Apple's AirPods generally do a great job of staying in your ears, even during a run or workout. Of course, that doesn't mean you won't ever lose one or even both earbuds –- especially if you forget to put them back in their charging case when not in use. In the how to below, we'll go over your options in case one of your AirPods go missing.

airpods 2

Use Just One AirPod

If you don't want to shell out the cash for another AirPod when you've lost one, your AirPods won't be entirely useless. Apple has designed the AirPods so you can use just one at a time. A single AirPod functions just like two AirPods, so as long as you have one AirPod and the Charging Case, you can listen to music, podcasts, and more.

Get a New AirPod From Apple

If you've had no luck using Apple's Find My iPhone app to locate a lost AirPod (or AirPods), or if you have a faulty AirPod, it might be time to consider ordering a replacement from Apple.

Apple doesn't offer AppleCare+ for first- or second-generation AirPods, and instead provides a standard one-year warranty that's included with all Apple products. If your AirPods need service during that one year period, all work will be covered for free.

After the one-year warranty has expired, Apple charges a $69 fee for out-of-warranty service repairs, as described on its iPhone Service Pricing page. If your AirPods or AirPods Charging Case loses battery capacity, battery service is free during the one-year warranty period or $49 out of warranty.

airpodrepairs
Apple charges $69 for a replacement AirPod and $59 for a replacement standard Charging Case, regardless of whether or not the AirPods are under warranty. Costs for a Wireless Charging Case are slightly different, with Apple charging $69 for an out-of-warranty repair and $79 to replace a lost one. The pricing in Apple's support document is U.S. pricing, and will vary based on country.

Setting up a Replacement AirPod or Charging Case

When you receive your replacement AirPod, follow these steps to set it up. Note that these steps can also be used set up a replacement Charging Case and Wireless Charging Case.

  1. Put both AirPods in the charging case.
  2. Open the lid and check that the status light is flashing amber (on a Wireless Charging Case, this light is located on the front of the case).
  3. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for five seconds, after which the status light should flash white. If it's still flashing amber, connect the case to a power source using a Lightning-to-USB or Lightning-to-USB-C cable (or a wireless charging mat if you have a Wireless Charging Case), close the case lid, and wait 10 minutes.
    airpods usb c cable

  4. Navigate to the Home screen on your iPhone.
  5. Open the charging case so the AirPods are visible inside and hold it next to your ‌iPhone‌.
  6. When the setup animation appears, tap Connect, then tap Done.
Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...