There’s nothing worse than turning on your headphones only to realize that it’s out of charge; if you’re new to the world of wireless headphones and earbuds, then you’re probably wondering how long will it take to charge your typical headphones or earbuds.
The average Bluetooth headphones take 2-3 hours to fully charge and have an average battery life of 22 hours. The average Bluetooth earbuds take 1.5-2 hours to charge fully and have an average earbud battery life of 5 hours and an average charging case battery life of 24 hours.
Let’s take a look at a few examples of some of the top wireless headphones & earbuds in the market and how long it takes each device to charge fully. Let’s dive in!
How Long Does it Take To Charge Bluetooth Headphones & Earbuds?
Bluetooth headphones typically take 2-3 hours to charge and have an average battery life of 22 hours. In comparison, Bluetooth Earbuds take 1.5- 2 hours to charge on average and have a battery life of 5 hours and an overall battery life of 24 hours with the case.
These numbers are what to expect on average, but it depends on the type of headphones you get; some headphones are equipped with very high battery life, whereas others have a lower battery life capacity. The length it takes to charge wireless headphones & earbuds usually comes down to the overall battery life of the device as well as the quality of the battery.
Additionally, headphones & earbuds will charge rapidly from 0% to 80%, then slowing down the charging process to maintain battery health. This optimized charging process is featured in a few popular devices such as the Airpods. This is why most users notice rapid charging went their battery is lower; 5 minutes of charge on some devices such as Airpods offer 1 hour of listening time, but this same effect is slowed down when the battery reaches 80%.
We compiled a list below of some of the top wireless headphones and earbuds, as well as the length it takes to charge each device and their total battery life capacity.
| Headphones Name | How long Does it Take To Charge? | Battery Life |
| Sony WH-1000XM4 | 3 hours | 30 hours |
| Beats Studio | 2 hours | 22 hours |
| Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 | 2.5 hours | 20 hours |
| Philips PH805 | 2 hours | 25 hours |
| AKG N60NC Wireless | 2.5 | 30 hours |
| Jabra Elite 85H | 3 hours | 41 hours |
| Apple AirPods Max | 2 hours | 22 hours |
| JBL Tune 750BTNC | 2 hours | 15 hours |
| Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones | 3 hours | 30 hours |
| Bose QuietComfort 35 II | 3 hours | 20 hours |
| Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless | 3 hours | 17 hours |
| Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT | 7 hours | 40 hours |
| JLab Audio JBuddies Studio Bluetooth | 3 hours | 24 hours |
| Jabra Elite 45h | 1.5 hours | 50 hours |
| Anker’s SoundCore Life Q30 | 2 hours | 44 hours |
| Earbuds Name | How long Does it Take To Charge earbuds? | How long Does it Take To Charge The Case? | Earbuds Battery Life | Battery Life with case |
| Airpods | 1.5 hours | 2 hour | 5 hours | 24 hours |
| Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless | 1.5 hours | 3.5 hours | 8 hours | 24 hours |
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds | 2 hours | 3 hours | 6 hours | 18 hours |
| Jabra Elite 85t | 2.5 hours | 3.5 hours | 5.5 hours | 25 hours |
| Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 | 1.5 hours | 1.5 hours | 9 hours | 45 hours |
| Skullcandy Indy | 1 hour | 2 hours | 4 hours | 18 hours |
| Grado GT220 | 2 hours | 2 hours | 6.5 hours | 30 hours |
| Status Between Pro | 2 hours | 3 hours | 12 hours | 36 hours |
| Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 | 1.5 hours | 1.5 hours | 7 hours | 28 hours |
How To Know If Your Headphones Or Earbuds are Fully Charged?
Almost all wireless headphones come with light indicators which show their current battery state as well as when it is done charging. When charging your headphones, a green light typically indicates that the headphones are fully charged. Some headphone’s lights turn off in order to indicate that the headphones are fully charged.
As for wireless earbuds, some cases are equipped with LEDs to indicate battery level & when the battery is fully charged. A green light typically indicates that the charge is complete. Additionally, most wireless earbuds allow you to view their battery level through your phone when paired to your device.
Can you Overcharge Bluetooth Headphones & Earbuds?
Headphones & earbuds nowadays are equipped with Lithium-Ion batteries which immediately stop charging once it reaches 100% battery. So, leaving your headphones or earbuds plugged n for an extended period of time will not affect battery health whatsoever, nor will they overcharge your headphones or earbuds.
What Can Cause Headphone or Earbuds Battery Life To Degrade Faster?
First of all, it’s important to know how Bluetooth headphones & earbuds battery works; both devices use Lithium-Ion batteries, which work in charge cycles. Every time your battery is discharged (drops below 20% battery), it consumes one charge cycle. On average, lithium-Ion batteries have 300-500 charge cycles before battery health is completely degraded. Your headphones & earbuds battery will naturally degrade over time; however, you can prolong the health of the battery by reducing the number of charge cycles consumed, thus avoiding dropping your headphones or earbuds below 20% charge.
Additionally, Lithium-Ion batteries don’t work well in extreme temperatures, especially when it comes to hot temperatures. Leaving your device in a hot environment such as your car for an extended period can result in irreversible damage.
Ideally, you want to store your headphones or earbuds at −20 °C ~ 60 °C. Anything above or below this range can have a negative impact on your phone’s battery health and life span.
How Long Shall I Charge my Headphones for the First Time?
For many years it has been said to charge a new device for 8-12 hours before use or charge it until it reaches 100% battery. However, although that may have been true for nickel batteries, in order to self calibrate the device, almost all devices nowadays use Lithium-Ion batteries, which have self-calibrating technology designed in them. So it really doesn’t affect battery life whether you charge it upon first use or not.
It’s also important to note that manufacturers charge the device to just 60% rather than 100% in order to preserve battery health. This is because the sweet spot for preserving a Lithium-Ion battery is anywhere from around 40% to 70%.
Can you listen to Bluetooth headphones while charging?
Some headphones are capable of being used while charging; however, the majority of headphones shut down and aren’t able to operate while charging. This is dependent on the type of headphones you own; if your headphones are designed with his capability, then there are no issues with using your headphones while it charges.
How Often Should I Charge my Headphones & Earbuds?
in order to preserve your device’s batteries, you want to ensure you never discharge your battery. Discharging your device simply means dropping the battery to a low percentage in the case of Lithium-Ion batteries; this is 20%. Every time you drop the battery below 20%, it consumes a charge cycle; on average Lithium-Ion batteries have 300-500 charge cycles until the battery is degraded. The number of times you charge your device will not affect battery life or health whatsoever, but the number of times you discharge your device will cause your device’s batteries to degrade at a faster rate.
How To Make Your Headphones & Earbuds Last Longer:
Have a Charging Schedule
A charging schedule will help reduce the number of charge cycles your device consumes by limiting the number of times your device is discharged. This, in turn, will prolong your device’s battery life & health.
Use it Wired Before it Discharges
This only applies to headphones but using a wired connection does not require any battery whatsoever, meaning you will be able to use your headphones with a wired connection right before your device is about to discharge, reducing the number of charge cycles your headphone consumes. This helps extend the life of your battery by limiting the number of charge cycles consumed.
Keep Them Clean
Earbuds & headphones that are clogged with dust or dirt can and will affect your device’s battery. Cleaning your headphones regularly will reduce the risk of damage to your device from clogs.
Avoid Moisture
Depending on your headphone’s IPX rating, there is a certain amount of moisture headphones can endure until it affects battery health. Headphones & Earbuds with higher IPX ratings will be able to tolerate a higher amount of moisture than your average headphones & earbuds but are still vulnerable to damage if exposed to enough moisture for an extended period. You should always dry off your device after workouts or when exposed to water.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it; on average Bluetooth headphones take 2-3 hours to fully charge, whereas Bluetooth earbuds take anywhere from 1.5-2 hours to charge fully. Since all headphones are not made with the same battery capacity and feature, it will depend on the brand and type of headphones you go with but on average; these are the numbers you should expect.
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