AirPods Max Severe Battery Drain

[VL_424]

Been using my AirPod’s Max since Launch Day, over the last few days I’ve been running into some severe battery drain.

For example, last night I took the headphones out of the case with 85% battery, used them for about 15 minutes, put them back into the case.
This morning I get a notification via my iPhone that there was only 5% left. I wasn’t even attempting to connect to the AirPods, I was airplaying to the HomePod in the room. It’s strange that the AirPod Max’s were even awake as they were still sitting in the case.. anyone else experiencing problems like this?

 

[SPG1]

Had mine drain 25% in 3 hours

 

[VL_424]

Had mine drain 25% in 3 hours

Does your iPhone ever detect the headphones while they are sleeping in the case?

 

[SPG1]

Does your iPhone ever detect the headphones while they are sleeping in the case?

Occasionally they will pop back up even after I put them in the case

 

[VL_424]

Occasionally they will pop back up even after I put them in the case

Yes, same exact behavior with mine

 

[yticolev]

A reviewer mentioned that they do not disconnect from your BT source (like your iPhone), even in the APM case. His workaround because he thought that might cause battery drain was to turn BT off - a swipe and a tap for control center so not hard.

 

[Beau10]

Had mine drain 25% in 3 hours

Did you follow back up on reorienting your earcups and see if your issue persists? I would think that could very well cause the headphones to think they're on your head, case or not, as the optical sensors would be triggered.

I've had these for 4 days and they operate as expected, roughly 5% per hour while in use, and about 1% per hour when off my head. I don't use the case. Right now they sit at 50% and I last charged them yesterday morning, have used them somewhere around 3-4 hours since then.

 

[SHKLMRE]

I’ve been experiencing the same exact problem. For the past 2 days, when I woke up my AirPods would be on 5% and would instantly die when I tried to used them.
This morning my AirPods was on 95%, they were out of the case the entire day but I never used them. I just checked and the battery is on 50%. The battery has been draining severely even when they are in the case.

 

[yegon]

Mine were fine first 5 days. Last night I put them in the case at 85%, they were at 25% less than 12 hours later. I’d expect the advantage of putting them in the case is that the accelerometers won’t turn them on if they’re moved, unlike if you leave them out of the case.

I’ve factory reset them just now to see if that makes a difference.

Constantly turning BT on/off on devices is out of the question. I use it with 2 iPads & my iPhone, I use an Apple Watch etc. Turning BT on and off all day negates the whole point of all these devices and the AirPods Max themselves.

Hopefully a fix is incoming from Apple if this turns out to be widespread.

 

[Frankfurt]

Same issue here. Charged them yesterday evening. Left them in the case overnight. This morning at 35%. Better be a bug of some sort that will be sorted out soon or I will have to return them.

I stand corrected: seems I got fooled by displayed charge from last night. They are at 96%...

 

[yegon]

That’s interesting, wonder if my charge showing is whack.

25% charge at 0700. Charged them up to 76%, put them in case. Came back about 1330, they’re still at 76%. Used them for past hour, stuck at 76% for aaaages, only now is it creeping down normally to currently 73%.

In theory, I don’t have much of a problem with no power button, but ONLY if they reliably sleep and conserve battery life.

 

[Beau10]

Just FYI, I tried to do the earcup orientation thing myself back in the case and wasn't able to replicate the battery drain issue, so it isn't that.

Sounds like this is a bug Apple needs to fix.

 

[FreAk6767]

Similar issue today, they were at 40% at 10am, havent used them all do, so they stayed in the case, and picked them up now (5.30pm), 1% left...
Strange behavior, as I can't recall them doing this before (had them on day one).
Will restart my iPhone and monitor once they are fully charged again.

 

[C. Robert]

They're spying on you.

 

[VL_424]

I’ve factory reset them just now to see if that makes a difference.

Constantly turning BT on/off on devices is out of the question. I use it with 2 iPads & my iPhone, I use an Apple Watch etc. Turning BT on and off all day negates the whole point of all these devices and the AirPods Max themselves.

Hopefully a fix is incoming from Apple if this turns out to be widespread.

Did the factory reset make any difference? I also am using multiple devices, Watch, iPad, iPhone.

Woke up to the same issue again today. Was at 90% last night when I put them in the case at 8PM. Took them out of the case at 1:30PM today with 3% battery left.

 

[richard371]

Same issue here. They really need a power button. Im sending them back.

 

[yegon]

Did the factory reset make any difference? I also am using multiple devices, Watch, iPad, iPhone.

Woke up to the same issue again today. Was at 90% last night when I put them in the case at 8PM. Took them out of the case at 1:30PM today with 3% battery left.

Seems normal since, barring it seem to hover on 76% for ages earlier. True test is when I put them in case later tonight for an extended period.

 

[VL_424]

Seems normal since, barring it seem to hover on 76% for ages earlier. True test is when I put them in case later tonight for an extended period.

I just performed a factory reset as well. Please keep us posted on how it looks when they are left in the case tonight. Hopefully this fixes the issue for both of us.

 

[yegon]

I will.

Really hope it works, now I’ve figured how to wear them comfortably at length (max size, band further back on my head) I’ve no desire to return them.

 

[SolidBrixStudio]

Yes! I'm having this issue as well. I would listen to the Max's for 2-3 hours, drain maybe 6% off battery to say 65% percent left. Come back the next day (24 hours later) and my battery was at 1% left (left in the case closed).

I was using an M1 MacBook with them too.

 

[Foo4Everlong]

From what I understand you can hard reset (reboot) the AirPods Max by holding down the Digital Crown and the Noise Control button at the same time for about 15 seconds. Then you’ll see the LED flash orange, then white. Once that happens they are reset. Hope this helps! Found this on Reddit.

 

[yegon]

Mine were 56% this morning, only dropped a few % over night, so it’d appear the factory reset resolved it short term at least.

 

[FreAk6767]

Did a factory reset too, will check how it goes.

One thing hasn't been mentioned here I think, is that Apple updated the AirPods ax Firmware from 3B71 to 3C16 yesterday. Could explain some behavior maybe?

 

[yegon]

Did a factory reset too, will check how it goes.

One thing hasn't been mentioned here I think, is that Apple updated the AirPods ax Firmware from 3B71 to 3C16 yesterday. Could explain some behavior maybe?

Interesting! Not heard about that, I'll check my fw later.

 

[soaddk]

Just got mine. I decided to test the no-case scenario and just put them on my desk when I went to bed. 10 hours later they were down from 69% to 64%. So your drain seems like a bug/faulty battery.

This would mean around 12% drain per day until they go to "ultra low power mode". I had hope for a lesser drain, but since I can charge them overnight when needed it shouldn't be an issue.

But if you put them down and pick them up a week later, they would have drained 36% plus whatever the ultra low drain is (2% x 4 days maybe). So losing about 50% of the battery when lying idle for a week. Not great if you only use your headphones once in a while. But then again, you probably wouldn't buy these at the current price. ;-)