Ever since Apple released AirPods Max, questions have swirled around its low-power modes. Do you really need to use the Smart Case to save battery life, or let the headphones idle for hours? Thankfully, Apple is finally setting the record straight. The company has outlined the low-power modes for the AirPods Max, and the truth is more reassuring than what you might have heard online.
Yes, the Smart Case immediately sets the over-ears to a low-power mode. However, they’ll also enter that low-power mode with as little as five minutes of inactivity — not the two hours you may have heard about in early reports. AirPods Max will go into an even more aggressive battery-saving mode that shuts off Bluetooth and Find My if you leave them alone for 18 hours in the Smart Case, or 72 hours by themselves.