As you probably know by now, we’re huge fans of AirPods. And when I say ‘we’, I mean pretty much everyone. They’re the best-selling wireless headphones currently on the market, and that shows no signs of changing any time soon.
AirPods are favored for their looks, their quality, and their seamless connectivity with iPhones, which are the most widely used smartphones in the world.
But for all that popularity, AirPods can still go wrong, in many different ways (from one of them not working to a muffled sound). In this article, I’ll be taking a look at the AirPods / AirPods Pro case, at a specific issue that some users have been facing regarding the status light.
Table of Contents
AirPods/AirPods Pro Case Light Explained
So before we get into what to do if your case isn’t lighting up, let’s quickly run through what the different color status lights mean, as this could indicate if there is anything wrong with your AirPods or case.
Green Light
A green light on your AirPods case means the case is fully charged. If your AirPods are inside the case and the light is green, it means both your AirPods and case are fully charged.
If your case is connected to a charger and the green light is showing, you can go ahead and unplug it as the battery is now full.
Amber Light
The amber light indicates that your case has less than one full charge (for your AirPods) left, and should be connected to a power source to recharge.
If your AirPods are in the case, it means that your AirPods/AirPods Pro are now being charged by the case.
And finally, if your case is connected to power and you see the amber light, it means your case and AirPods (if they’re inside the case) are charging. The amber light won’t stay on the whole time your case is on charge, but your case should still be charging regardless.
A flashing amber light normally means something is wrong, i.e. a pairing connection.
White Light
You will only see a blinking white light when your AirPods are in pairing mode. If you suddenly lose connection to your AirPods and you notice your case is flashing white, then your Bluetooth connection has failed.
No Light
No light on your AirPods case usually means that the battery is completely dead and your case needs to be charged.
Why Your AirPods Case is Not Lighting Up & How to Fix It
The real questions arise when your AirPods case is showing no lights or only certain lights in certain situations, but it’s fully charged and working perfectly.
There are a few different reasons why this might happen, and there are a couple of different things you can try to fix it.
Dead Battery
The most common reason for your AirPods case displaying no light is that the battery is completely dead. Even if the amber light comes on when you charge it, the internal battery may be so depleted that it cannot retain any charge.
This is why when you remove the power cable, the status light goes off, and you may only be able to use your case to charge your AirPods once before the battery dies again.
In this case, you would need to send your case off for repair or replace it with a new one.
Another, semi-related cause of this issue may be that your case is not charging properly, due to using the wrong accessories or having a dirty charger port. This may allow the case to charge, either partially or fully, but cause it not to illuminate the status light as the case believes it has a dead battery.
How to Fix it
If your case’s internal battery is completely shot, then you will need to repair it or replace the case. You can do this by taking it to a certified Apple Repair provider or contacting Apple Support.
If you think your case is receiving inadequate charge, then you need to ensure you are using a genuine Apple charging cable, or a certified MFi (Made For iPhone/iPad) cable.
It’s also helpful to clean out the charging port on your AirPods/AirPods Pro case, as sometimes dust and debris can clog it up, resulting in improper connections between your charging cable and charging port.
The best way to do this is to take a small, thin, non-metal implement and carefully scrape out any debris from the charging port. A toothpick works well for this, but avoid anything like a paperclip or a pin, as they can damage the delicate contact prongs, which could prevent your case from charging at all.
Software Issues
Over time, software glitches and runtime errors can build up in the software that controls your AirPods case, just like with a mobile phone, computer, smart TV, or really just about any electrical device.
These glitches can manifest as many different kinds of errors, including Bluetooth problems, audio quality issues, and even how long your battery will last.
How to Fix it
This is a simple fix, and one you’ve probably used before if the phrase ‘turn it off and on again’ sounds familiar to you! With some issues, simply disconnecting and reconnecting your AirPods from your device may be enough to sort it, but it’s unlikely to do the trick in this situation.
Resetting your AirPods (and the case) to their factory default will reboot the software inside, including the way the light functions and responds to battery level and charging status.
Here’s how to carry out a reset of your AirPods or AirPods Pro:
- Place your AirPods in the case and close the lid
- Wait for 30 seconds
- Remove your AirPods from the case and put them in your ears
- Head to Settings > Bluetooth
- Your AirPods should appear in the list of connected devices; tap the Information (i) > ‘Forget This Device’
- Place your AirPods back in the case and open the lid
- Press and hold the Setup button for 15 seconds
- The status light should flash amber, then white
- With your AirPods in the case, keep the lid open and move the case close to your device
- Follow the onscreen popup to reconnect your AirPods
Now your AirPods and case have been reset, see if the light and/or battery life are working and showing the correct information. Place the case on charge to test how the light responds.
Hardware Failure
Another possible cause of the light on your AirPods case not working properly is that something inside your case is actually damaged.
This could be a hardware failure, that occurred through no fault of your own, or it could have happened if you’ve dropped your case, causing internal damage.
How to Fix it
Unfortunately, if this is the reason behind your AirPods case light not behaving as it should, then there’s not much that you can do about it apart from getting in touch with Apple and seeking a repair or replacement.
Unless you really know what you’re doing, I would strongly advise against opening up the AirPods case and seeing if you can fix it. Even if you are tech-savvy, you should know that doing this will void any warranty you’ve got on your AirPods, leaving you out of pocket if you can’t fix it.
Contact Apple here, or find a list of Apple Authorized repair shops here.
Final Thoughts
This is a tricky situation to find yourself in, as realistically, even if the light is not working, if your case is still charging, holding charge, charging your AirPods, and connecting to your device, then it’s still working – it’s just the light that isn’t.
Of course, the light can provide you with information by just glancing at it, but if you can live without it and just use your device to check on battery status, then that’s a very quick fix!
If not, try the fixes listed in the article, and try to determine the cause of your issue.
Good luck!
