When you open the charging case that comes with first-generation AirPods, you’ll see a status light between the earphone slots. On second-generation AirPods and the wireless charging case, this status light is located on the front of the case.
When there are no issues with the AirPods, they indicate the connectivity mode and the charging status. However, AirPod cases sometimes display varying lights, from red to orange, amber, white, green, red, and blue when there are connectivity issues.
This is why one of the most frequently asked questions by AirPods users is: “why are my AirPods flashing red, orange, white, green & blue?” Keep reading and I’ll show you what each light indicates and what you should do.
What do the lights on the AirPods case mean?
If your AirPods are in their charging case, the light automatically shows the AirPods charging status. If they are not in their case, the light shows the charging status of the charging case itself.
Meanwhile, if you have 2nd-gen AirPods or a wireless charging case, the light will flash for a few moments when you place the case on a wireless charging pad to indicate charging has started.
It will then stay off for as long as you leave it on the pad, regardless of whether the box is fully charged or not. However, the lights can help you have a clue as to when your AirPods are having issues with pairing to each other or a device.
In the rest of the article, I’ll be answering more questions relating to the different AirPod lights and what they mean.
Why are my AirPods flashing red?
An AirPod flashing red means the AirPods are not connected or with your device. You can fix this by resetting the AirPods so the earbuds can sync together before pairing them with your device.
Why is my AirPod case flashing orange?
If the AirPods are flashing orange and not connecting to the iPhone, then this can be due to an error. In most cases, the error is due to an improper pairing of the AirPods with your phone.
However, the solution described below will help.
- First, you have to disconnect the earbuds by unpairing the device in the iPhone settings under Bluetooth via “Forget this device”. You should also switch off Bluetooth on the iPhone once (if possible).
- Once you’ve done that, make sure your AirPods are charged. If this is also the case, then you have to reset the headphones to the factory settings.
- To reset it, simply press and hold the setup button at the back of the case for around 15 seconds until the status indicator starts flashing yellow.
- If the AirPods have been reset, you can reactivate the Bluetooth on the iPhone and establish a connection. Now the wireless Apple headphones should be connected to the iPhone again as usual and recognized without the LED on the case lighting up orange.
Why is my AirPods flashing green?
The green light on an AirPods case indicates that the device is fully charged. When charging an empty wireless case, the green light will turn on briefly when the case is fully charged, then turn off.
If the AirPods status light is flashing green and one or both earbuds won’t connect, there might be something wrong.
The AirPods status indicator often flashes green light when the earbuds are not properly connecting to your device.
In most cases, however, resetting the earbuds will fix the error. So, you can fix this problem by following the procedure of resetting the device shown earlier in the article.
Why are my AirPods flashing white?
If your AirPods are flashing white, it means they are ready to be paired to an Apple device. However, if your AirPods don’t flash white, you won’t be able to pair them via Bluetooth to your devices.
Read also: Tips for Using Airpods Pro With Small Ears When Airpods Feel Too Big
Why are my AirPods flashing red and blue?
When the indicator light on your AirPods flashes red and blue, this is an indication that the headphones are ready to connect to a Bluetooth device.
When connected, the light will only flash the blue color. To turn it off, press and hold the middle button until the light is red. When you release the button, the headphones will turn off.
How to reset AirPods out of sync
Resetting the AirPods is the first thing you can do to solve all basic problems. If you are interested in doing so, follow these steps:
- On your iPhone, go to Settings >> Bluetooth, and where the name of your AirPods appears, hit the More Info option, which is the “i” that is surrounded by a circle.
- Doing so will bring up a menu with the Forget Device option. When doing this, it will show you a warning. Simply tap again to confirm.
By doing the above, the AirPods will automatically stop connecting to your devices and you will have to link them again. However, this does not reset your AirPods to factory settings. To do this, you must do the following:
- On your AirPods case, open the cover, press, and hold the back button. You will see how the LED turns white and starts blinking.
- Keep holding the button down for around 15 seconds, until the LED turns orange again and starts flashing.
- Close the cover and open it again near your iPhone. An animation should appear, where you can link them like the first day.
Tip: Resetting your AirPods should fix most bugs and issues that may come up in its lifetime.
Read also: Airpods Connecting While In Case – Best Fixes
Frequently Asked Questions
Raycon earbuds vs AirPods
The indication lights in both earbuds are similar. Red and blue light flashes mean the earbuds are ready to pair. Also, on Raycon, the green light means the earbuds are fully charged while red indicates it’s charging.
Why are my AirPods skipping?
The reason your AirPods could be skipping may be due to Bluetooth interference, an obstruction between the device and the user, or faulty internal sensors.
Why is my Apple AirPods microphone not working?
If you discover the mic isn’t working, try to charge the AirPods, reconnect them to your device and clean the AirPods’ microphone.
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Passionate about technology and communication, I’m more comfortable writing about the key trends in business-to-business software-as-a-service (B2B SaaS). I’m a generalist with interests in journalism, DIY and outdoor. You can always reach me on Twitter and LinkedIn. Learn more about tekpip and the team here on our about us page.