r/AirpodsPro Jul 16 '20

Recently Scammed. How to tell if your AirPods are fake.

570 Upvotes

Lately the fake AirPods industry has gotten better. They’re making everything look legitimate. “Real” serial numbers. “Real” boxes. “Real” iOS interface menu. I wanted to update the internet with my experience.

I was recently scammed on LetGo (basically Craigslist) and bought fake AirPods Pro. They seemed legitimate in every sense but just a few. Here’s a list to check when buying from a 3rd party, if you’re able to look at them before you purchase:

• If the box is plastic wrapped with the pull-away tab, rip it off. If the plastic doesn’t come away with the tab, that’s red flag #1. They’re fake.

• If you can buy an AirPods Pro silicon case before you look at them, it will not fit the AirPods Pro case correctly, as the fake case is slightly taller than OEM.

• When you connect the AirPods Pro to your phone, the regular AirPods menu will come up. When you go into Settings - General - About, the fake AirPods will not have an information menu. You will not be able find the firmware version, serial number, model number, etc. (The AirPods case will need to be open for the information menu to show up for OEM).

• In my specific case, the lid of the case was loosely connected when opened. It felt shoddy for an apple product.

• The lightning port on the bottom of the case also felt poorly built, and had trouble holding the lighting connector firmly.

• If you know what the chime sound is like that plays when you first put your connected AirPods in your ear, you’ll hear it if they’re real. The fake chime is loud, crass and plays multiple times.

• When the AirPod pop-up menu opens when the case is open, the battery percentages of the case and both AirPods will fluctuate as you take one or both AirPods out of the case.

• The case will indicate it’s charging but will just heat up.

• The sound quality will be horrible, and switching between Transparency Mode and Noise Cancellation will do absolutely nothing.

• The firmware will not update. I was able to find the firmware version on the fakes on my MacBook under About This Mac - System Report - Bluetooth - kevgibb’s AirPods Pro. My fake AirPods had firmware 2B588.

• Fake AirPods can sometimes have an LED in the AirPods themselves.

• Fake AirPods Pro usually weigh less (3g) as opposed to the OEM weight of 5 grams.

Other than those bullet points, everything else looked and felt completely legitimate. I lost a good chunk of money and I write this to prevent it from happening to others.

I recommend buying from a licensed seller, your best bet is straight from apple.

P.S. if you think you can get away with exchanging your fake AirPods Pro for new OEM ones, you can’t. That was the biggest walk of shame out of the apple store I’ve ever had. They thought I was a scammer as I was processing the very real truth that I had been scammed.

Edit: OEM AirPods Pro can have a loose lid as well. Not a telltale sign of a fake.

tl;dr

Best ways to tell:

Fake AirPods Pro box’s plastic wrap won’t open when you pull the tab on the side of the box.

Fake AirPods Pro will not show the Model Name, Model Number, Serial Number and (firmware) Version on your iOS device (Settings, Bluetooth, AirPods Pro (i) should open a menu containing settings and that list)

EDIT: please stop commenting “told you so” or “duh” or any comments with those underlying messages. Not helping anyone.


r/AirpodsPro 1d ago

"Quality Check" Thread - Ask here if you want to know if your AirPods are real or fake - September, 2026

1 Upvotes

This will be a monthly thread where you can post and ask others if you'd like to inquire whether the AirPods you've purchased are real or fake. With the introduction of this thread, individual threads will no longer be allowed and will be removed.

Please post as many details as you can and provide pictures for others to help determine if they are genuine.

Thanks!


r/AirpodsPro 2h ago

Issue with right pod of my APP2

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3 Upvotes

Hi. Just want to ask if anyone encountered this issue with AirPods Pro 2? The last time I used it is last week a Thursday then the case got drained. So today I charged it then the right pod no longer charging. I tried everything cleaning the case and the pod but same issue. I chat with Apple Support but they just provide me the Apple Authorized Repair Center. Can it still be fix?

Apple Warranty already expired and Ive been using this for a year


r/AirpodsPro 9h ago

Support Pro 3: Anyone else met this bug/issue?

2 Upvotes

Ive had my Airpods pro 3 since release month and in the latest months Ive had one annoying issue happen usually 3 or 4 times a week.

When putting the AirPods in, the left one sometimes refuses to connect. Always the left one, never the right. Putting back doesn’t work.

The only solution is placing the case and pods in charging for a second, which is not always an available action


r/AirpodsPro 6h ago

left airpod issue

1 Upvotes

my left airpod just stopped working out of nowhere, when i take it out of the case it says it’s still inside the case so it doesn’t play audio. they’re at 100% and it has the lighting symbol or whatever that shows its charging, my right airpod is working perfectly fine. can anyone help me?
the model is airpod pro and ive tried everything but nothing seems to work, should i just give up on it?


r/AirpodsPro 19h ago

Which AirPods should I buy after my AirPods Pro 1 died?

5 Upvotes

My AirPods Pro 1st gen finally died, so I need a new pair.

I definitely want Apple earbuds with silicone tips, because the regular AirPods don’t fit comfortably in my ears.

My budget is max €250. There seem to be so many different versions now, so I’m a bit lost.

Which AirPods would you recommend overall when it comes to price/quality, comfort, fit, sound, ANC, battery life, durability, design and how well they hold up over a few years?


r/AirpodsPro 12h ago

Question Will an airpod case fit on fake Pro5 airpods?

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0 Upvotes

I bought these airpods from aliexpress and they feel very good quality and seem to mimic the airpods, but if i order original airpod case will it fit them? If so what airpod model corresponds to this and if not whats the alternative?


r/AirpodsPro 17h ago

Left AirPod not found

1 Upvotes

I have complained to chat support numerous times about my left AirPod not charging. They tell me to go to Best Buy and check them in for repair. I did that twice and they send them back saying they can’t duplicate the issue. The issue is that when the ear tips are on it doesn’t charge. If it’s off then there’s no issue. I was near the actual Apple Store last weekend so I took them in to see if they could find the issue that Best Buy wasn’t finding. The technician did 2 tests, found that the testing revealed that it wasn’t seeing the left AirPod. Thank you to that kind gentleman for confirming what I was having issues with. He couldn’t override the iPad saying that they had to send them off to service and couldn’t swap them in store. He tells me to take off the ear tips so that I get them back. Well guess what, I get an email today saying that they are sending them back because they can’t duplicate the issue. 🤦‍♀️ I am so over these stupid AirPods not charging and it’s wasting my time dealing with them. If the tech in store could see that there’s an issue, why can’t the people at the repair center see that there’s an issue? And why can’t they just fix my AirPods?


r/AirpodsPro 1d ago

AIRPODS PRO 3 CHARGING ON AND OFF

2 Upvotes

So Ive tried to charge my airpods either with usbc or magsafe, but when i connect it, it charges for a second, then disconnects and then charges for second again, repeats forever….this is the first time im seeing this, had them for a year…also on my phone it bugs aswell…any idea why is it doing this?
Thanks for any advice!!!


r/AirpodsPro 2d ago

AirPods Pro 2 seal

3 Upvotes

I am using AirPods Pro 2 (and AirPods Pro before that) for the last 5 years and every time I run the hearing test I am getting feedback that the seal of my AirPods is not sufficient.

I am very satisfied overall with the AirPods. I have lots of audiophile equipment and while the AirPods can’t compete, I find them more than sufficient for every day track digging (I’m a DJ) or casual listening. And nothing compares with them in terms of convenience/portability/conference call use.

I tried all sizes of eartips, including 3rd party foam ones but the seal is never sufficient.

I’d like to know if I’m missing an ever better sound response, especially on bass. I find the bass relatively okay, of course not in the same league than my full size headphones but still quite okay. I notice more bass when I push the AirPods inside my ears but of course I can’t do this all the time.

And lastly any advice on how to create the perfect seal. Thanks!


r/AirpodsPro 2d ago

Airpods Pro 3

18 Upvotes

Last yeas APP3s received a lot of flack for the sound quality. Has anyone tested the new equalizer feature and seen improvment or managed to set the output to their liking? Thanks.

Additional comment: some are saying they had no issue. I had purchased the APP3 last Dec and returned them by evening. Music felt like it was being played through an empty box or a 1920's gramaphone. My regret is I did not get a new set of APP2's which were still available at the time (from Apple stores so genuine).


r/AirpodsPro 2d ago

EarPods with AirPods Pro feature

2 Upvotes

Wired AirPods Pro or EarPods Pro, as the name suggests wouldn’t it be a good accessory to have with all features of AirPods Pro but powered by iPhone.


r/AirpodsPro 2d ago

Support AirPods Pro 3

2 Upvotes

I’ve been dealing with a persistent issue with my AirPods Pro 3 for about ten months now, starting around October 2025. Everything was working fine between my iPhone and iPad until I traveled abroad and left my iPad at home. When I came back, the AirPods somehow transferred primary ownership to the iPad, which is registered to a different Apple account. I tried removing them from that account, but it didn't fix anything. Ever since then, I can't access their location from my iPhone and can only view it through the iPad. On top of that, I constantly get warnings on my phone stating that the owner can view their location since the devices aren't on the same Apple account, and the AirPods occasionally make weird chiming sounds on their own. Has anyone experienced a similar issue or found a way to completely reset ownership back to a different primary device?


r/AirpodsPro 2d ago

airpods finding

0 Upvotes

Hey ! I found these AirPods and I can’t reset them, they charged but I think they’re always connected to the apple ID of the ancient owner (they put them to the waste reception center). Do you have any idea of how I can use them ?


r/AirpodsPro 3d ago

Anyone else’s AirPods Pro 3rd generation had transparency mode fail on each bud separately?

2 Upvotes

So back in June, transparency mode on the right bud completely failed so I took it in to get looked at in the Apple Store. They confirmed the right bud was faulty and replaced it. Now today, the LEFT bud’s transparency mode has failed meaning I’ll probably have to get it replaced too. Neither have been dropped or came into contact with any liquids either. Wondering if it’s a problem for others or if I got a bad pair. I’ve had them since October last year for clarification


r/AirpodsPro 3d ago

Right Airpod pro (2nd gen) not playing sound yet pause/play and other toggles + charging works

1 Upvotes

Have had this pair for about 2-2.5 years now with practically no issues until yesterday shortly after finishing my workout when I suddenly heard a large crackle from the right Airpod, and then complete silence. I did try adjusting the volume and playing and pausing audio with it, and while there were no toggle sounds from the Airpod, I was able to do these without any issue. Airpods also charge to 100%. I've tried disconnecting and connecting, doing a factory reset, and draining the battery for 24 hours before charging them again, and it still doesn't work. I generally take good care of my Airpods and don't expose them to water and harsh substances or anything maybe other than sweat from wearing them while working out so I'm confused.


r/AirpodsPro 3d ago

Question How do I take this noise off, it’s been happening for a while and it’s never happened in the past, why is it doing and how do I take it off, plz help guys🙏🏽 It also usually rings like 3 times but tdy in the morning I got them and started swinging them, they kept making the noise but like non stop

1 Upvotes

How do I take it off guys help me plzz


r/AirpodsPro 3d ago

Question Apple Store doesn’t replace AirPods if below than 80% battery capacity?

0 Upvotes

Hi all. I just went to the Apple Store recently to go get my AirPod Pros 2 battery replaced. Before I visited, I did some research and apparently they replace the device, instead of replacing the battery.

When I came to the store, the technician said they don’t replace the device and that I would have to mail it to Apple to get the device replaced as the battery replacement. I know it’s the 2nd generation, so maybe they don’t have it in stock since they’re selling the 3rd generation.

Can anyone please advise? Thank you in advance!


r/AirpodsPro 3d ago

AirPod Pro 3 disconnect/reconnect on subway - worth returning and getting new ones?

1 Upvotes

I just bought new AirPod Pro 3s and often when I get on the subway (NYC) they disconnect and reconnect \~3 seconds later. It’s pretty annoying and I don’t think I had this issue with my AirPod Pro 1s.

Is it worth returning them and getting new ones to see if the issue goes away? I’d have to do so in the next 2 days to be able to return them.


r/AirpodsPro 4d ago

My AirPods Pro 2(usb-c) don’t make any sound when i try to use find my

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4 Upvotes

I used to have samsung buds+ they would make a chime when i clicked find

Is there something am doing wrong


r/AirpodsPro 4d ago

Precise location

1 Upvotes

I have recently purchased the AirPods Pro3 and I’m not able to find precise location in Find My, whenever I click directions in Find My, it just takes me to the maps …. Kindly help people !!!!


r/AirpodsPro 4d ago

Support AirPods Pro 2 right earbud stopped charging

1 Upvotes

My right earbud stopped working out of nowhere, it won’t charge, and the case doesn’t recognize it. I’ve tried every online fix, but nothing worked. I then removed them from my iCloud, and now the case won’t even appear for pairing.

I took them to the Apple Store, and their diagnostic showed no hardware issues. The technician offered to send them in for repair, which would cost $229, and guaranteed they’d replace them with a new pair. However, my AppleCare has expired. Any suggestions?


r/AirpodsPro 5d ago

New iOS update seemed to glitch my AirPod pros?

6 Upvotes

AirPod pros are reconnecting and disconnecting rapidly when case is open and cannot get these to work

Resetting AirPods did not help and turning off in ear protection did not change anything


r/AirpodsPro 5d ago

AirPod Pro 3 Case Blinks Red Even at Full Charge

3 Upvotes

Bought AirPod pro 3 from Apple last December, and sometimes it has an issue where even though my AirPods are full charge, the case still blinks red and drains the case battery faster. I do have optimized battery on so that might be why?

However, sometimes the case blinks red when I’m using my AirPods and when I’m about to put my AirPods back into the case, I notice it’s blinking red even though the case is full charge.

Should I get a replacement? It’s still under limited warranty.


r/AirpodsPro 5d ago

Question Air pods pro 2 not recognised in find my

1 Upvotes

I can never track it
Also set up steps do not work
Parts are genuine and matching
Attached image . Any support would be helpful 🤗

https://imgur.com/a/g87FHAK