Main points
- AirPods Max don’t use USB-C charging, but engineer Ken Pillonel found a way to add it himself.
- Pillonel has experience modifying Apple products, creating USB-C versions of the iPhone and AirPods Pro.
- Alternative options: Agvee and FQSH offer USB-C to Lightning adapters for older Apple devices.
Apple’s over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max, don’t charge via USB-C and haven’t been updated since Apple released them nearly four years ago in 2020. Rumor has it that Apple plans to update the headphones with new colors other than the currently available silver, grey, blue, pink and green as well as a USB-C port. But why wait for Apple? An engineer named Ken Pillonel simply added a USB-C port himself and created a video to prove it.
4 features I want to see from AirPods Max 2
Apple’s AirPods Max 2 are rumored to be released this year, and these 4 features will make me want to buy them again.
Pillonel explains his process, as well as the new board he created to make the mod work, in a video you can watch on YouTube now. He also sells the board on his website and has written instructions for anyone brave enough to rip out their own headphones.
You don’t need to have a screwdriver and the confidence of an engineer to reap the benefits of USB-C charging, though.
The process, while finicky, doesn’t look particularly complicated, and most components of the AirPods Max are held in place with screws. According to iFixit’s teardown, a pair of AirPods Max headphones are easier to remove than regular AirPods, which are held together with lots of glue.
Pillonel has considerable experience tinkering with Apple products. Pillonel developed USB-C iPhones, AirPods and AirPods Pro before Apple added USB-C to the iPhone 15 and AirPods Pro in response to the European Commission’s ruling. You don’t need to have a screwdriver and the confidence of an engineer to reap the benefits of USB-C charging, though. With the right adapter, you can achieve the same effect without taking up a lot of extra space.
Apple’s AirPods Max are my go-to headphones with these 3 features
AirPods Max have great sound quality, a modern design, and are super stylish. But these special features make me a big fan of the Max.
Alternative: USB-C to Lightning Adapter
AGVEE USB-C to Lightning Adapter
$14 $25 Save $11
Agvee’s USB-C to Lightning adapter lets you easily charge older Apple devices using a USB-C cable.
While Apple only officially sells Lightning to USB-C adapters in its stores, there are several options for doing the same thing in reverse, using a USB-C cable to turn it into a Lightning cable. The Agvee USB-C to Lightning Adapter is sold in a package of two 4-inch cables and is designed so that it’s much less likely to break inside a device if you bump it or pull the charging cable too quickly. This is a good problem to avoid if you plan on using the adapter for a long time.
FQSH USB-C to Lightning Adapter 2-pack
5 USD $12 Save $7
FQSH’s compact USB-C adapter is small enough to fit in your purse and comes in a variety of different colors and finishes.
For a smaller alternative, FQSH sells a two-pack of USB-C to Lightning adapters in several different colors. There’s no way of knowing how durable they will be in the long term, and having the adapter sticking out of the bottom of the AirPods Max adds some extra risk that you might not want to deal with. Still, an adapter small enough to fit in a purse has some appeal. Or, if you simply don’t have a pair of over-ear wireless headphones, check out our guide to some great options worth considering.