AirPods are innovative gadgets, but they come with a few design features that make wearing them uncomfortable and prone to falling out. This, in turn, makes the AirPods all too easy to lose. Even the charging case is a concern because it isn’t supported by Apple’s Find My function, which can make recovering your lost AirPods case all the more difficult. Fortunately, getting a replacement AirPod or charging case is easy enough. This can be highly frustrating, especially since you’ve already gone through the trouble of getting them replaced only to be unable to use them. Not to mention the fact that you’ve done so at your expense since AppleCare+ for Headphones doesn’t cover losses or theft. To save you from further trouble, we’ll explain what to do after getting a replacement AirPod or AirPod case. Let’s dive in!
How to Pair Your Replacement AirPod or AirPods’ Case
If you’ve recently gotten replacements, you’ll need to re-pair the replacement AirPod with whatever’s left of the original set. Doing this is much like resetting your AirPods, so the process shouldn’t be too unfamiliar. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to connect your replacement AirPod to your AirPods’ case:
What to Do When the Replacement Airpod Won’t Sync or Connect
Your AirPods don’t have to come from the exact same set to work properly. You can use two different AirPods together, provided they’re the same type or model. The same also applies when pairing AirPods with a different case. Unfortunately, pairing two different AirPods isn’t always a walk in the park. That’s because the mismatched firmware makes them incompatible right off the bat. So, getting them to work correctly as a pair will require some extra steps. Here’s what to do when your replacement AirPod or AirPod Pro isn’t pairing correctly:
Update the AirPods’ firmware
As mentioned earlier, mismatched firmware is often the culprit behind AirPod pairing issues. Your old AirPod has already undergone a series of updates to improve its performance. In contrast, your replacement AirPod has none of these updates. This firmware incompatibility is what creates connection and pairing glitches. Naturally, the best way to fix this is by updating the firmware of the replacement AirPod. But since there’s no option to update AirPods’ firmware manually, you’ll need to go the roundabout way. Here’s how:
Try connecting to your AirPods one at a time
When it comes to pairing problems, it sometimes helps to let each AirPod pair separately. The existing connection between the original AirPod and the case can prevent the new AirPod from connecting. In fact, a few Reddit users even mentioned having to physically move their old AirPod way out of range just to get the new AirPod to connect correctly. While this solution isn’t an exact science, it certainly won’t hurt to try and see if it works for you. Here’s how to pair each AirPod separately:
Contact Apple Support
If none of the solutions above worked for you, the problem might be in the replacement AirPod itself. For instance, if you sought out 3rd-party resellers for your replacement, you might’ve received a faulty or fake AirPod. Sadly, even Apple Repair is known to get it wrong on occasion. Some folks have mistakenly received the incorrect replacement AirPod model, which tends to happen with the similar-looking AirPods Gen 1 and 2. And yes, while it can be frustrating to keep sending back your faulty AirPods, you can at least feel assured you’re getting a legit product backed by Apple Support. Here’s how you can set up an appointment for service in three ways: However, before you do any of these, make sure to have ready the following for a smoother transaction:
AirPods’ serial number Proof of purchase Your original and replacement AirPods or charging case
Replacements typically take a week to arrive. The good news is, if you’re returning a faulty replacement Apple themselves sent, you can return them for free and get another replacement. As a last resort, if you do have to spend on replacements, here are the replacement fee amounts: USD$69 for each AirPod and USD$89 for each AirPod Pro. The standard charging case for AirPods (1, 2, &3) comes for USD$59, and USD$79 for wireless and MagSafe charging cases, it’s USD$79 each. For AirPods Pro’s wireless and MagSafe charging cases, it’s USD$99.
Conclusion
If you know your replacement AirPod is the correct model and is sourced from an official reseller, the solutions above should fix your pairing problems. Remember to be patient, as the time estimation for firmware updates varies from case to case. If all else fails, you can at least turn to Apple Support to help you solve the problem. Have you tried any of the solutions we’ve shared? We’d love to hear about your experiences or any other tips you may have for pairing replacement AirPods. Don’t forget to drop us a comment below!
