Paul Morris·

How To Add Wireless Charging To AirPods Case Right Now [DIY Hack]

Apple’s AirPods have proven to be extremely popular with music lovers who want that truly wireless audio experience. However, a Lightning cable is needed to charge the accompanying charging case when battery levels are low. That detracts from the wireless revolution which Apple is currently trying to bring in with AirPods, iPhone 8, and most recently, iPhone X.

If you can’t wait any longer for Apple to introduce AirPods with the recently announced official wireless charging case, then you are likely in the exact same situation that RP reader Simon Cowley found himself in.

After purchasing iPhone 8 and iPhone X and going fully wireless with Qi-compatible chargers, Cowley wanted his AirPods case to offer the same functionality. Rather than waiting for Apple to release the updated case (the company says it will be available in early 2018), he did something about it himself and then shared it with us so that we could share it with you all.

Step 1: First of all, you are going to need to be the proud owner of Apple’s current AirPods, which ship with the original charging case and wired charging. You are also going to need to be prepared to go through a small non-technical process which involves modifying the case. We aren’t making any physical changes but the stunning white exterior won’t look as fresh afterward.

Step 2: You are also going to need to make a couple of low-cost purchases. First of all, you will need a Qi wireless charging receiver like this which comes with a Lightning connector. This basically plugs into the AirPods charging case, and by taking off the white plastic you can expose the charging coil.

Step 3: You will also need a protective case to cover the AirPods charging case. This is to protect and hide the electronics and to also make it look slightly better than it does with the electronics exposed. This silicone AirPods protective case from Amazon is a great example.

Step 4: Now, you will need to expose the coil on the Qi wireless charging receiver and plug it into the AirPods charging case using the Lightning port. A small amount of tape can be used to secure it to the case.

Step 5: Slip the charging case carefully into the silicone protective case to cover it all up. And there you have it. You should now be able to place the charging case onto a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad to charge it wirelessly.

The process definitely won’t leave you with a charging case as beautiful as the one that Apple announced during its September 12 event. However, with them not arriving for AirPods until early 2018, not to forget the likely big price tag that they might be carrying, this could be a welcome AirPods modification which can let you go truly wireless and see you through until Apple gets its house in order.

Thanks Simon for the tip!

You may also like to check out:

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the Web.