Is there a blue light that keeps blinking on your newly bought AirPods Pro or AirPods Max charging case, but you don’t know what that means? Let’s explain it below and discuss how to tell a fake and a genuine pair apart, and ways to deal with it.

Why is the light on my AirPods case blue?

A blue light on your AirPods charging case means that you’ve bought a counterfeit product, and the battery of the fake pair is either low or the settings are corrupt and need a reset.

Real Apple AirPods do not have a blue LED light. Genuine status lights on Apple charging cases only display white, green, or amber (orange/red).

Fake AirPods often use cheap Bluetooth chips that default to flashing blue lights during pairing or power-up, a feature common in generic wireless earbuds.

Real AirPods and AirPods Pro earbuds do not emit any lights at all; the status light is only on the case.

What do the different LED colors on an AirPods case mean?

The status light color on your AirPods Pro case tells you the battery level and connection status of your device. 

Battery status

• Solid Green: Your AirPods or the case are fully charged.
• Solid Amber (Orange): Your device is charging, or the case has less than one full charge remaining.
• No Light: The battery is completely dead and needs power. 

Connection & error status

• Flashing White: Your AirPods are ready to pair with a device.
• Flashing Amber: There is a pairing or connection error, and you may need to reset your AirPods.

Same as Pro, your AirPods Max do not have a blue light. Genuine. It features a single status light next to the charging port on the bottom of the right ear cup. This light only displays: 

• Off: Sleeping or completely dead battery.
• White: Ready to set up or connected.
• Amber / Orange: Low battery or charging.
• Green: Fully charged (when plugged in).

How do I fix the blue light on my AirPods case?

Official AirPods Pro cases only display white, amber (orange), or green status lights, so a glowing blue light typically indicates a third-party replica or a hardware glitch. But there are two ways to fix it as well on your fake pair.

1. Charge your AirPods

The first fix for the blue blinking light on your fake AirPods case is to fully charge it:

1. Use the supplied Lightning cable to charge the case first.
2. Next, place the AirPods in it and close the lid.
3. Now, wait until the earbuds are charged, and the blue light will be gone.

2. Reset AirPods Pro

If the above methods fail, try resetting your fake AirPods Pro with these steps:

1. Open your device Settings.
2. Select Bluetooth.
3. Tap “i” next to your fake AirPods Pro name, select Forget This Device, and confirm it.
4. Place them in their charging case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds.
5. Open it and long-press the Setup button on it for 15 seconds.
6. Pair the gadget again with your device under the Bluetooth Settings and see if this fixes the blinking blue light.

How can you tell if AirPods Pro are fake?

You can tell if AirPods Pro are fake by checking your iPhone’s “About” settings menu, inspecting the individual serial numbers for each earbud, and testing real feature responses.

1. Check iPhone settings

Real AirPods Pro connect and show credible information in your iPhone software. Fake pairs often fail to register in the system menu.

1. Turn on your Bluetooth and connect your AirPods.
2. Open your iPhone settings.
3. Tap General, then go to About.
4. Scroll down to look for the name of your AirPods.
5. Tap it to see and confirm the manufacturer name (Apple), hardware version, model, and serial number.
6. If your connected AirPods do not show up here at all under the About section, they are likely not real.

2. Inspect the serial number

Counterfeiters often print a single real serial number on every fake AirPods box and charging case they make. To confirm this:

1. Head to Bluetooth and pair your pods with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
2. Open Settings.
3. Select Bluetooth.
4. Tap “i” next to the name of your connected AirPods.
5. See the serial number and match it to the box to verify whether they are fake or real.

3. Test features and charging

Real Apple AirPods behave in specific ways that cheap clones cannot copy.

• Noise Cancellation: Authentic Active Noise Cancellation only turns on when the earbuds detect they are actually inside your ears. If a pair lets you toggle noise cancellation modes while sitting on a table, they are likely fake.
• Apple Watch Charger: If your AirPods Pro case supports MagSafe wireless charging, place it on an Apple Watch puck charger. Real cases respond with a light and a sound indicator; fake cases will not react at all.
• Build Quality: Real ear tips are soft and easy to pull off and snap back on. Fake tips are often made of stiff white plastic and feel nearly impossible to remove without tearing.

Why are my AirPods failing to pair?

Most of the time, your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch shows “Not your AirPods Pro” when it detects a counterfeit product and fails to pair. If they are genuine, your device will display AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max when you connect it for the first time.

Can fake AirPods still have a real serial number?

Fake AirPods can have a real serial number because the counterfeiters often use one from an original pair and put it on the package. You can conveniently figure that out if the “About AirPods” doesn’t show up when you connect the gadget or the serial number in the device settings doesn’t match the one on the box.

Can you change the name on fake AirPods?

You cannot change the name on fake AirPods under your device’s Bluetooth settings. You also don’t get to perform some other customizations that the original product offers. These include failing to connect to the device and the battery indicator not popping up when you put them in the charging case with the lid open.

Why don’t my AirPods have noise canceling?

If your AirPods Pro don’t have a noise-canceling feature, this probably means they are not real. However, many of the latest fakes do come with this function, but it can be detected by checking the serial number.

What does Apple AirPod packaging look like?

Apple AirPods packaging comes with a peel-off to unwrap the plastic, but you’ll need scissors or a knife to cut the plastic for the fake one, although it is tightly wrapped.

What do fake AirPods Pro look like?

The fake AirPods Pro LED indicator looks like it’s on the charging case surface, with a wired mesh on top for protection. Genuine Apple earbuds feel like this indicator is pushed or engraved inside a clear hole.

Do AirPods have writing on the case?

The original AirPods Pro writing on the case is small, light gray, the font is San Francisco style, and the overall design color scheme is off-white and pale. However, the color scheme on a fake pair is usually plain or glossy white, and the text color is more on the black side with a bigger font size.

What to do if your AirPods are fake?

If you suspect your AirPods Pro or AirPods Max are fake, contact the seller and ask for a genuine replacement or a refund. If the seller hesitates, you can take legal action because selling clone products using the original brand name is illegal and punishable.

Quick Tip: You can initiate a dispute with the fake seller on various online stores like Amazon. Their customer support can help you get much-needed assistance for a refund or genuine replacement.

What are the best places to buy genuine AirPods from?

The best places to buy genuine AirPods Pro are from an authorized seller or the Apple online store. This way, you can be sure that you are not getting a fake product that may cause connectivity or customization issues afterward.

You can also find sellers on Amazon and Best Buy to procure genuine AirPods Pro, but make sure to check their positive ratings and reviews before purchasing.