AirPods Max Cases

AirPods Max cases that cover the parts Apple's Smart Case leaves out — the headband and the ear cups. Hard shells for travel, soft covers for daily carrying, and replacement ear cushions when the originals give up.

1 product

The parts that actually get damaged

AirPods Max fail in predictable places, and none of them are the ones Apple's own case protects. The mesh headband canopy stains and stretches. The ear cushions attach magnetically and get pulled off in a bag. And the aluminium cups scratch against anything harder than fabric. A case that only wraps the cups leaves the two most vulnerable parts exposed.

What you need depends on how you carry them. If they live in a backpack alongside a laptop, a hard shell is worth the bulk. If they hang round your neck and go in a tote, a soft cover plus a headband wrap does more good. Ear cushions are consumable either way — they compress and eventually flake after a couple of years.

Frequently asked questions

Do AirPods Max go into low power mode inside a case?

AirPods Max enter low power mode after a period of stillness regardless of the case, and enter it faster inside Apple's own Smart Case because of a magnet. Third-party cases without that magnet rely on the automatic timer instead.

Can I charge AirPods Max with a case on?

You can charge AirPods Max with a soft cover on, because the charging port on the cup is left exposed. Hard travel shells need to come off first.

Do the ear cushions need replacing?

Ear cushions are consumable and typically need replacing after roughly two years of regular use, once the foam has compressed or the fabric starts flaking. They detach magnetically and swap in seconds.

Does a headband cover affect comfort?

A headband cover adds a thin fabric layer and slightly reduces the pressure on the top of your head, which most people find neutral or a small improvement.