How long wireless earbuds last and how to make them last longer
The battery is the part that ages
On wireless earbuds, the drivers and the case last a long time; the battery is what ages. Lithium-ion batteries slowly lose capacity with every charge cycle and with time. After a few hundred cycles, the buds last noticeably less than when new.
The pace depends a lot on how you use them. The same earbuds may hold up well for several years for one person and less for someone who uses them all day and leaves them in the heat.
What a cycle means
A charge cycle means using 100% of the battery, not necessarily in one go. If you run the buds down to half and charge them, then to half again, that is one cycle. That is why short, frequent top-ups do not harm the battery.
True wireless buds charge in the case many times a day, but only a little each time, so a cycle builds up over a few days, depending on how much you listen.
What wears the battery most
Heat is the worst enemy: buds left in a car in the sun, on a radiator or charged under a pillow age faster. Next come the extremes: the battery does badly sitting at 0% for a long time, and also sitting at 100% in the heat.
Cold lowers battery life only for a while; the battery recovers when warm. Fast charging is no issue for earbuds, because the case gives them little power anyway.
Habits that extend their life
Put the buds in the case when you are not using them: they are protected from knocks and dust. Charge the case before it is completely empty and do not leave it flat for weeks. Keep them away from heat.
Clean the charging contacts and the driver mesh now and then. Dirty contacts make charging intermittent, and a bud that charges poorly seems to have a weak battery.
When you put them away
If you will not use the buds for a few months, charge them to about half before putting them away and top them up now and then. A battery left completely flat for a long time may not start again.
For over-ear headphones such as the Pods M6, the advice is the same: store them with the battery at about half, somewhere dry and not too warm.
Signs the battery is tired
The battery has aged when the buds last noticeably less than at first under the same conditions, or when one bud always drains much faster than the other. Before concluding that, check the volume, noise cancelling and the charging contacts: all three can make buds seem weaker.
On sport earbuds, sweat left on the contacts can mimic a weak battery; careful cleaning often fixes it.
Can the battery be replaced?
On most true wireless earbuds, the battery is sealed inside and cannot be replaced at home; the buds are too small for that. That is why the habits above matter: a well-kept battery lasts longer.
On over-ear headphones, other parts such as the cushions wear too; on the Pods Ultra, the cushions can be changed by hand.
Tips, cushions and the case
It is not only the battery that wears. Silicone tips harden and lose their shape over time, especially with sweat and wax; once they stop sealing, the bass drops and the buds seem weaker. Wash them now and then with water and a little soap, dry them well and replace them when they no longer sit firmly. For small ears, the Free7 come with four sizes, including XS.
The case is the part that gets dropped most. Keep it in a pocket away from keys and coins so it does not get scratched and the hinge does not break. On over-ear headphones, the cushions wear first; on the Pods Ultra they can be changed by hand, and the band lasts better if you do not over-stretch it.
Every model is in the shop, under true wireless earbuds.