is not charging, here are a few things you should check:

Are the Connections in Place?

If your AirPods or AirPods Pro case is charging on a charging mat, ensure it is properly placed and the charging mat’s connection to the power outlet is working properly.

Similarly, if the AirPods’ charging case or Apple’s wireless headphones AirPods Max are charging using a lightning cable, ensure the cable is plugged in properly and the power adapter is correctly connected to the power outlet.

Does the Case Need a Reset?

If your AirPods’ case is not charging, consider using the “Reset” function. Here’s how you can reset your AirPods’ wireless charging case:

• Find the setup button located on the back side of the case
• Press it and hold it for up to 15 seconds until you see blinking amber and white light

That’s it; the charging case is now reset.

Does the Case’s Charging Port Require Cleaning?

If checking the connections and resetting the charging case doesn’t help, it’s time to clean the charging port of the charger case, especially the bottom silver parts.

Here’s how you can clean the charging case’s port:

• Stick a toothpick or static brush in the charging port
• Remove the dirt very gently
• Connect the lightning cable to the charger and try again

Is There Something Wrong With the Charging Cable?

Sometimes, when the AirPods’ case is not charging, the charging cable is the problem. If you feel the cost of buying a new “original” lightning cable is high, you can purchase an alternative; however, ensure it is MFi certified.

Does the AirPods’ Firmware Require an Update?

If your AirPods’ firmware is pending update, it may be causing the charging issue. Therefore, if all the above-listed solutions do not work, update the firmware and try again. This is the last and final solution in our list.

However, if none of the solutions above are helping, we recommend the last and real option – visit your nearest Apple store and get the AirPods’ or AirPods’ case examined.

Well, the good news is that you can connect AirPods without the case. However, please note that you will need your case for the very first time you pair your AirPods or AirPods Pro with your Apple phone.

Follow these steps to connect AirPods without the case:

• Open the “Control Center” on your iPhone
• Press and hold the “Audio Card”
• Click the AirPlay icon when the full Audio Card is displayed on the screen
• Select AirPods from the list when it is displayed after clicking the Airplay icon

That’s it. You’ve successfully paired your AirPods with your iPhone!

Please note: AirPods not showing on the list means they’re not charged or they were never connected to the iPhone before.

How to Turn Off Airpods Case?

Well, unfortunately, you can not turn off your AirPods’ case. The Apple AirPods and their wireless charging case are designed to always “be ready for use.” Therefore, as long as your AirPods are in the charging case, they’re charging. When you open the lid and remove them, they’re ready to use.

The button on the AirPods’ case is NOT an ON/BUTTON. It is used to set up the AirPods or reset them/the case when required.

Do Airpods Come Charged?

Yes, Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro are typically fully charged when you receive them. Therefore, you can use them right out of the box.

Can I Use My Airpods Charger to Charge My iPhone?

As you already know, AirPods do not come with a charger; they can be charged only using their charging case. However, you can use the lightning cable that comes with the charging case to charge your iPhone.

Final Words

As you’ve read in this article, you cannot charge your standard AirPods or AirPods Pro without their charging case. It’s NOT POSSIBLE. The best and the only real option is to get a replacement case.

However, ensure you buy a reliable and good-quality replacement case even if it is a little expensive. A bad-quality case can affect the audio playback of your AirPods. If you’ve lost your AirPods charging case, you can also check our article on how to find my AirPods case for some quick solutions to find your lost charging case.

We sincerely hope you found our article on how to charge AirPods without case useful. If you have questions or suggestions, you can post them in the comments section below.

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