How Long Will Your AirPods Pro Really Last?

Apple’s AirPods Pro pack a ton of great features into a small but pricey package. They offer Active Noice Cancelling, Spatial Audio, and a customizable fit. But do the battery life and life expectancy of these earbuds match up? How long will your AirPods Pro really last?

The battery of AirPods Pro lasts for 4.5 hours of listening time or 3.5 hours of talk time, and the charging case provides about 24 hours of battery life. It can charge the AirPods 6 times. The AirPods Pro will generally last for about 2-3 years, depending on how often they’re used.

Let’s take a closer look at how long your AirPods Pro will last, and how to make them last even longer. We’ll also take a look at some alternatives to the AirPods Pro, in case you decide they’re not the right option for you.

What Is the Battery Life of AirPods Pro?

The battery life of AirPods Pro (on Amazon) is better than the previous version of the AirPods. However, it wears with time and drains faster as it ages.

The AirPods Pro has amazing features like Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Transparency Mode. But the more features you use, the faster the battery will die. 

According to Apple, the battery life of AirPods Pro is 4.5 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation on. The talk time for AirPods Pro is 3.5 hours. If you don’t use noise cancellation, however, you can expect an extra half an hour of listening time. 

The AirPods Pro charges through the charging case, which also needs to be charged. The battery life of the charging case provides 24 hours of listening time. The talk time provided by the charging case is over 18 hours. 

The charging case allows multiple charges for the AirPods Pro in each single case charge. Therefore, the charging case takes longer than the AirPods Pro to charge. 

How to Check the Charge of AirPods Pro

You can check the battery of both the AirPods Pro and the charging case by using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod.

Place the AirPods Pro in the charging case and bring it near your respected device. Wait until the charge appears on the screen. It will show the batteries of the AirPods Pro and their charging case. 

The lights on the charging case also indicate the charge level of the case. A green light means it is fully charged. 

The battery widget is another option; it’s available on iPhones, iPad, and iPods to check the charge of both the charging case and the AirPods Pro. 

The charging case charges both wirelessly through a wireless charger such as the Apple MagSafe Charger (on Amazon) or with a Lightning cable. 

What Is the Life Expectancy of AirPods Pro?

AirPods Pro are high-end wireless earbuds that are pretty costly. So, one would expect the AirPods Pro to last for several years. But do they really last such a long time?

In normal cases, the AirPods Pro last for about 2-3 years. After this period, you will either have to change the batteries or get new AirPods. 

The main component that deteriorates in the AirPods Pro is the lithium-ion battery. It isn’t a secret that lithium-ion batteries don’t last more than 3 years maximum. 

The battery of the AirPods Pro will start to drain faster after approximately 2 years. Within 3 years, you will likely need to replace it.

The AirPods Pro won’t stop working altogether after 3 years, but the battery timing and sound quality will worsen with time. If you take care of the AirPods Pro and don’t drop them often, they may last longer.

Protect the AirPods Pro from damage by putting a cover on the case such as the Rifle Paper Co. Protective AirPods Pro Case Cover (on Amazon).

You can keep using your AirPods even as they age if you don’t mind the more frequent charging and lower sound quality.

How Can You Make the AirPods Pro Last Longer?

Proper protection and using the AirPods Pro the right way will make them last longer. That’s because the way the user uses a certain device affects the life expectancy a lot. 

If you drop the AirPods Pro often on the ground, allow moisture and dust to contact the AirPods Pro often, and don’t keep the earbuds in their case, the AirPods Pro won’t last very long.

Let’s find out how to make the AirPods Pro last longer so you get the most out of these little buddies!

Keep Them in Their Case

Dropping the AirPods Pro on the floor or a hard object can easily damage them. The AirPods Pro are quite delicate and you should take good care of them. The best practice is to keep the AirPods Pro in their charging case.

The charging case will not only protect the AirPods Pro from external damage but also moisture and dust. The AirPods Pro is water-resistant with an IPX rating of 4. But frequent contact with moisture damages the resistive seals.

Keeping the AirPods Pro in the case won’t prevent the deterioration of the batteries. However, draining the AirPods’ battery fully damages it and affects the battery life.

So, when you keep the AirPods Pro in the charging case as much as possible, you will protect the batteries too.

Disable Noise Functions and Smart Features

Features like Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency Mode, Spatial Audio, and Automatic Ear Detection eat the battery faster than usual. Disabling these features and only using them when needed is better. It will not only save the battery of your AirPods Pro but also the life expectancy. 

Batteries deteriorate over time, and the more your AirPods Pro charge, the faster the batteries will die. So, saving the battery of your AirPods Pro means you save life expectancy in the long run.

Lower the Volume

Lowering the volume isn’t only good for the battery life of AirPods Pro but also your hearing ability. Many times people ignore the “lower volume” notification that the iPhone sends. Frequent high volumes damage our ears and hearing ability in the long run.

Moreover, the louder the volume of the AirPods Pro, the faster the battery will drain. So, it’s like hitting two birds with one stone — saving battery life as well as your sense of hearing.

Avoid Harsh Environmental Conditions

Keeping the AirPods away from extreme heat or cold is important. Too much heat or cold damages the internal components of the AirPods Pro as well as the charging case. Don’t put the AirPods Pro in direct sunlight or snow. 

Excessive heat affects the battery and causes a permanent shortening in its lifespan. Never keep the AirPods Pro in a parked car if the weather is particularly hot.

0-35 degrees Celsius (32˚-95˚F) is considered a good temperature range in which to operate AirPods Pro.

Get a Cover for the Case

You can find tons of cool covers and skins for the AirPods Pro charging case. These not only enhance the aesthetic of the AirPods but also protect the charging case. In case you drop the charging case on the floor or in water, the protective cover will guard it. 

The charging case of AirPods Pro doesn’t come in different colors. But you can get your favorite colored cover for the case. They come in different materials such as leather and silicon. 

Do AirPods Pro Last Longer Than AirPods?

The life expectancy of AirPods Pro and AirPods, as well as the battery life of the two, is almost the same. Both last for about 2-3 years. This is because both use the same lithium-ion batteries.

So, how are AirPods Pro different from AirPods? 

AirPods Pro have a lot more features than AirPods. The main focus of Apple was not on the battery life or lifespan but rather on the design and the features of AirPods Pro.

For example, the AirPods Pro have Active Noise Cancellation. This feature isn’t available in the AirPods. However, Active Noise Cancellation affects the battery life of the AirPods Pro, making it lower than that of the original AirPods. 

AirPods Pro have custom ear tips for a more comfortable design. The tips are interchangeable, and you can clean them as well. This feature is also missing in AirPods. The tips come in different sizes, so anyone can find a suitable one.

All these amazing features make the AirPods Pro much more expensive than the AirPods. So, if you don’t find these features amusing and only care about the battery life and lifespan, then the original AirPods is a better option for you.

How Many Charges Does the AirPods Pro Case Have?

We all know that the AirPods Pro case provides multiple charges to the AirPods. It has almost 24 hours of charge, meaning it can charge the AirPods 6 times with a single charge. So, you can charge the AirPods case once and then charge the AirPods with it 6 times.

One thing to remember is that the charging case will not always provide 6 charges per charge. The battery of the charging case will decrease over time, reducing the number of charges. There isn’t much you can do to prevent the charging case battery from worsening.

Some Popular Alternatives to AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro are expensive. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find similar earbuds for a lower price. There are a lot of alternatives to AirPods Pro that provide almost the same experience. So, if you are interested, let’s take a look at some other options:

Sony-WF1000XM4

If you want a perfect alternative to the AirPods Pro, the Sony-WF1000XM4 (on Amazon) earbuds are the best option. They are hands down one of the best wireless headphones on the market with amazing battery life. You get 8 hours from these headphones while enjoying the active noise canceling feature. 

They have an exceptional sound quality and are supported on both Android and iOS devices. So, Apple AirPods aren’t the only good choice for your iPhone.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro

The Jabra Elite 7 Pro (on Amazon) provide exceptional call quality with a comfortable design. They have a rich bass with top-notch audio quality, making them a good AirPods Pro alternative. The tiny design fits all ears.

They also have effective noise cancellation and an IPX7 rating, making them water-resistant to a great extent.

Google Pixel Buds A Series

Google Pixel Buds A Series earbuds are simple to use with easy touch controls. They have amazing Google features with good sound quality. The light and comfortable design make these earbuds worth it. However, some of the features might not work on Apple devices.

They have 5 hours of battery timing with an extra 20 hours in the charging case. The IPX4 rating makes them quite water-resistant.

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 3 Pro

Want amazing features of AirPods Pro but at a reasonable price? You should check out the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 3 Pro (on Amazon). These are the most reasonably priced earbuds on the market that don’t compromise on sound quality. 

Active noise cancellation, an IPX4 rating, and dual transparency mode are some of the prominent features of Redmi 3 Pro earbuds. You get 6 hours of battery timing in a single charge with extra 28 hours in the charging case.