Earbuds Not Charging? Case and Battery Fixes

Find Your Problem: What Isn't Charging?

The table covers six charging symptoms, with the most likely cause and the first fix for each. Rows marked "below" are answered on this page.

Symptom	Most likely cause	First fix	Full steps
Case won't charge	Cable, adapter or a dirty port	Try another cable and adapter and charge the case for at least 15 minutes. (Apple's time for AirPods; other brands, see the brand table)	Below; AirPods: AirPods Case Not Charging
Earbuds won't charge in the case	Dirty contacts, or an earbud not seated	Clean the contacts on the earbuds and in the case, then reseat them.	Below
Only one earbud charges	Dirt on that earbud's contacts	Clean that earbud's contacts and reseat it.	Below
Case won't charge on a wireless charger	The case's position on the charger	Reposition the case on the charger.	Below
Over-ear headphones won't charge	Cable or port	Try another cable and power source.	Below; AirPods Max: AirPods Max Not Turning On
Earbuds seem dead or won't turn on	Fully drained battery	Leave them charging in the case, then try again.	Below: revive a dead earbud

Each first fix is the opening step. The sections below give the rest of the order, starting with the case.

Charging Case Not Charging?

A charging case that won't charge usually has a loose cable, a weak power source or debris in its charging port. The minimum charge time is brand-specific: Apple says to charge AirPods and their case for at least 15 minutes, and Google says to charge Pixel Buds for at least 30 minutes before you pair them again. Check these three things first:

• Plug the cable firmly into the case and into a USB power adapter, and plug the adapter into a working outlet (Apple's check for AirPods).
• Clear debris from the charging port with a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush, and don't get any liquid in the charging port (Apple's rule for AirPods cases).
• Place a wireless-charging AirPods case on the charger with its status light facing up, and reposition it if the light doesn't turn on; Google gives the same reposition step for Pixel Buds cases.

Samsung says to place a Galaxy Buds case directly on the center of a wireless charging pad. Keep the lid closed while the earbuds charge: Sony and Bose both say a closed lid saves the case's battery. Heat and cold matter too, and Bose says to let earbuds or a case that got very hot or cold return to room temperature before you charge again.

Earbuds Not Charging in the Case?

Earbuds that won't charge inside a working case are usually not seated properly, or their charging contacts are dirty. Samsung says that if the earbuds aren't fully in their correct spots, the charging contacts won't connect, and that dust, wax or other debris builds up on the contacts over time. Sony says the same for the WF-1000XM5: earbuds floating in the case may not charge. Wipe the contacts on the earbuds and in the case with a dry, soft cloth, as Google advises for Pixel Buds. Loose eartips stop an earbud seating too, so Google says to check the eartips are securely attached; on Pixel Buds, the case light blinks when each earbud sits correctly.

Only One Earbud Charging?

When only one earbud charges, clean that earbud's contacts and the matching pins in the case, then reseat it. JBL says charging problems are almost always caused by dirt on the metal charging contacts, which sweat, skin grease or earwax can contaminate. Some difference between sides is normal: Sony says one WF-1000XM5 earbud works as the main unit and uses its battery faster, so the two sides can take different times to charge. If one side still won't charge after cleaning, use the one-earbud guide linked above.

How to Check Your Earbuds' Battery on iPhone

To check AirPods battery on iPhone, open the case lid, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap your AirPods, then tap the Info button next to them. On a Mac, open the lid, hold the AirPods close and check Sound in Control Center. The AirPods case light also reports charge: green means fully charged, and amber means less than one full charge remains. Apple's Beats guide says Beats headphones and earbuds show their charge level on iPhone too.

Can You Charge Earbuds Without the Case?

True wireless earbuds charge through their case. Apple's instruction for AirPods is to put them in the case, which holds multiple full charges, and Sony charges WF-1000XM5 earbuds by setting them into the charging case. None of the support pages we read describes a way to charge the earbuds without it. A lost case is replaceable: Apple says a lost AirPods case can be ordered as a replacement.

Over-Ear Headphones Not Charging?

Over-ear headphones have no charging case, so the cable, the port and the power source are the whole charging path. Bose says to make sure both ends of the USB cable are securely connected, then try a different wall charger, cable or power source. Sony says the WH-1000XM6 won't finish charging through a USB hub and can't charge from a computer in sleep mode. AirPods Max charge by cable plugged into the bottom-right earphone, and Apple says to charge them for at least 5 minutes.

Not Charging? Fixes by Brand

Exact steps vary by maker, so each row gives the brand's first fix and links to its charging, battery drain and power pages. Each first fix comes from that brand's own support pages or owner's guide.

Brand	First fix	Not charging	Battery draining	Turn on and off
AirPods	Clean the case's charging port, put both AirPods in the case, close the lid and charge it by cable for at least 15 minutes.	AirPods Not Charging	AirPods Battery Draining Fast	How to Turn AirPods On and Off
Beats	Plug your Beats headphones, or the case with both Beats earbuds inside, into a power outlet with a USB-C cable and a compatible power adapter, then check the charge level on your phone.	Beats headphones charging fixes	Beats headphones battery drain	turn Beats headphones on and off
Samsung Galaxy Buds	Clean the charging contacts on the buds and case, then charge with the included USB cable and a Samsung-approved wall adapter.	Samsung Galaxy Buds charging fixes	Samsung Galaxy Buds battery drain	turn Samsung Galaxy Buds on and off
Google Pixel Buds	Wipe the charging contacts with a dry, soft cloth, then charge for at least 30 minutes.	Pixel Buds Not Charging	No page yet	No page yet
Sony	Plug the USB-C cable into a wall USB adapter, not a USB hub or a sleeping computer, and for earbuds seat both firmly in the case and close the lid.	Sony Headphones Not Charging	Sony Headphones Battery Draining Fast	How to Turn Sony Headphones On and Off
Bose	Wipe the charging contacts and seat both earbuds until they snap into the case (Bose headphones: reconnect both ends of the USB-C cable), then try another cable and wall charger.	Bose Headphones Not Charging	Bose Headphones Battery Draining Fast	How to Turn Bose Headphones On and Off
JBL	Clean the metal charging contacts on both earbuds and inside the case with a cotton swab lightly dampened with rubbing alcohol, let them dry, then charge again.	JBL Earbuds Not Charging	No page yet	How to Turn JBL Earbuds On and Off
Skullcandy	Clear any debris from the charging pins, check the ear gels aren't stopping both earbuds from sitting correctly in the case, then charge the case by USB-C and check its battery light.	Skullcandy Earbuds Not Charging	No page yet	How to Turn Skullcandy Earbuds On and Off

The rubbing-alcohol method is JBL's own, and JBL says the case must be completely dry before you close it. For other brands, keep liquid away from the contacts and port: Apple's rule is "Don't get any liquid in the charging ports."

How to Revive a Dead Earbud

To revive a dead earbud, charge the case first, clean the contacts, then seat the earbud and leave it charging. The wait is brand-specific: at least 15 minutes for AirPods and their case (Apple), at least 30 minutes for Pixel Buds (Google), and at least 10 minutes for a Galaxy Buds case after you reconnect the charger (Samsung). If it still shows no charge, reset it, the step both Apple and Google put after charging, then contact the maker. The steps to factory reset earbuds cover each brand.

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Battery or Charging Changed After an Update?

A software update can change battery life for a short time. Apple says that immediately after an operating system update on its devices, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. For AirPods firmware, Apple says updates are delivered automatically while your AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi. Keep the case charging near your phone. If the earbuds also stopped pairing after the update, see Bluetooth headphones not connecting, and check earbud updates on the Update Tracker for known issues. Get an email when an earbud update breaks something, and when it's fixed.

How Long Do Earbud Batteries Last?

None of the support pages we read gives a lifespan figure for earbud batteries. They do say batteries wear: Apple designed Optimized Battery Charging on AirPods Pro and AirPods 3 or later to reduce the wear on the battery and improve its lifespan. Sony's WH-1000XM6 guide says the battery should be replaced if its usage hours decrease significantly, and it advises charging a stored headset once every 6 months to avoid over-discharge. For AirPods, read How Long Do AirPods Last? Battery Lifespan Explained and the options for AirPods battery replacement.

Still Not Charging? When to Contact the Manufacturer

Contact the maker when the case, the contacts and the brand guide have all been checked, in this order:

1. Try the next fix: one earbud not working, if one side still won't charge or play.
2. Reset your earbuds: use the factory reset earbuds steps linked above (you'll need to pair them again afterwards).
3. Contact the maker's support: the official Apple, Samsung, Google, Sony, Bose, JBL and Skullcandy pages we checked are listed under Sources at the end of this page. Have your model name ready.
4. Check repair or warranty options on the maker's official service page.

Started after an update? Check the Update Tracker for known issues.