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Can you spot fake AirPods? Well with these 5 tips!

Above are two AirPods earbuds: one is real, the other fake. Are you able to spot fake AirPods? After reading this article anyway!

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How to recognize fake AirPods

1. Is the price right?

Counterfeit products are always cheaper than the original. Therefore, pay attention to the price first when shopping. The more it deviates from the suggested retail price, the greater the chance that the earplugs are fake. When someone offers the very expensive AirPods Max headphones for 200 euros, there is no doubt something is wrong.

Of course, shops can go slightly below the price. After all, products become cheaper over time. At the time of writing, you can get the AirPods Pro at some stores for around 220 euros, while Apple asks 279 euros.

Are you shopping online? Read the reviews from previous customers beforehand. If the seller offers counterfeit stuff, you’ll find out soon enough. This advice is of course a bit more difficult when you come across (possibly fake) AirPods in a store, or when you try to buy them via a platform such as Marktplaats or Facebook Marketplace.

2. Check the packaging

Also important: what kind of packaging are the AirPods in? Apple is known for its luxurious and solid presentation of products. In other words, new AirPods don’t come in cluttered packaging full of spelling mistakes.

It is difficult to distinguish a fake packaging from a real one, but you can pay attention to certain things:

  • Does the packaging of the AirPods feel sturdy? Is the plastic wrapped tightly around it, or is it hanging a bit loosely?
  • Do you not encounter any spelling mistakes or strange texts? For example, an Apple product (or packaging) will always contain the phrase “Designed by Apple in California”.
  • Are there two stickers on the bottom of the package? If so, write down the serial number and model number (more on that later).
  • Are all images and graphics on the box sharply printed (and not pixelated)?
  • Can you feel the featured AirPods on the front of the packaging?

3. Are the serial and model numbers correct?

Well, you are now standing with the possible fake AirPods in your hands and you have the idea that the ears are legitimate. Before you make a purchase, it is important to do two more checks.

First, go to Apple’s official website and enter the AirPods serial number here. If all is well, the earplugs will be recognized and you will immediately see (among other things) the model number. It must match the model number on the package.

Does the serial number give no response? Then it’s wrong. Apple keeps track of the serial numbers of all its devices. If this does not match, you can assume that you fake AirPods have to deal with.

airpods 3 ear pads

4. Pairing and Connecting: Smooth, or Not?

The AirPods you have in mind are reasonably priced, the packaging looks legitimate and there is nothing strange about the serial and model number. You can therefore put it to the test and test the earplugs. Of course, ask if this is allowed, because you don’t want to get into a fight with the seller.

Take them out of the packaging and put the earplugs into use. During the first moments, pay particular attention to the build quality. AirPods are extremely solid and do not feel ‘priegelig’.

Also important: test whether the AirPods can connect to your iPhone, iPad or Mac via bluetooth. You will be presented with a startup screen on the Apple device. The process should also feel very fluid and simple. After all, the power of Apple products is that everything works so well together.

Recognizing fake AirPods Connecting laptop bluetooth

5. Just compare

But, you are not 100 percent sure yet. Counterfeit products are getting better by the day and so it is quite difficult to distinguish fake from real AirPods. Of course, this is especially true when these are your first Apple earbuds.

The best tip we can give you is therefore to look for photos and videos from original AirPods, for example via the Apple site itself. Then it is a matter of looking closely and comparing these copies with the earphones that you have in your hands.

Also handy: search Google for a full 3D model of the AirPods (Pro) that you want to buy. You can move the earphones in three dimensions in all directions, and for example see exactly whether the light indicator of the charging box is in the right place.

Pay attention to this when inspecting

It is impossible to compile an inexhaustible list of differences between real and fake AirPods. There are simply too many counterfeit products on the market for that (which are also constantly changing).

There are some points where many fake AirPods (Pro) fall through the basket:

  • Look at the bottom of the AirPods. Original copies have an oval-shaped grid, while fake ones are often completely round (or the mesh is not present at all).
  • Grab the charging case. You should see the serial number of the (possibly fake) AirPods on the bottom of this cover. Check that this code matches the serial number on the packaging.
  • Check the charging port of the charging case. On many counterfeit AirPods, the metal shell of this port is thicker than the real earbuds. In any case, check whether you are really dealing with a Lightning port, and not a USB-c port (which fake AirPods are sometimes equipped with).
  • Also important: pay attention to the weight. Fake AirPods often weigh less than real ones. This is because they are made of cheaper materials. On the Apple website you can find how heavy they should be per model. For example, the AirPods 3 weigh 4.28 grams each.
  • AirPods are very sophisticated. For example, by tapping the stem twice, you can pause or resume the music. You can also quickly skip a song and use Siri. So if you still have doubts about the authenticity of your earplugs, it’s best to just start messing around.
  • Finally, AirPods earbuds are always white. So far, Apple doesn’t sell any other colors. The AirPods Max, the headphones, do come in colors other than white. These are space grey, blue, green and pink.

Do you still have doubts?

So, you should now have been able to determine whether or not your earplugs are fake. Counterfeit products are getting better and better, so you have to have a sharp eye.

In most cases, however, you will recognize counterfeit products very quickly. They are much cheaper than real ones. If you want certainty, it is best to go to a reliable store and get a set of AirPods there. It may save you a lot of hassle and money.

Apple AirPods 3

Apple AirPods Pro

Apple AirPods Max

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