I recently bought a second-hand pair of AirPods Pro and have confirmed that they appear genuine: the serial numbers on the case, box, and device settings match, and the purchase date lines up with Apple's coverage information. However, they have several issues that may be connected. Switching between Transparency mode and Noise Cancellation makes no noticeable difference, the connection and mode-switching chimes are extremely loud even when my device volume is low, and the firmware is stuck on version 5B59. I've tried cleaning them, resetting them through the case several times, and leaving them charging beside my phone overnight with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled, but the firmware still hasn't updated. Has anyone experienced these problems, or have suggestions for diagnosing or fixing them?
1 Answer
Those symptoms can be caused by counterfeit AirPods, so I’d first verify how they were authenticated rather than relying only on the serial number. Fake pairs can copy a real serial number and may even appear in Apple’s coverage checker. If they are genuine, the next important detail is what device and operating system you’re using; firmware updates normally require the AirPods to be in their case, charging, near a compatible iPhone or iPad connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and left for a while. The lack of any difference between Transparency and Noise Cancellation is especially worth testing on another compatible device.
I checked the serial number on the case, box, and in the device settings, and they all match Apple’s coverage information. The purchase date also matches the receipt, so I’m fairly confident they’re genuine, although I know copied serial numbers are possible. The coverage has already expired.