AirPods Pro 2 Teardown Provides Inside Look at Earbuds and Charging Case

Repair website iFixit today shared a video teardown of Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro, providing a closer look at the internals of the new earbuds and charging case. The teardown confirms that AirPods Pro remain largely unrepairable.


Opening up the AirPods Pro and the charging case continues to result in unfixable damage, preventing battery replacements and other repairs.

"AirPods are the most popular earbuds in the world — they are also among the most unfixable," says iFixit, in the video's description. "With the AirPods Pro 2, the flagship line gets a boost, in all arenas, apparently, except the environment."

As previously reported, the video shows that the metal insert on the charging case for attaching a lanyard is welded to the Lightning connector inside the case, but iFixit did not explain why. CT scanning company Lumafield speculated that the lanyard insert might double as an antenna for the U1 chip, which enables Find My support.

All in all, there are not too many surprises with the internals of the new AirPods Pro and case, which both remain environmentally unfriendly. The new AirPods Pro launched last Friday and are priced at $249 in the United States.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...

Top Rated Comments

Mailia Avatar
44 months ago

Not shocked, they’d have to be more bulky to be repairable
Or so Apple wants you to believe. Both the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds and charging case are repairable and they don't meet my definition of "bulky".

airpods pro 2 teardown image

https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/07/06/ogle-every-millimeter-of-sonys-flagship-earbuds-in-this-exhaustive-teardown/
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
44 months ago
But I've been told that Apple cares deeply about the environment and it affects everything they do.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
44 months ago
OK after watching the video I gotta say this does not meet the usual iFixit standards. I don’t think carving a frowny face and cutting the case open right above the battery is exactly Apple’s recommended method.

Usually these guys sound like experts but this time the thing was torn apart like an ape.

I don’t actually take his word for it that these are completely unrepairable based on this, because I don’t think he did a good job in this case.

He also seemed pretty biased from the start that the whole thing was an environmental disaster.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aloyouis Avatar
44 months ago
iFixit has become so biased that they are unwatchable thereby undermining their own purpose.

All this "hit piece" tells us is that Apple built the AirPods to the highest degree of performance and reliability they could and THAT is my primary concern.

I can recycle them when the life of the AirPods is over. I don't need condescending BS from them now.

I wasted 2 minutes watching that hot garbage.

PS: He damn near blew his own fingers off. What an idiot.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarAnalogy Avatar
44 months ago

Or so Apple wants you to believe. Both the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds and charging case are repairable and they don't meet my definition of "bulky".

airpods pro 2 teardown image

https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/07/06/ogle-every-millimeter-of-sonys-flagship-earbuds-in-this-exhaustive-teardown/
Personally I like that the AirPods Pro have a stem, I don’t like the entirely in ear form factor. Whether they could be made repairable in the current form factor, I don’t know. I do think those look kind of bulky. Probably at least the same weight as AirPods but more centered in the ear hole.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFan360 Avatar
44 months ago
Honestly I don’t really care, if you want repairability, don’t buy them and vote with your wallet, if you are worried about the landfills, then stop throwing away your Starbucks cups
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)