AirPods‌ ‌Flashing‌ ‌Orange:‌ ‌What‌ ‌It‌ ‌Means‌ ‌&‌ ‌How‌ ‌To‌ ‌Fix‌ ‌It‌ ‌

The next time you see your AirPods flashing orange, here’s how you should go about it.

Anyone who owns Apple AirPods will tell you how much of a treat it is to have one. However, AirPods are not immune to some issues. Luckily, they have the indicator light to alert you of some problems.

Yet, this light and its color changes can be confusing if you have zero knowledge of what it means.

Have you ever stopped in your tracks, with your AirPods on hand, wondering why they’re showing an orange (or amber) light? More so, orange seems like a far more alarming color than the usual green and white.

This might lead you to believe that something is very wrong with your AirPods — but no. It actually only requires some simple fixes.

To help you with that, let’s set the record straight on what that light means and how you can address it correctly.

Why Are My AirPods Flashing Orange?

The indicator light, or the small dot of light on your AirPods’ case, is your AirPods’ way of communicating with you. Different colors and blinking patterns signify various issues or statuses of the device.

Paying attention to the light and knowing what they mean is your responsibility as the owner of the AirPods.

If you’re still new to deciphering what the indicator light means, follow our guide below.

• Flashing white light: AirPods are in pairing mode.
• Amber/Orange light (with AirPods in): Your AirPods are charging inside the case.
• Amber/Orange light (without AirPods in): Your charging case doesn’t have enough charge anymore to completely recharge your AirPods one more time.
• Amber/Orange light (while connected to power source): AirPods and charging case are both charging.
• Green light (with AirPods in): AirPods are charged sufficiently.
• Green light (without AirPods in): The AirPods charging case is charged sufficiently.
• Green light (while connected to power source): AirPods and case are fully charged.
• Flashing amber/orange light: Your AirPods are experiencing a pairing error.
• No light: Either they are not in use or have run out of battery. Connect with your device to verify the status.

How to Fix AirPods Flashing Orange Light

The steady orange or amber light on your AirPods can signify a battery concern. To get this out of the way, simply charge your AirPods, and you’re good to go.

However, a flashing or blinking orange light can result from a general connectivity concern. While you won’t be able to pinpoint the problem and solve it directly, there are some things you can try out to address any connectivity concern.

Below are step-by-step guides on how to stop your AirPods from flashing orange light.

• Reset & reconnect your AirPods
• Restart your audio source
• Recharge the AirPods and case
• Clean your AirPods
• Update your AirPods’ firmware
• Try Apple Support

Reset & reconnect your AirPods

First up is perhaps the most basic yet effective of them all. A simple reset can, most of the time, solve whatever problem you may have on your AirPods.

Resetting deletes all existing data, including any part that may have bugs and issues, and gives your devices a chance to start on the right foot.

Other variants like the AirPods Max follow a different method for resetting. For AirPods and AirPods Pro, though, here’s how to reset them properly:

1. Head to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the “i” icon next to the name of your AirPods.

   

2. Choose “Forget This Device”.

   

3. Connect your AirPods again by opening the case’s lid with your AirPods inside and waiting for the connection prompt to pop-up on our phone.
   For Android users with AirPods, you can simply choose the AirPods on the list of available devices on your phone’s Bluetooth settings.

   

Restart your audio source

Aside from the AirPods, you can also try restarting the device you are using. Much like your AirPods, the audio source can also experience some issues that may cause connectivity problems.

Restarting your audio source can help clear out open apps, even those running on background that may cause the connection issue. It also prevents crashes and saves your storage space and battery life.

You may be using your phones, iPad, Android, or even your PS4 with your AirPods, so restarting may vary from one device to another. Most of the time, a simple long press on the power button of the device you’re using may just do the trick.

Recharge the AirPods and case

For any of the existing AirPods variants, the orange light signifies that you need to charge them already. So, if your AirPods still flash orange, maybe a quick plug to a power source can solve it.

To check whether your AirPods are actually charging, simply bring them closer to your Apple device and open their lid. A window should pop up on your screen showing the battery status.

Clean your AirPods

Dirt is something you don’t want to accumulate on and in your AirPods. Too much dirt and debris can inhibit proximity sensors and prevent proper connection.

They can also cause minute contact problems inside the charging case, resulting in frustrating issues. Specifically, these contact issues can prevent charging or cause your AirPods lid not to close properly.

Cleaning your AirPods sounds straightforward, but there’s actually a proper way to do so to prevent any damage.

This involves using the proper cleaning agent, the right tools, and knowing the right places to clean. You will need:

• 70% isopropyl alcohol
• Cotton swabs
• A toothpick
• A toothbrush.

Here’s how you should clean your AirPods:

1. Dampen a toothbrush and a cotton swab with alcohol. Use them to clean the edges of the AirPods and the inside of the charging case.

   

2. Using a toothpick, pick out any remaining debris inside the edges of the AirPods.

   

3. Finish cleaning by rubbing off the pieces of the AirPods with a lint-free cloth dampened with alcohol.

   

Update your AirPods’ firmware

Your AirPods are run by simple firmware. However, bugs and other issues may arise from the firmware from time to time and result in connection issues. Frequent firmware updates keep those problems at bay.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to manually or force install updates to your AirPods’ firmware. Updates are dependent on Apple, and they are rolled out at random times by the company. If there is an available update, your AirPods will get it automatically once they are connected to your iPhone.

Try Apple Support

If all else fails, call in the experts. Apple Support allows you to access Apple’s database of solutions or perhaps connect with someone from Apple who can support you.

Apple support can be intimidating at first, but the queues are actually very clear.

To help you with that, here’s a run-through of how you can use Apple Support to address the flashing orange light concern.

1. Access the Apple Support page by clicking this link.
2. Then, scroll down the page and click ‘Start Now’.

   

3. Enter your location.
   Choosing the right location ensures that you will be connected to someone from the same region as you are to avoid confusion.

   

4. Choose AirPods > More > click ‘The topic is not listed’ and type in the issue you’re experiencing.

   

5. Choose between a chat or a call session with Apple Support. Follow their instructions.

   

Bonus: Fixing Other AirPod Issues

If you’ve exhausted every possibility mentioned above, don’t give up just yet. Make one last push before doing so.

You see, sometimes, the orange light issue is a result of a bigger underlying issue for your AirPods. In that case, you could try out fixing other facets of your wireless earbuds. Fortunately, we have the right articles and tips for that!

One of these might just be the one you need:

• AirPods Keep Disconnecting: Causes and Fixes: If you’ve been continuously bothered by random disconnections, this article has some solutions you can try out. It talks about why your AirPods keep disconnecting and how you can address it across different devices such as your Apple Watch and Windows PC.
• One AirPod Not Working: Problems and Fixes: Listening to just one AirPod because the other isn’t cooperating is annoying. This article talks about several solutions, from checking the battery, adjusting the stereo balance and the usual resets.
• AirPods Not Connecting: An Ultimate Guide for PC, Mac, iPhone, & Android: AirPods that cannot connect to your device won’t be of much use to you. Whether you’re using a Mac, iPhone, Windows PC, or Android device, this article has the solutions for you.
• 6 Proven Ways to Know if Your Airpods Are Fake: Afraid that you were sold a pair of fake AirPods that’s why all sorts of problems are coming up? This article will help you figure that out. We compared original AirPods with counterfeit ones to see where exactly to look.
• AirPods Not Working: The Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide: As great as they are, AirPods can be a host to all sorts of problems. So, this ultimate guide was created to help owners fix up their wireless earbuds. The article has solutions for soft audio, pairing problems with different devices, lost AirPods, lost AirPods cases, and more.

Conclusion

If everything worked out well, then that bothersome orange light should be gone by now. You can now go back to listening to your favorite music and watching your favorite shows without any worries.

Plus, the next time you see that orange light again, you won’t panic anymore because you now know what to do!

What solution worked for you? Do you have any additional tweaks that have helped you fix your AirPods up? Share it with us in the comments section!