Not infrequently in the comments I meet questions related to charging wireless headphones, so I decided to write a separate article and answer the most popular questions. And the questions are very diverse: how to properly charge Bluetooth headphones in a case and without a case, how much to charge them, with what cable, from what power source, is it possible to charge a case without headphones and an earphone without a case, etc. There are really a lot of questions, and on I will try to answer them on this page.
In the article on how to use wireless headphones for a phone, I already wrote that wireless headphones are ordinary when the left and right earphones are connected to each other using a cable, and in TWS format, when the headphones are separate, connected via Bluetooth and charged from the case (small boxes). The most popular right now is TWS headphones, and there are more questions about them than regular ones, so we will pay more attention to them.
How to charge TWS wireless earbuds in a case?
I think you first need to figure out what are the ways to charge wireless headphones:
- With a regular cable. Usually it is mini USB, USB Type-C or Lightning. The cable connects to the case and to the power supply (power adapter, computer, power bank).
- Wireless charger. As a rule, it is only in expensive modules. In this case, just put the headphone case on wireless charging and it will start charging. This is how, for example, AirPods 2 are charged.
- Charging headphones without a case. Individually, each earbud is connected to the charger with a wire. There are such headphones, but they are few. This is not strange, not a convenient way. This way you can charge headphones i7, i8, i9, i10, i11, i12, etc. As I understand it, this cable can be used instead of a case. When, for example, he broke down.
case (box, case, box) Used to store and charge the right and left earphone. That is, the battery is in each earphone and in the case. We charge the case, and the case charges the headphones. As a rule, the battery capacity of the case is enough to recharge the headphones several times. We will look at the most popular way that almost all TWS headphones are charged – using a cable.
Instructions for charging wireless headphones
- You need to connect the cable to the charging case. You can use the cable that comes with the headphones, or the same cable from other devices. You can charge the headphones with a non-complete cable.
- The other end of the cable must be connected to a power source. It can be a power adapter that plugs into an outlet. The power adapter can be used from a phone or other device. The adapter allows you to charge the headphones from a wall outlet. I think everyone has such an adapter and not one. You can also use the USB port of a computer or laptop, poverbank. From what to charge wireless headphones – you decide. There is no particular difference. Use the power source that is convenient and that you have access to.
- Once plugged in, the case will start charging.
If you have problems with charging, then see this article: the right or left earphone does not charge, the headphone case.
Headphone and case charging indication
There is at least one indicator on the headphones and/or box. Sometimes there are three or more. And on some models, the case even has a small screen that displays the charge level of the headphones and the case. In any case, when the case / headphones are charging, there should be some kind of indication. It changes after the case/headphones are fully charged. On different headphones – in different ways. It is difficult to give any specific instructions here. Let me show you some models.
- On the case of the popular Xiaomi Redmi AirDots headphones, there is a barely noticeable red indicator on the front. When the case is charging, the indicator flashes. When charged, it just stays on. (or off). When the headphones are charging in the case, the indicator on them lights up in red. When fully charged – white.
- On popular Chinese i30, i12, i11, i10, i9s, i7s headphones, it’s always different. On a copy of AirPods, for example, the indicator is only on the charging case (there are no bulbs on the headphones themselves). When charging, it flashes white. On some models (e.g. on i7), after connecting to charging, the case flashes red. And to see the charge level, you need to press a special button on the box itself.
There are a lot of display options. Even for one manufacturer on different models, the indication can be done in different ways. Not only a different number of indicators, but also their color and operation during charging, discharging, connecting, etc.
Headphone charge level (and in some models and a case) It’s best to watch on your phone. It is displayed in the widget (in case of iPhone and original AirPods)in the Bluetooth settings, or in the status bar (on Android).
See the instructions specifically for your headphones. It should be included in paper form, or find it on the Internet.
How to properly charge wireless headphones?
There is no rule. Charge the way you want. Do not use headphones – put them in the charging box. You see that the box is discharged, or you are going somewhere – connect it to the power supply and recharge it.
Is it possible to charge a case without earphones and earphones without a case?
You can charge the case without headphones. But the headphones can not be charged without a case (some home-made chargers or Chinese adapters where a separate cable goes to each earphone does not count).
How long do the earbuds and case charge?
It’s different on different models. On average, charging a case takes 1-3 hours. The same with charging the headphones themselves from the case – everyone has different ways. There are models that support fast charging. This is when, after 10-15 minutes of charging, the headphones can work for an hour or more.
In the instructions, the manufacturer usually indicates the time for a full charge of the case itself and the headphones. There should also be information about the operation of the headphones from a single charge and how many times you can recharge the headphones from the charging box. Also note that headphones can be discharged in different ways. (one is faster and the other is slower). For example, the right one can sit down faster than the left one. This is because there is usually a master and a slave earpiece. The leader sits down faster. Well, or on one, the battery loses capacity faster.
Do I need to keep my headphones in a case?
Yes, I believe that it is imperative to store the headphones in a case and make sure that they are charged. Now I will explain why. I very often meet questions in which they write that after a complete discharge, the headphones do not charge. And there really is such a problem. When the headphones are discharged, they lay somewhere for a night, or even longer, and when you try to charge them, they do not react to the case and do not charge. Or when the headphones were simply not used for a long time, they were discharged (including case) and after that they do not take a charge.
This happens with different wireless TWS headphones from different manufacturers. After full (deep) discharging, they cannot start charging. There are several working solutions to this problem, and I talked about them in this article.
Additional Information
I don’t see much point in separately talking about how to charge Xiaomi, Huawei, SONY, Samsung, JBL, Defunc, OPPO, etc. headphones. It will be the same information. If we already give such information, then for each individual model. But there are a lot of them, and besides, each model has an instruction from the manufacturer, where there is all the necessary information on charging, indication, etc.
What else to pay attention to:
- The cable that comes with the headphones in most cases is very short and charging them is not very convenient. Especially if you charge your headphones from a wall outlet. You can safely use a different cable.
- The operating time from a single charge, which the manufacturer promises, can be much less. First of all, this concerns cheap Chinese headphones.
- When buying the same cheap Chinese headphones, be prepared for the fact that after a while there may be problems with charging. I often see reviews when after a week one or both earbuds are not charging. Or something with a battery in the case and charging only happens when the case is connected to power.
- I already wrote about this, but I will repeat: do not keep the headphones and case empty.
- For any problems with charging, or when the device does not hold a charge properly, you can always contact the warranty service center. Or write to the seller on Aliexpress, explain the problem and agree on compensation or a full refund.
Charging conventional headphones (without case)
By “normal” I mean headphones that connect to phones, laptops and other devices via Bluetooth, but the right and left earphones are interconnected by a wire. In terms of charging, everything is a little easier for them. They charge as a separate device, without a case. To charge them, just connect the cable to the headphones and to a power source.
Not only an adapter can be used as a power source (socket)but also the USB port of a PC, laptop, TV, power bank, etc. The indicator on my old JBL headphones lights up red when charging.
I will be happy to answer your questions in the comments. Just one small request, describe the problem in detail and indicate the model of the headphones.