iOS 27 almost killed my AirPods Pro 3

As long as I’ve been able, I’ve rushed to install beta AirPods firmware to test the latest audio features before they arrive. So right as the WWDC keynote ended last week, I headed over to Apple’s developer site, downloaded the update, and waited for it to install on my AirPods. 

I’m aware of the risks, of course, including the possibility of bricking my trusty earbuds. I’ve never encountered any installation issues with beta AirPods software before, but last week I encountered my first major problem. Attempting to install the first iOS 27 developer build rendered my AirPods Pro 3 useless.

The process seemed to be OK at first. I connected my charged AirPods Pro case to a wired charger and enabled the beta firmware toggle on my updated iPhone. I could tell that the installation process was ongoing, as the AirPods banner in the iPhone’s Settings app persisted while my earbuds were idle. But then, the banner disappeared, and so did the case’s battery percentage in my phone’s Battery widget.

I waited for a few minutes and opened the lid, but the case’s LED indicator did not flash as it should. I could still listen to music using my earbuds, but the case failed to charge them. The Find My app similarly couldn’t locate or ping the case anymore. I tried resetting the AirPods by tapping repeatedly on the case’s hidden button, but it didn’t register my taps, either. The AirPods’ charging case was completely dead. A day later, the earbuds themselves ran out of power and died, too.

Two possible explanations came to mind:

1. The update was successfully installed, but the system glitched while the case rebooted. In this case, restarting the case would likely fix the issue.
2. A glitch occurred during the installation process, permanently bricking the case. If so, I would need to buy a new pair of AirPods Pro 3 for $249, as I can’t order an individual charging case replacement where I live.

Unfortunately, the AirPods Pro 3 don’t feature a physical restart button that can override the frozen software. The alternative was to let the case’s battery drain completely and then recharge it to force its software to restart.

I enabled the “Notify When Found” toggle for my dead AirPods in the Find My app in case my iPhone detected any sign of life, tossed my AirPods in a drawer, and waited. After five days or so without any signs of life, I tried to charge the case. To my surprise, a minute later, my iPhone notified me that my AirPods had been detected nearby. 

I checked my Battery widget, and I could see that both the case and the earbuds were listed with 1percent power. I opened the lid, the LED blinked, and the full AirPods functionality was restored. Fortunately, the update had completed installation before the software glitch, and once they were fully charged, my AirPods were fully operational again.

So while you probably shouldn’t install AirPods beta firmware on your only pair of AirPods, if you run into trouble, don’t panic. Try this trick first: let their batteries drain fully and try to recharge them. It might just be a $249 solution.