Anyone who has had a pair of AirPods for more than a short amount of time knows that they flash different colors. These colors have different meanings. But what does blue light on AirPods mean?
Well, that is what we are going to answer in this post. Plus, we will try to educate you on the different coloring of Airpods. The reason we have written this post has to do with a misadventure of one of our colleagues.
So the story goes like this, a friend got himself Airpods from a local vendor and after some time it started to flash blue light. The big revelation came when he Googled “why is my Airpods glowing blue?”. There were tons of people online who were lured to buy fake Airpods. The real ones don’t flash Blue. Rather they would glow white, amber, or green.
Read on if you want to know more about the light scheme of Apple’s Airpods.
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What does the blue light mean on AirPods?
If your brand new Airpods are glowing blue or red, it means that your investment has gone down the drain. You have been tricked into buying a knock-off Airpods pair. Genuine ones don’t emit blue light.
You are not alone in this. Each year thousands of people online are wronged by con men. The common practice is to swindle money out of benign buyers by selling knock-off versions for the real price. Apple products are often the target due to their popularity.
What can you do to avoid purchasing phony AirPods? What colors do real AirPods emit, and what do they mean? And how can you stop buying knock-offs? Read on to learn more.
How to Know if Your Airpods Are Fake?
The knock-off or fake Airpods are so identical to the real ones that it takes a trained eye and mind to spell the differences. The following checks would help you figure out whether your Airpods are read or not.
The model number is embossed on the back of each Airpod. If it is hard to read, you can find it in the iPhone setting when the Airpods are paired via Bluetooth. Cross-check the model number on Apple’s official website, if it doesn’t match, you are in bad luck.
As mentioned above, Airpods that flicker bright blue or red lights before you wear them are not the real deal. Apple’s Airpods emit either white, amber, or green light. These lights are easily noticeable at night, but if you try hard enough, you should be able to see them in broad daylight as well.
We have found fake ones nearly twice the size of genuine AirPods. Even if the size is the same, the exterior material is not as glossy and smooth as the real deal. The charging case of a fake Airpod will also feel cheaper and rougher to the touch.
The AirPods won’t pair with your iPhone right away since knockoff AirPods lack the H1 chip (nor do they have the W1 chip of the original AirPods). You’ll need to use Bluetooth settings to pair the Fake ones.
The most important reason fake AirPods are so appealing is the price difference between real and fake ones. The price will tell the difference. But keep in mind, some merchants increase the price of their fake AirPods to make it appear as though they’re the real thing.
Optical sensors will not be included on knockoff AirPods. The reason, they come with a price. So the fake ones do not automatically turn on and off when placed in your ears. Rather, to switch an individual earbud on or off, press and hold a physical button on the counterfeit Airpods.
The diffuser or the area below each authentic AirPods would always be oval-shaped and grilled. The fake ones have the diffuser shaped closer to a circle.
The battery performance of the genuine Airpods would always outstrip that of the fakes. Plus the fake one takes more time to charge.
The charging case for the knockoff AirPods will require a micro-USB connection — no chance of using it with a Lightning cable. They won’t be “MFi-certified” by Apple. Also, if you notice, you might find inconsistency in the font sizes, spelling, and even wrong information printed on the charging case or the box of Fake Airpods.
What Does AirPods Status Light Mean?
The AirPods Charging Case has a single light, but it can change color, and it flashes—it can be difficult to decode the meaning. Here’s what the status light means:
No light means that the AirPods or Charging Case is dead. You will have to plug in the charger to bring it back to life.
The Flashing White light means that the AirPods are in pairing mode. You will happen to watch it when you press and hold the pairing button. If your AirPods don’t flash white, you won’t be able to sync them with any of your devices via Bluetooth.
A flashing light on Airpods generally indicates an issue. A flashing amber/Orange light signifies a pairing error.
Whereas the solid amber light when the Airpods are in the case indicates that the Airpods are out of charge and the case is charging them. When out of the case, the Amber light indicates that there is only 1 charge left in the case so you should better be prepared. Also, when the case is plugged in, the same amber light would indicate that it is charging.
Solid Green light means that either your AirPods or Case are fully charged, or only the Case is. It all depends on whether the Airpods are out of the case or not. If they are inside the case which in turn is plugged in, the solid green light would indicate that both are fully charged and you can remove the charging/magnetic cable now.
How can I tell whether my AirPods are charging?
You may tell if your genuine AirPods are charging in a variety of ways. The first is to utilize Today View functions. Follow the steps below.
- Go to the Home screen and find the ‘Today View’
- Find the Batteries Widget on your Today View screen.
- If it’s not there, edit your Today View list and add it.
- Tap the “+” icon that’s on the top right corner of the screen.
- Scroll or search until you find “Batteries”, then tap it.
- To see size and info options for this widget, swipe.
- Find the one you like, then tap “Add Widget”.
- Tap “Done”.
- This way, you can see the status of your AirPods/charging case in the Batteries section of Today View.
- Only the battery levels will appear on the screen when the AirPods are in use and their case is closed.
To check the battery level of your AirPods, open the case and look at the battery percentage near your iPhone. Simply open the case with the AirPods inside near your unlocked iPhone. The case’s, as well as the AirPods’, battery levels should be displayed on the screen.
The small black lightning bolt next to the battery indicator indicates that your device is currently charging. For both earbuds, as well as for the case, you can view individual charging stages and battery life percentages.
Of course, you can just press and hold down the home button to ask Siri “How much battery life do my AirPods have?”
Where is my AirPods light Indicator?
It all depends on the Airpods model you have. The latest Airpods Generation 3 and Airpods Pro that come with a wireless charging case has the indicator light right on the case’s front side, just below the lid. You wouldn’t have a hard time finding it.
Whereas, the old generation 1 and 2 of Airpods have the indicator light inside the case right between the pocket where you store the Airpods for charging. All you have to do is to open the case.
What can I do if I bought a fake Apple product?
If you have just confirmed that your Airpods are fake and you expect Apple to refund you or issue you a genuine pair of Airpods, you are trying in vain.
Surely, you will have to spend more money to get your hands on the Genuine Pair. We advise you to buy from Apple Store’s Official Website. What you can do with the counterfeit product is to write a review on Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot so as to warn other consumers about your experience.
Where can I get my AirPods authenticated?
Taking the AirPods to your local Apple Store for verification might be an option. They can help you track down the serial number by comparing it against their list of registered numbers.
If that isn’t possible for you, we have already shared with you the methods to check whether your newly bought pair is the real deal or not.
Final Thoughts
The online market abounds with manufacturers producing counterfeit versions of Apple’s AirPods, which they sell as genuine. More often than not, the difference is so subtle that only a trained eye or mind can tell the difference apart.
One indication of many is the blue light on the AirPods charging case, or any other light than those found on the original Airpods. If you are the unfortunate buyer of such counterfeit AirPods, there is little we can do to help it. However, it is your moral obligation to inform others of this false marketing.
Kevin is a Tech journalist for over a decade. He writes on Wearables, Headphones, and Laptops. When he is not glued to his laptop, You will find him working on exciting projects that include Unboxing new Gadgets, comparing them, and tweaking their hardware.