- iOS 26 changes the lighting on AirPods case
- The new colors are green, yellow and orange
- It is not clearly exactly how these new lights work
We got the big reveal of iOS 26 back in June, and it’s currently in public beta test, but Apple continues to add new features to the software – including support for an expanded lighting system on AirPods charging cases.
As stained by minimal Nerd (via 9to5Google), the fifth iOS 26 developer makes beta update -the one specifically for app producers -a change that “more clearly indicates charging status” on AirPods case, according to a graphic that appears on screen.
It seems that there will now be three lights in action: green for charged, yellow to currently be charged and orange to show that the case needs to be charged. One of these colors is new, but without any official word from Apple yet, it’s not clear, exactly which one.
The Apple Support document, which is currently live, lists green and amber as the two colors you want to see when you charge your AirPods and their case, so it looks like we get two different variations on Amber in the future.
Light, charging, action
This is new in beta 5 right?! I’ve never seen it before. pic.twitter.com/gc8bp7ntmp6 August 2025
Given that the AirPods case has such a simple indicator light, it is actually quite complicated to interpret it – what it shows, depending on whether it is associated with power, whether it is open or closed, and whether AirPods is actually in it or not.
During charging and with the case closed, you can, for example, press the case to get a reading: Charging (Amber) or Ladt (Green). If the case is open, do not charge and have your AirPods in them, Amber means you have less than a single charge on the earbuds.
We will have to wait and see exactly how this new Triple light approach works in practice: Presumably Apple will provide official documentation if the feature is stored in iOS 26 betas and comes to the full release (due in September with iPhone 17).
Another unknown is whether this will apply to each AirPod model or only the latest. The next pair of Apple ears to see the light of day may be AirPods Pro 3, which has been referred to in iOS 26 code.
