September 25, 2020 -

At this point, we should all know that when looking at online listings for AirPods, the serial number printed on the box is no longer a safe and reliable check for authenticity. Anyone can take a legit serial number from an Apple product and print it on a box of fakes and put it for sale online (CoughFacebookMarketplaceCough). If you're buying from anywhere that's not an official Apple retailer, you will always run this risk.

One current way of checking is to connect the earbuds to your iPhone, then look under device settings to see if they show up with their serial number. While this works, there are two main problems with this method:

1. You need to have the item physically, which probably means you've already paid the scammer by that point and will have a hard time getting a refund if they turn out to be fakes.

2. Some counterfeit AirPods have been programmed to mimic this software feature.

In light of this, I've written this guide to hopefully help you tell if the serial number printed on a listing is suspicious without having purchased the item first, as well as explain how the Apple serial number system works. First, let's look at the format of an Apple serial number. They usually follow this pattern:

AAABBCCCDDDD

The first three characters (AAA) represent the site of manufacture. While these may vary significantly, codes beginning with D, F, and G tend to be from China while more recent units assembled in Vietnam may begin with the letter H. If you see "Designed by Apple in California, assembled in Vietnam", this is not always a sign that the earbuds are fake. However the rest of the serial number may provide further clues.

The second section (BB) is linked to the week of manufacture. The 4th character is always a letter to represent which half-year the item was made while the 5th character is the week within that half-year. The years are as follows:

W - 1st half of 2018
X - 2nd half of 2018
Y - 1st half of 2019
Z - 2nd half of 2019
C - 1st half of 2020
D - 2nd half of 2020
E - 1st half of 2021
F - 2nd half of 2021

The week identifier is a little trickier to interpret. It uses the digits 1-9 to represent the 1st to 9th week, then the letters C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, T, V, W, X, and Y to represent weeks 10 to 27. Note that letters A, B, E, I, O, S, U, and Z are not used. For example, if the 4th and 5th characters of a serial number read "C2", then it means the item was manufactured in week 2 of 2020. Here are some warning signs to look out for in this section:

• If the date of manufacturing appears to be in the future.

• If the date of manufacturing conflicts with the date printed on the label.

• If the date of manufacturing appears to be significantly earlier than the date of release of the product (for example, if an AirPods Pro box has something like "WX" as the 4th and 5th characters then it's a huge red flag because that's a whole year before they were even released).

• If the 5th character is A, B, E, I, O, S, U, or Z.

The third section (CCC) is a unique identifier for that specific unit. Not much to say here.

The final section (DDDD) represents the charging case and generation of product. They are as follows:

H8TT - AirPods 1st generation, wired charging case
LX2Y - AirPods 2nd generation, wired charging case
JMMT - AirPods 2nd generation, wireless charging case
LKKT - AirPods Pro, wireless charging case

The warning sign here is if the model identifier does not match the alleged product. For example, if an AirPods Pro box had a serial number ending in H8TT printed on it, it's guaranteed to be a counterfeit.

Beyond the serial number itself, there are a number of other factors to consider:

• The barcode under the serial number should decode with the letter "S", followed by the serial number itself. If it has just the serial number without the preceding S, or if it mismatches completely, then this is a red flag.

• The serial number printed on the box should only match the AirPods charging case, it's normal for each earbud to have a their own individual serial number separate to the case. If the seller shows a screenshot or photo showing them all to be identical, then they are fake.

With all that being said, these are just a few pointers for obvious fakes. Just because a serial number passes these tests does not necessarily mean the listing is genuine. The old adage still applies - if it sounds too good to be true, then it's probably a scam. Scammers are constantly updating their wares and it's very likely they can lift serial numbers from legit products that fit their counterfeit goods. Even worse, there have been cases where sellers have taken the packaging from legit AirPods and swapped out the contents with their fakes so what you see on the listing is not what you get. Remember, always exercise common sense, and stay safe out there!

January 21, 2024 -

So, you want to buy second hand Airpods? And you’re sick and tired of the “just buy from Apple” snobbery? Good choice, because the world is filled with good deals, and I’m here to help you not get scammed. In the past week I’ve looked through hundreds of listings, called Apple to verify things, and made trips to legitimate shops myself to verify things, and I’m going to share what I’ve learnt, because some websites have incomplete information when it comes to telling you how to identify if your Airpods are genuine or authentic.

First things first: I have a Gen 1 set and box, as well as a Gen 2 full set. On the iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 17. This is important because depending on your phone, you may not see some features.

Let’s get started. I've taken some reference images from online; take those with a pinch of salt. Those that I've taken myself are verified genuine from Apple.

Step 1: Externals.

We’ll start from what we can see: the box. Here’s the first dead giveaway: shrinkwrap.

1. 95% of Airpod Pros do not come wrapped. Most websites will tell you if its wrapped, it’s fake. That’s not true. Some are indeed wrapped, but if it doesn’t have the pull tab at the side, it’s fake. If the wrapping looks bad, especially below, it’s fake.

Fake airpods with poorly wrapped shrinkwrap (taken online)

This is especially true for Airpods Gen 2; I've not researched enough on Gen 1 to know how much is wrapped, but it should not look cheap, shoddy, or yellow. Apple's shrinkwrap is always super tight, and the seams are minimal.

Gen 1 comparison: taken from Medium. Reference at your own risk. From redskullproductions: I think these should be Gen 1s.

For Gen 2, the box should have pull tabs behind that look like this:

left: opened box, right: unopened. User claims left is from Costco (likely real) and right is from Apple.

You might be wondering, why are there two different images for Gen 2 airpods? That brings us to our second point: box design.

2. There are two designs for the Gen 2 box: opened and closed. Both are authentic; the closed one is just an updated design by Apple.

But we can tell some things from the back of the box too. The words "Airpods Pro" right on top should be on a sticker and be bolded. They should not be printed. If they are not on the sticker, that's suspicious. Also check for fonts: they should be using the correct weights and fonts at the back.

Pay special attention to the fonts with non-latin characters and characters with accents. If they look poorly rendered, too thin, or missing a accent when there should be on Spanish words, for example, it is guaranteed to be a fake.

From reddit: original and fake Japanese fonts. My box: Airpods Pro font at the side of the box.

On the front of the box, the Gen 1 airpods face each other, and the Gen 2 airpods both point to the left. If you get a chance to feel the box, they should be embossed - meaning they are slightly raised. If they are a flat print, it's fake.

3. Sticker labels.

Sticker labels are tricky, because they come in many forms. In general, they should rest about 1mm above the bottom of box only, and they shouldn't be too high. The first line of the label should always be bolded. The bar code should not be too long. The fonts should be the appropriate type and weight.

The reason why it is hard to identify fakes here is because different models from different countries use different fonts. But if you cannot verify the font, or if something looks off, it probably is. Here's a tricky one:

This is my own genuine box, with a logo on the bottom right I've never seen before. Verified it by going into a reputable authorized dealer in Challenger Singapore, they have the same boxes with this Class A logo on the bottom right.

Additionally, the font they use for the Airpods Pro is just slightly less condensed than the other boxes I've seen. But this one is legit - I've verified it with Apple in store as well after they tested my Airpods. (Side note: the box should sit all the way down, i just have extra stuff inside)

Lastly, make sure that the model number of the airpods you are buying matches the one advertised on the case. You can check model numbers here: https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT209580

4. Serial Numbers.

Passed the visual inspection? Here's when we get to the good stuff: serial numbers. If the seller refuses to send you the serial number until you make payment, DO NOT BUY. That's extremely suspicious, there's no reason why they would withhold that information.

Every box has a serial number below. Take that serial number and cross check it with warranty info on checkcoverage.apple.com. This will allow you to see the warranty length and whether it is registered.

If the number that you are searching cannot be found, you've found a fake. If the serial number you search can be found, and there's limited warranty on it, that's a good sign, but you are by no means in the clear. Serial numbers are the easiest to fake. We can verify this in the next step.

If the serial number you searched can be found, but you're getting an error that says "unable to verify purchase date", that's not a great sign, but it doesn't mean its fake. We can verify this in the next step.

If you see this, don't panic! It doesn't mean its fake.

On top of checking the serial with Apple, also Google your serial number. Search through both web results AND images, all the way till the end. If you see listings with similar serial numbers, your set is almost guaranteed to be fake. I've searched and found serial numbers similar to listings on other websites, and even found the original set where the serial number was stolen from.

Once you've verified the externals of the box looks good, let's move on to the next step.

Step 2: Serial Verification.

This step comprises of things you can ask from the seller, assuming the box is open and the airpods are used. If you're buying a sealed box, you might be out of luck here. I recommend buying very lightly used airpods so all the next steps can be used to verify authenticity. Let's continue.

5. Serials number locations

There are 4 locations with serial numbers on the Airpods set: 1 at the bottom of the box, one under the lid of the case, and 1 on each side of the airpods. If any of these are missing, the set is guaranteed to be a fake.

But here is where we can verify whether the serials above match. The serial on bottom of the box should match the lid of the case, and the two individual airpods should have their own, separate serial number that is longer than the case and it should not be the same. They should be different serials on each side too. If the serial number on the airpod matches the case or the box, it is guaranteed to be a fake.

If the serial numbers on the bottom are printed too large, or too dark, they are fake. They should be quite small, some phones will have difficulty taking it. And they are relatively faint.

Serial number under an Airpod.

6. Serial numbers underneath the case

Serial numbers underneath the case have to match the box. If they do not match, the box may be genuine and the case may have been swapped out. Be careful. Additionally, there is no consensus, within apple, where the serial number is: on the left or on the right. I called Apple support and they were unable to tell me which side it is usually printed on. After researching, the serials may be printed on both the left on right, depending on the region you buy it in and where it was created.

In general, the serials and logos should not be dark, and the font weight is always quite thin. Try and compare it to your region's airpod cases, but for mine, it was a little hard to find cases online with the R-NZ words on the right of my Airpods case, but this is genuine.

Make sure the dash between R and NZ is an EM DASH, not a shorter version known as the EN DASH.

7. Case inspections

When you get your hands on the case, there are a few things to look out for. Firstly, make sure that the case can sit open comfortably (with airpods in) like this:

Fake and flimsy fakes may close by themselves.

Next, make sure that the case opens more than 90 degrees. Fakes usually do not open that far out.

Real airpods: the open to this angle!

Next, if you're crazy enough to bring a weighing scale with you, a Gen 2 Airpods in the case should weigh 61.4g: if it is way too light, or too heavy, it is a fake.

Then, check the front light and the back button. The front light should not be a hole: it should be covered with a frosted panel, and the back button should sit nicely on the case. It should not be raised or depressed.

Back button: very nicely inset!

A good giveaway is also the font on the back, and how far it sits from the steel. It should not be too far or too close to the hinge:

Reference from PhoneArena on where the text should sit.

Lastly, examine the hinge. The hinge is made of smooth brushed steel, that should not look too dark. A lot of fakes have very dark hinges, and rough steel. If it looks too dark or too patchy, it is a fake.

Step 3: Software Inspection.

Your airpods passed the physical appearance tests? Nice, now time to REALLY see what it's made of: if your seller would let you test them, this is the easiest way to know if they are fake or real. Apple's software is not the easiest to replicate, so it should give you some clues.

8. Connecting

Ask your seller to remove the Airpods from their device, as well as their Find My. Usually removing it from the bluetooth in the device will remove it from Find My, but just check in case. Once it is removed, open the airpods next to your phone. If a popup appears saying "Not your Airpods", then good, the automatic detection is working. This is a good sign. Continue until you see this popup, then connect.

You should get this pop up after seeing "not my airpods"

If the popup doesn't show up, don't panic. It doesn't mean it's not real. Try and force a connection by holding the button at the back of the case with the case open. If it detects it using the pop up, all is good. You should not need to go into bluetooth settings to pair it. If you have to, that's a bad sign. Once it's connected, you should see a separate tab just for Airpods at the top of settings. If you don't see this, something is wrong, but check you have all the latest software installed to see if you're just not out of date. Cannot confirm this is the layout for other iPhones.

Airpods should appear at the top

Next, go into Bluetooth, and then click the "i" icon on your newly connected Airpods. You will be able to see all the settings of the airpods.

8. Serial numbers, again!

Remember I told you that you can verify the serial even if it doesn't have a purchase date? An original Airpod should have the warranty baked into the airpods itself. If you scroll all the way down the bluetooth settings, you should see a tab called "limited warranty". Click on it, and you should see this screen:

Limited warranty screen

If there's no limited warranty, you might be out of luck. However, this is important especially if your buyer did not register his warranty: all you need to do is sign in to your Apple ID, then enter the date of the warranty stated, and the warranty should show up on the Apple website. If you do not enter the date stated on the Apple website, then you will be prompted to furnish a receipt for an Apple advisor. However if you enter the date on the airpods screen, it should be automatic.

If you checked the serial number on checkcoverage previously, then the warranty that is displayed here should match the date, and there should be a warranty on this screen. If there isn't then it's fake.

9. Settings Screen

The settings screen of the Airpods is comprehensive, especially for second gen. You should be able to see a whole screen of options, starting with the icons at the top, followed by Noise Control options, Press and Hold Airpods Options, Call Controls, Audio Settings, Spatial Audio, Microphone, Find My, Accessibility and About options. If you have a friend who has Airpods, bring him along to compare the options on that screen. Lastly, the Gen 2s have Noise Control options of Off, Transparency, Adaptive and Noise Cancellation. Make sure all are there.

10. About Settings

Go into Settings > General > About. Your Airpods should display an option here too, which fakes often miss. If the setting is not there, it's a fake. It looks like this:

It will show your airpods here, as pictured below

It will lead to a screen with the Manufacturer, Model Number, Serial (check it again), Firmware and Hardware Version. It will not lead to your bluetooth options.

11. Accessibility Settings

Go to Settings > Accessibility > Airpods. You should be able to see additional airpods settings, with Press Speed, Press and Hold Duration, Noise Control, Spatial and Head Tracking, and Volume Control. If Airpods don't appear in accessibility, something is wrong. Red flag!

12. Icons

When displaying your Airpods, your iPhone should show Airpods icons, not generic headphone icons. You can see this by swiping down on your control center and clicking the blue icon on the top right of the media controls.

Media center: airpod icons! More Airpod icons!

13. Cross Device Compatibility

An optional step here is to bring along an iPad that is connected to your AppleID. If your Airpods are connected to your phone, you should not need to pair them to your iPad again. Additionally, you should also be able to seamlessly transfer playing from one device to another once you are paired. If you can't seamlessly transition, something might be amiss.

14. Find My

A good indicator of a fake is that it can't play sounds in Find My. Your Airpods should automatically show up in Find My, and a Gen 2 can play sounds from both the case and the airpods individually. If you can't play sounds from them, they fake.

Additionally, they should be able to be located with the new tracking / directional feature. The case will have a tracking feature where an arrow pops up on the screen, and will guide you to the case. https://imgur.com/a/bWVczfy (I have to start using Imgur links from here on, Reddit won't allow more than 20 images per post)

The airpods will not have the same feature. They only have a near / far detection, so it will look something like this: https://imgur.com/a/VT43RoK

If your Airpod can't replicate the sound or the location feature, they might be fake.

Step 4: Audio Test

Honestly, you're probably safe if you got this far, but just to be doubly sure:

15. Crisp Audio

Test the audio to see if it sounds good. It there's crackling or it just sounds off, it's either defective or fake. Don't buy.

16. Audio Modes

You should be able to toggle between Adaptive, Transparency and Noise Cancellation using the airpods. Test all those features, and make sure that the ANC works well. If it doesn't, something might be off.

17. Head Tracking

When you pull down the control center, your should have the airpods icons replaced by the speaker icon in the volume bar. If you click that, you should have an option at the bottom right that says "spatialize audio", and that will allow you to do head tracking. Turn that on and play a song. Then turn your head left and right while keeping your iPhone still, and you should be able to hear the song pan from left to right. If this feature doesn't work well, it might be a fake.

And that's it for testing your Airpods! I hope this has helped you, and if my information is wrong, incomplete or I'm missing anything, please do let me know and I'll add it to the post! Thank you!