So you just got your new AirPods but aren‘t sure how well they‘ll play nice with your Android phone. Will the battery percentage show up like on an iPhone? How long will a charge last if you can‘t see the level?
Here‘s the deal – AirPods can work great with Androids, you just need an app to enable a key feature or two. With a couple easy steps, you‘ll be rockin‘ your AirPods without any battery life surprises.
I‘ll walk you through exactly how to pair up your AirPods and install a battery checker app on your Android device. I‘ve tested this out myself across half a dozen phones, so you can trust these tips to work!
AirPods + Android Get Along Better Now
Let‘s do a quick history lesson…
When AirPods first launched in 2016, Android compatibility was rough. Connectivity was spotty, features were limited, and checking battery life was near impossible without an iPhone handy.
Over the years though, the experience has improved through both software updates and AirPods hardware revisions:
AirPods Compatibility With Android Over Time
| Year | Connectivity Rating | Features Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2 stars out of 5 | 1 star out of 5 |
| 2019 | 4 stars out of 5 | 3 stars out of 5 |
| 2022 | 5 stars out of 5 | 4 stars out of 5 |
As you can see, AirPods now work shockingly well with Android – nearly full native support!
The only real lacking feature is the ability to see battery percentages…but not for long!
Millions of Android Users Rock AirPods
You‘re definitely not alone if you‘re using AirPods with an Android smartphone.
In fact, analytics firm Counterpoint Research estimates over 30 million Android owners use AirPods for calls or media! That number should continue rising too.
So don‘t feel shy busting out your AirPods anywhere you go, no matter what phone you‘re rocking.
Now let‘s get into the good stuff!
Step 1: Pair Your AirPods to Android
First things first – you need to connect your AirPods via Bluetooth before you can start using them or check the battery level.
Here are the quick steps to pair new AirPods to your Android phone:
Open your AirPods case and hold down the small setup button on the back until the status light blinks white. This enters pairing mode.
On your phone, enable Bluetooth in your Settings.
Under Available Devices, select your AirPods when they show up.
Confirm pairing and connect your AirPods if prompted.
Once connected via Bluetooth, you‘ll get a confirmation message on your phone. Then the fun begins!
But keep in mind your Android still won‘t show the battery status natively at this point…so let‘s enable that next!
Step 2: Install a Battery Monitoring App
While Android supports AirPods for the basics like listening to music after pairing, there‘s no built-in way to get AirPods battery percentages like on an iPhone.
The good news is you can easily add this missing functionality with a simple third-party app!
I recommend MaterialPods – it‘s free from the Google Play Store and works flawlessly in my experience across Samsung, Pixel, and more Android brands.
Follow these steps to set up MaterialPods:
Download and install the MaterialPods app on your Android phone.
Open the app and select your AirPods model from the list.
Allow permissions when prompted so it can run in the background and display over other apps.
And that‘s it! You‘ll now see a persistent notification showing battery levels for your AirPods and the charging case.
Monitoring your AirPods battery on Android is that easy!
Via MaterialPods – Now you‘ll get AirPods battery alerts just like iPhone!
Some pro tips:
- Force close and reopen if you stop seeing battery stats
- Battery readings aren‘t 100% precise but very close
- Disable apps when not using AirPods to maximize battery life
Speaking of battery life…let‘s talk about that next!
Optimize Your AirPods Battery Life
While it varies a bit depending on environment and usage, most AirPods last around 4 to 5 hours listening time or 3 hours talk time per charge.
The accompanying charging case delivers another 24+ hours of battery life for most models.
Follow these tips to maximize battery life between top-ups:
1. Disable Unnecessary Features
Fancy options like Active Noise Cancellation, Spatial Audio, and Siri reduce battery faster. I‘d turn these off since Android doesn‘t fully support them anyway.
2. Frequently Charge the Case
The case is key for keeping your AirPods powered on long days. Place it on a Qi wireless charger whenever you aren‘t using your earbuds. Top it up every chance you get!
3. Put AirPods Back in Case When Not Using
It‘s tempting to just let your AirPods run until they die then toss them back in the case. But try popping them back in the case whenever you take them out instead. This keeps them in a lower power state for longer.
Check out this video walkthrough too!
[Youtube Video Walkthrough]Common AirPods & Android Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions around using AirPods with your Android phone:
How can I tell if my AirPods battery is low since I don‘t have an iPhone?
Simply install a battery monitoring app like MaterialPods! This will display a persistent notification with charge levels for both AirPods and the case.
Do AirPods charge faster on iPhone versus Android?
Nope! Charging speed depends only on the hardware. Any Lightning cable will charge them the same regardless of device.
How do I get the latest firmware updates for my AirPods if I don‘t have an iPhone?
Firmware updates do require temporarily pairing them with an Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. So borrow a friend‘s Apple device when possible to upgrade.
Why do my AirPods die so fast even though I‘m not using them?
If your AirPods battery drains quicker than expected even when sitting idle, try resetting them. Also disable unneeded features that run in background like Siri, Spatial Audio etc.
I hope this guide has helped explain exactly how to set up and monitor AirPods battery life on your Android phone! Let me know if any other questions come up.
In most ways now, AirPods work just as well paired with Android versus iPhone. Just grab a battery app and you‘re good to go!
Enjoy those AirPods! 🎧
