Updated November 2026
How to check your AirPods battery on a Mac
Here's where macOS shows your AirPods' battery, and how to keep an eye on it without clicking around.
Built into macOS
- Connect your AirPods to your Mac.
- Open System Settings and click your AirPods in the sidebar: the battery of each AirPod and the case shows at the top.
- For a quick look any time, add the Batteries widget to your desktop or Notification Center.
AirPods report the case's battery only while the case is open with at least one AirPod inside.
What macOS leaves out
macOS shows the battery only while your AirPods are connected to that Mac. It doesn't warn you before they run out, and it keeps no history, so you can't tell whether the batteries are wearing.
Battery at a glance with KeepBuds
- The menu bar shows the left, right and case battery, even while your AirPods are with your iPhone.
- Low battery alerts at 10, 20 or 30%, once per charge, and a notice when they're fully charged.
- The Battery page charts the last 24 hours or 7 days and works out how long a full charge lasts in your ears. If that gets shorter over the months, the batteries are wearing.
- With the floating window on, the battery is always one glance away on the edge of your screen.
More than a battery meter
KeepBuds is a small menu bar app for Mac. It also stops your Mac from taking your AirPods without asking, sets each app's volume, locks your Mac when you walk away, and more.
Questions
Why does the case battery sometimes show a dash?
The case reports its battery only while it's open with an AirPod inside. KeepBuds then shows the last reading in grey.
Does KeepBuds drain my AirPods?
No. It reads the status your AirPods already send to nearby Apple devices. It doesn't keep them connected to your Mac.
Does it work with Beats?
Yes, with Beats that show their battery on Apple devices.