Can you buy a single airpod pro

AirPods are among our favourite Apple products, thanks to their simplicity and seamless integration with iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. But, as with all wireless devices, they can be easily lost when you’re out jogging or your faithful dog mistakes them for a crunchy treat.

Do you soldier bravely on with a single pod, or is there a way of buying just one of Apple’s earbuds? You’ll be happy to hear that there’s a solution, and in this article we show you how to replace a lost AirPod.

Tips for finding a lost AirPod

Before you whip out the credit card, you can try using the Find My iPhone app, as this can also track AirPods. You’ll find a complete step-by-step guide in our How to find lost AirPods article.

Replacing a single AirPod

The evidence suggests you’re not alone when it comes to having an incomplete set of AirPods: in fact, Apple provides a service specifically for those who want to replace just one of the earpieces at a time. This isn’t free, unsurprisingly, but it does drastically reduce the cost of replacing an entire set of AirPods, plus it saves the solitary unit and its case being discarded and ending up in a rubbish tip somewhere.

At the time of writing, these were the costs for replacing a lost AirPod:

• AirPods – £65/US$69/A$109 each
• AirPods Pro – £85/US$89/A$139 each

If you’ve damaged or lost your AirPod Charging case, then this can also be replaced for the following prices:

• AirPod Charging Case – £55/US$59/A$95
• AirPod Wireless Charging Case – £75/US$79/A$125
• AirPod Pro Wireless Charging Case – £95/US$99/A$155

Sadly, lost AirPods are not covered by AppleCare+, so you’ll need to order a new one if the previous bud has gone missing. To purchase the replacement AirPod you can either call into a store (if they’re open) or visit the AirPod Support page where you can choose which ear the replacement AirPod will be for and place the order.

While you’re looking at spending money on new audio equipment, you should also check out our guides to the best wireless earbuds and best Beats headphones, to see if there are other products that you might prefer to AirPods.

If Apple is the way you want to go, though, read our AirPod Pros vs AirPod comparison to see what differences there are between the two models, plus best AirPod deals to see if you can save some money.

Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor

Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.

Best answer: Yes, if you lose a single AirPod, you can purchase a new one from Apple. From there, you can pair the new AirPod unit with your existing one. However, the replacement must be the same generation as your current AirPod.

Yes, you can!

If you can't find one of your AirPods, Apple allows you to order a single replacement (opens in new tab) for the AirPods 1, 2, and 3 for $69. A replacement AirPods Pro is available for $89, and you can also order replacement cases starting at $59.

No mixing and matching

Because of design changes and different chips inside each generation of AirPods and AirPods Pro, you can't match one with the other. In other words, a W1-powered AirPod won't work with an H1-powered AirPod 2 or AirPods 3.

When ordering your replacement AirPod through Apple, you'll need to provide the serial number on the original Charging Case that came with your AirPods. With this information, Apple will send you a compatible AirPod unit as a replacement.

Did you really lose it?

Before spending a dime on a new AirPod, you should check out our guide: How to find lost AirPods with the Find My app. With the Find My app, you might be able to find the missing earbud as long as you're within Bluetooth range or with U1 precision tracking in the latest AirPods models.

If that doesn't work, you can think back to the last place you had the AirPods, and maybe you can find the missing one there. At the minimum, by backtracking, you might be able to get close enough to the missing AirPod to activate the Find My feature. 

If all else fails and you don't want to go with AirPods for your next earbuds, you can always pick up one of the best AirPods Pro alternatives.

Pairing process

Once you receive your new AirPod, you can pair it with the other by following our guide: How to pair your AirPods with iPhone, Watch, iPad, and Mac.

To do this, you must first place both AirPods in the rechargeable case. From there, with the case open, check the status light. It should flash amber. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for five seconds. The status light should flash white. If it still flashes amber, connect the case to power, close the lid, and wait 20 minutes.

Next, go to the Home screen on your iPhone and open your AirPods case. You'll see the setup animation appear on your iPhone. Tap Connect, then Done. Both of your AirPods should now be ready to go with your iPhone.

Apple AirPods 3

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Bigger sound, smaller size

With a new smaller size, IPX 4 water and sweat resistance, an additional hour of battery life, and Spatial Audio for personalized surround sound, the AirPods 3 are the best non-Pro AirPods you can get.

Apple AirPods Pro 2

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Pro on the go

The latest and greatest AirPods Pro 2 sports new dynamic drivers, improved noise cancellation, six hours of music playback, U1 precision tracking, and a smaller tip size making it the best AirPods Pro to date.

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