Save Your AirPods’ Serial Number To Replace Lost Parts

If you lose one of your AirPods, Apple has you covered (it just won’t be cheap), but if you lose the included charging case you could run into some trouble. A recent Reddit thread shows that replacing a lost AirPods case is easier said than done, especially if you don’t remember your serial number.

Photo: Flickr: LWYang

The solution? Save a picture of your AirPods serial number on your computer. You can find it on the box they came in, on the underside of the case lid, or by syncing the AirPods and heading to Settings > General > About > AirPods on your phone.

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The issue is that Apple won’t replace the case unless you have your serial number. The company doesn’t spell out exactly why this is, but one popular theory is that it’s to stop AirPod thieves who need a new case for their stolen earbuds.

What’s interesting, though, is that Apple’s exact policy seems to change on a case-by-case basis. One AirPods owner says the company was able to pull up the serial number using their Apple ID, but most commenters on the thread say Apple wasn’t much help at all.

If you do lose your case you can also retrieve the serial number by charging them in another case. Try borrowing one from your friend, or use a demo unit at the Apple Store. Just make sure not to press the button on the case or you’ll lose your old serial number.

Of course, you could avoid all of this by just storing a picture of the serial number on your computer. While you’re at it, you might as well create a folder to save all your gadget serial numbers moving forward. Just in case.