Are your AirPods flashing orange lights, and you do not know why? Do not worry as you are not alone. With the dominating popularity of the Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro, a few errors and problems with them have also arisen and it is not strange for you to experience them. One of the most common errors AirPod users experience is when the charging case is flashing an orange LED. It could indicate several problems with your wireless earphones — often with their battery. Sadly, these problems cannot actually be pinpointed and diagnosed by end-users. Thankfully, even without diagnosing them, anyone can follow some steps to fix their device for AirPods flashing orange!
Also read: The Best AirPods Cases – Protect Your AirPods With Hardy Cases!
Inside This Article
What Do AirPod LED Lights Mean?
Before we start explaining what to do with AirPods flashing orange, we should talk about what your AirPod LED colors mean. Your AirPod case can actually project three different colors at any one time: green, orange (amber according to Apple), and pure white. It means different things when these three colors are flashing, solidly projected, or completely absent. If the AirPod buds are inserted in the case or not also changes the meaning of these LED lights.
With the AirPods in the Case
Here are what the AirPod case LED colors mean when they light up while AirPods are installed in the case.
- Green Light (Solid): This is the most common status when your AirPods are working properly. A solid green LED light means that your AirPods and case are fully charged and can be safely removed from their charger.
- Orange Light (Solid): The second common LED status for your AirPods, a solid orange light means your AirPods and their case is charging properly. This usually changes to a solid green light after it fully charges.
- Orange Light (Flashing): For anyone asking “why is my AirPods case flashing orange” while the AirPods are in the case, this means that there is a problem with your AirPods. Some of the common problems include old or faulty batteries, pairing problems, firmware issues, and hardware defects.
- White Light (Flashing): Another good color to see with your AirPods is a flashing LED light. This usually means that it is attempting to pair or is ready to pair with a nearby compatible Bluetooth device.
- No Light/s: Finally, the last LED light setting is to not see any light at all. There are two different meanings for this status. The first is that the device and its case are “off” and are not turned on. The second case is worse as it may indicate that the unit is “inoperable” and either has battery problems or hardware issues.
With the AirPods Outside the Case
Similar to what your AirPod case’s LEDs mean when the AirPods are inside the case, here is a list of when they are outside.
- Green Light (Solid): Compared to when the AirPods are in the case, a solid green LED light from your AirPods case means it can only charge your AirPods once. Consider this a “low power” warning for your AirPods case.
- Orange Light (Solid): Similar to the solid green light when your AirPods are outside the case, a solid orange light has something to do with the battery. For this LED mode, the case does not have enough power to fully charge your AirPods even once. This is basically a “charge battery” warning for users.
How to Fix AirPods Flashing Orange
Now that we covered the different LED light signals your AirPods case might have, let us discuss what to do when your AirPods case is flashing orange. As we said earlier, it could mean a battery problem, but there is no exact way end-users can know for sure. There are a few ways you can try to solve these errors, and these steps will fix potential connectivity issues, firmware problems, or settings mismatches. However, these steps will not fix or patch over hardware issues. That said, here are a few good ways to fix your earbuds for AirPods flashing orange. For this guide, we are explaining these steps while using an iPhone as a Bluetooth-connected device.
1. Reconnect and Re-pairing AirPods
The most basic thing to do when your encounter AirPods flashing orange before you even reset is to reconnect and re-pair your AirPods and Bluetooth device. To do that, take the following steps:
- Go to the Settings App, then scroll to the Bluetooth section.
- Find a list of your phone’s paired devices and pick your AirPods from the list.
- Select the “i” button beside your AirPods name.
- Press Forget This Device on the new menu and wait for it to finish.
- Place your AirPods back in the case and close the lid. Wait for a few seconds.
- Open the lid and long-press the case button to enter pairing mode. Wait for the flashing white LED and the AirPods to pair with the iPhone.
- Congratulations! Airpods flashing orange LED should stop now. If not, move to the next fix on this list.
2. Restart Your iPhone
Since you normally do not want to actually reset your AirPods by themselves, resetting your phone is the next best thing to do. This should clear any mismatched settings between your iPhone and the paired AirPods. To reset your phone, do the following:
- Press and hold your iPhone’s power button. Wait for the slider to appear.
- Use the slider and wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off.
- Turn your device back on until you see the Apple logo.
- Check whether this has fixed your AirPod’s problem.
Note that those using iPhones model X or newer should follow our guide to restarting the iPhone 12 instead.
3. Recharge the AirPods and Case
Another good option to try when fixing AirPods flashing orange is to charge your device fully. Sometimes, the orange LED flashing may be due to connection issues with the case’s battery. If you think there may be problems with your wired charger, you should use the AirPod case’s wireless MagSafe charging feature instead. Make sure to follow the right steps for charging your AirPods to get rid of the orange LED.
4. Clean Your AirPods
Dirt can prevent your AirPods from charging properly and that may cause you to get the orange LED error on your device. If the first two methods on this list do not work, you can also try cleaning your AirPods and AirPods case properly. This will allow accumulated gunk to be removed from your device. It will also expose wear and tear on your device that may be worse than it first appeared. After cleaning your device and finding that AirPods flashing orange still occurs, try the next step.
5. Update Your AirPod Firmware
One of the more complicated steps you can try for AirPods flashing orange is to update its firmware. You can automatically do this by resetting your AirPods. Do note that this will revert your AirPods to their factory settings and firmware, and will require a new firmware download to be up to date. You can reset your AirPod and update its firmware by doing the following:
1. Open your iPhone’s settings app and unpair your AirPods from the phone. (A more in-depth explanation is on the earlier Reconnect and Re-pairing AirPods section until the 5th step.)
2. Open the lid and hold the AirPods power button for at least 15 seconds until the case flashes its orange LED. Wait for it to flash thrice, and then release the button and close the lid.
3. Re-open the lid and re-pair your now reset AirPods with your iPhone. Make sure it is connected to the internet, as the iPhone will automatically download and install the latest firmware to your AirPods.
Also read: How to Reset AirPods, AirPods 2, and AirPods Max
6. Try Apple Support
The last step for fixing any Apple product is to try getting Apple Support. If the above steps did not work with you for AirPods flashing orange, it may be a hardware issue. Apple Support does offer limited repair for AirPods and AirPods Max devices. However, most hardware faults not covered by a warranty will usually be almost as much as buying a new pair. Choose whether you want to buy a new pair or pay to have your AirPods repaired by an Apple-certified technician.
Related: How to Spot Fake AirPods Pro
Solutions to Other AirPods Problems You May Encounter
Before we leave, we want you to know that AirPods flashing orange are not the only things you can encounter when using your earbuds. Below is a quick list of things that could hamper its use and a quick link to our guides to fix them.
- If AirPods won’t charge due to battery problems, connection issues, or other defects.
- What to do when AirPods are cutting out and related audio and Bluetooth signal problems.
- Why is one AirPod not working or why does it have a shoddy connection?
- What to do when an AirPod keeps falling out of your ear.
- What to do when you have wet AirPods or forgot them in the wash?
- If you lost your AirPods or just one of the earbuds and can’t find it.
