Apple AirPods Pro Real Vs Fake — How To Spot Fake AirPods Pro

11 min readFeb 24, 2021

Wondering how to spot fake Apple AirPods Pro? Trying to stay away from the fake AirPods Pro scams?

Then you are completely on the right spot, as we have prepared this guide on how to spot fake AirPods Pro with a few easy spots to analyze in order to see fake AirPods Pro.

Remember, fake AirPods will always compromise on quality. To highlight the most common places where these compromises are made, we’ve put together the fake vs real AirPods Pro comparisons you’ll find below.

How to spot fake Apple AirPods Pro

The quickest way to spot fake AirPods Pro is to scan the serial number that can be found on the inner side of the charging case. After you found your AirPods Pro’s unique code, visit checkcoverage.apple.com and check if Apple confirms it for you.

That’s not all of it. Besides this, we have added full detailed steps below in order for you to get sure whether you look at a real or fake AirPods Pro pair.

Step 1: Scan the code found on the inner side of your AirPods Pro’s charging case

This is absolutely the most reliable tell in our guide on how to spot fake AirPods. It makes sense why real AirPods will come with a serial number that would be confirmed by Apple on their official website.

Over there in the highlighted area, you will find a code that’s unique to every AirPods Pro case.

Have a look at the picture below with an authentic Apple serial number so we can make it clear for you how to find this code:

Once you get that code written down, you will have to go to https://checkcoverage.apple.com

Over there, simply pop in the serial number and this is how we’ll find if your AirPods Pro are fake or real.

As you can see in the image above, the AirPods Pro is totally confirmed by Apple, from their website.

This should clear out 99% of AirPods legit checks — however, it’s not impossible that someone might switch the case and put in fake AirPods. Very unlikely but not impossible.

With all of this being said, let’s move on to the second step of the guide on how to spot fake AirPods Pro.

Step 2: Inspect the diffusers on your AirPods Pro

For the third step of the guide on how to spot fake Apple AirPods Pro, we are going to move to the top of the real vs fake AirPods Pro, and we have to check out the pattern of the diffuser.

The exterior side’s diffusers

First of all, we are going to see the real vs fake AirPods Pro on the exterior side’s diffusers, and then we will move on to the interior side to check out the diffusers in there.

You can easily notice how the replica AirPods Pro appears to have a grey metal outline near the black diffusers.

On the other hand, the authentic Apple AirPods Pro has no grey outline near the diffusers, and they are never going to have one, unlike the replica AirPods Pro which does have this extra outline.

Besides, you can also notice how the fake AirPods Pro also has the diffuser on the exterior side looking bigger than the diffuser on the authentic AirPods Pro.

That’s because the fake AirPods Pro’s diffuser is a bit out of the rest of the earbuds, while the authentic AirPods Pro have the diffuser placed in line and at the same level with the rest of the materials used for the authentic AirPods Pro.

The interior side’s diffusers

Now that you know how to spot fake Apple AirPods Pro by checking the exterior side’s diffusers, let’s move on to the interior side’s diffusers as well.

In the real vs fake Apple AirPods Pro image above, we have pointed out how the fake AirPods Pro has a different colour for the round-edged rectangle which goes all around the interior side’s diffuser.

In fact, the authentic AirPod Pro’s material next to the diffuser is coloured as black which is a bit shiny and it reflects light, and the fake Air Pod Pro’s material is coloured like a dark grey, which doesn’t reflect any light.

Step 3: Verify the left and right inscriptions on your AirPods Pro

Now that you have three ways to spot fake AirPods Pro, we are going to move on the fourth step of the guide on how to spot fake AirPods Pro, and we have to check out the inscription on the AirPods Pro.

Even though it is really a minor detail on the AirPods Pro, somehow, the replica Apple tech manufacturers manage to miss the inscriptions on the AirPods Pro sometimes.

In the real vs fake AirPods Pro image above, we have pointed out at the fact that on the replica AirPods Pro, there is missing the “R” inscription, which stands for the right ear.

On the authentic AirPods Pro, you will never see the “L” and the “R” printings on the earbuds missing or fading out, since there is a big difference of material quality between the real vs fake AirPods Pro.

Step 4: Fake vs real AirPods Pro speakers

Now we are going to move to the main speakers which basically go inside the wearer’s ears, and check out the quality of the replica AirPods Pro, and of course, we will mention the flaws on the fake AirPods Pro’s.

In the real vs fake AirPods Pro image above, we have pointed out at the fact that the counterfeit AirPods Pro has a different coloured used for the speakers.

In fact, the fake AirPods Pro is greyer than the authentic AirPods Pro on the speakers.

Besides that, you can also notice how there is less density of the material which composes the speakers on the fake AirPods Pro, and on the legit AirPods Pro, you can see how there is more material used for the speakers.

Below, we have linked the same real vs fake AirPod Pro image, but with a zoomed-in view in order for you to understand this easier.

As you can see in the fake vs real AirPods Pro image above, the flaws are more clear this time.

Besides the material-density flaw, you can also notice how the fake AirPods Pro miss the silver-coloured material next to the black speaker.

On the other hand, you will never see fully-working AirPods Pro not having this material next to the speaker, which on the fake AirPods Pro, it is missing.

The steps we’ve written so far are the best ways on how to authenticate this item.

The tells listed below this point are still reliable signs of authenticity, but for non-top-versions of replicas available for this item. We recommend sticking to the top tells we’ve explained above this point to make sure you’re not drawing the wrong conclusions.

(By the way, have you seen our Price Comparison App? No need to compare sellers for the best price — we’ve done that for you.)

Step 5: Check the bottom side of the AirPod

As for the second step of the guide on how to spot fake AirPods Pro, we are going to analyze the real vs fake AirPods Pro on the bottom side.

First of all, let’s have a quick look at the fake vs real AirPods Pro images in order to easily spot the flaws on the fake AirPods Pro.

In the real vs fake AirPods Pro images above, we have pointed out the fact that the fake AirPods appear to have their metal on the bottom side different than the real AirPods’ metal.

In fact, the authentic AirPods Pro will always have the same dimensions for the metal on the bottom side, while the fake AirPods tend to have bigger dimensions for the metal, which makes it look too wide compared to the legit AirPods Pro.

The steps we’ve written so far are the best ways on how to authenticate this item.

(By the way, have you seen our Price Comparison App? No need to compare sellers for the best price — we’ve done that for you.)

Step 6: Real vs fake AirPods Pro side gap

For the sixth step of our fake vs real Apple AirPods Pro guide, we are going to analyze the Apple AirPods Pro from the side, once again.

In the AirPods Pro fake vs real image above, we have pointed out the fact that the gap on the side of the counterfeit AirPods Pro is longer in height, compared to the authentic AirPods Pro’s gap, which is shorter.

Besides the height, you can also notice how the fake AirPods have their gap looking less deep than the authentic AirPods Pro’s gap, which is deeper.

Step 7: Fake vs real AirPods Pro sensor

Now, for the seventh step of the fake vs real AirPods Pro legit check guide, we are going to analyze the sensor on the side of the Air Pods.

The sensor that we are talking about is on the interior side of the Apple Air Pods Pro, and it is placed more to the bottom side, and what it detects is when you take off and put your Air Pods Pro back on.

As you can see in the fake vs real AirPods Pro image above, the sensor on the fake AirPods is actually missing, and this is quite a big difference between the fake vs real AirPods Pro.

On the legit AirPods Pro, you will never see the sensor missing, while on the fake AirPods Pro, it is a common factor to be missing.

Step 8: Verify the charging case of your AirPods Pro

As for the eighth step of our real vs fake AirPods Pro legit check guide, we are going to check the charging case on the front and the rear side.

The front side of the charging case

First of all, we are going to check the real vs fake AirPods Pro’s cases on the front side, and then, on the rear side.

As you can see in the real vs fake AirPods Pro image above, we have pointed out the fact that the gap on the opening area of the charging case is too deep on the fake AirPods Pro’s charging case.

On the authentic AirPods Pro’s charging case, you can see how the gap in the opening area of the charging case is less deep than the fake AirPods’ case.

This flaw is usually the most visible on the fake AirPods Pro’s top left corner of the gap, just as we have pointed out in the fake vs real AirPods Pro image above.

The rear side of the charging case

Now that you had a look at the front side, let’s move on to the rear side of the fake vs real AirPods Pro’s charging case.

In the fake vs real AirPods Pro image above, we have pointed out how the “Designed by Apple in California” and the “Assembled in China” printing on the rear side of the fake AirPods Pro’s charging case is smaller than the text on the authentic charging case.

Not only that, but the fake AirPods Pro’s charging case also has these two lines of text coloured lighter than the text on the authentic Apple charging case.

Step 9: Real vs fake AirPods Pro lightning port

As for the ninth and the last step of the guide on how to spot fake AirPods Pro, we are going to flip the case of the AirPods Pro to the bottom and inspect the real vs fake AirPods Pro for the lightning port (where the charger goes into the case).

In the AirPods Pro real vs fake image above, we have pointed out the fact that the fake charging case has its metal outline thicker and bigger than the authentic case’s outline

How can I spot fake AirPods Pro in seconds?

We will finish this authentication guide by mentioning there are technical differences on the counterfeit AirPods.

It almost goes without saying that this happens since replica manufacturers don’t plan on perfectly replicating the Apple chips that are found inside the original AirPods — and most likely, nor do they have access to what Apple has developed.

We will note here:

Authentic AirPods Pro were never released in any colourway other than white (for the time being)
The authentic AirPods Pro connect faster to your phone. It’s estimated that it shouldn’t take longer than 10 seconds to connect the headphones to your device.
The battery life is significantly shorter on fake AirPods Pro
Some fake AirPods Pro have a female voice audio file playing when connecting to your device — authentic AirPods Pro only play a sound that’s specific to Apple
Some fake AirPods Pro come with the USB-C port instead of the classic Apple Lightning port
Naturally, find my AirPods Pro under find my iPhone will not work with the counterfeit version.

Where can I get my Apple AirPods Pro authenticated? The Apple authentication service

If you have read this guide and are still uncertain about whether your shoe is real or fake, the Legit Check App offers an authentication service to put your mind at ease.

Should you either not be confident in your ability to follow this guide or are simply lacking time, all you have to do is send us high-quality pictures of your Apple AirPods Pro and we will get back to you with the results within 24 to 48 hours.

The results will also come with a report on why we believe your AirPods are fake or authentic.

Need our opinion over your item’s authenticity? It’s a service we provide.

Want even more help from us? We’ve been working really hard:

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