How To Tell If AirPods Are Fake

How To Tell If AirPods are Fake

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Since the iPhone, AirPods may be Apple’s most well-liked product. But you can always count on a lot of fakes to appear anytime a new successful product comes. There are hundreds of counterfeit AirPods brands available, and it can be challenging to distinguish the fakes at a first glance.

There are a few techniques if you want to determine whether your AirPods are an authentic Apple product. Depending on the AirPods model, this may vary significantly, but by using how to tell if airpods are fake guide, you should be able to determine if your airpods are genuine.

Now Read: How Fast Do AirPods Charge?

Check For The Serial Number

If you are not sure, try the one guaranteed method: ask Apple. There are a few methods to detect if your AirPods are fake just by visually analyzing them.

Users can check whether their products are still covered by the warranty on an Apple website. Naturally, this is great for verifying genuine products, but it also has the additional advantage of alerting you to the use of counterfeit goods. To use this method, you’ll just need your AirPods’ serial number.

Serial numbers enable Apple to monitor particular units in its inventory. In addition, Apple employs serial numbers to identify defective batches. Users can verify that a product’s serial number proves it was manufactured by Apple and not another company.

The location of your AirPods’ serial number is as follows:

Bluetooth Settings

You can hit the “More Info” button on your AirPods to discover the serial number if you are using iOS.

AirPods Case

If you have an original AirPods or AirPods Pro case and are using them, they will both have the same serial number. Look for it underneath the flip-open lid.

Ear Cushion for AirPods Max

For AirPods Max, take out the left ear cushion. The serial number is located below, close to the speaker holes, adjacent to the Apple logo.

Box

If the box you have for your AirPods is genuine, the serial number may be found on the barcode on the back. Make sure it coincides with the serial number printed on the charging case’s lid’s interior.

When you know the serial number for your AirPods, go to the “Check Coverage” website, enter it in the field at the top, complete the CAPTCHA, and then click “Continue”.

If you end up on a website that requests the date of purchase or displays the potential warranty choices, you will know that the AirPods are definitely authentic. However, they are almost certainly fake if you encounter an error message that claims Apple was “unable to check coverage for this serial number.”

Now Read: How Fast Do AirPods Charge?

Try To Pair Them

By performing an action that only genuine AirPods can perform, you can determine whether or not the AirPods are fake.

When you link your AirPods with your devices, a popup appears on the screen. The same thing happens when you open AirPods that are already paired with these devices. That feature depends on the W1 chip, which is a communications chip Apple designed specifically for the AirPods. 

The feature can only occur with real AirPods.It is highly unlikely that fake AirPods could imitate such a function. So, to use this approach to identify fake AirPods, take the following steps:

Step

1

Check battery life

Check the battery level of the AirPods.

Step

2

Hold an iPhone or iPad nearby

Hold an iPhone or iPad with Bluetooth enabled near the AirPods. The AirPods case, and (while leaving the earbuds in the case).

Step

3

Check for the AirPods icon

The battery screen will show up if the AirPods are already connected to this device. This proves that your AirPods are original. 

Now Read: How Fast Do AirPods Charge?

Packaging, Manufacturing, and Quality

The best way to identify fake AirPods is to check the serial number and AirPods-only features, though there are other techniques you can try. We advise the methods from above because these ones will need some guesswork.

Cost

Apple products are not inexpensive. Regular AirPods cost $159 at the start of the selling cycle, while AirPods Pro costs $249. They might not be authentic if you spent considerably less than that, like $50 for AirPods Pro.

Wireless Charging Case

Qi wireless charging is supported by the charging case that comes with the second-generation AirPods and AirPods Pro. It’s unlikely that imitations would include this expensive feature. Put your AirPods case on a Qi charging mat to see if it helps. It might be a fake if it doesn’t receive any power.

Build Quality

Apple’s products are renowned for their excellent quality. The ports and connectors should not show any seams in the plastic, and white products, such as AirPods, should have a crisp, clear white hue. You might have fake AirPods if yours appear to be of a lower quality, the parts are loose, or the color isn’t flawless.

Packaging

Apple products are made using high-quality materials, just like their packaging. The printing is of excellent quality, the boxes fit perfectly, and the sticker placement is impeccable. If your AirPods don’t live up to Apple’s high standards for quality control, they might be fake.

Conclusion

You can purchase your AirPods from an authorized Apple Store, Apple’s official Amazon store, a reputable vendor, or a trusted friend is the easiest method to prevent purchasing a fake pair. But even purchasing the affordable AirPods from Amazon can be alluring. There is always the chance that these third-party merchants are only charging exorbitant prices for fake AirPods.

The easiest way to purchase the originals at a lower cost is to purchase them from reputable websites or resellers, the Apple Refurbished store, or both. Of course, eBay is a fantastic resource as well for finding used AirPods at rock-bottom prices.

Next time you get your hands on a pair of AirPods, you will know whether they are fake or real. While there are a lot of methods to determine the authenticity of these earphones, you can use more of them in order to confirm the final verdict. You can also teach these methods to your friends, especially if they purchase second-hand Apple products often. 

Si Yan contributed to PC Guide in 2022 and supported with content creation. Previously working at a major electronics company, she brought her knowledge of consumer tech to the site.