How to buy used AirPods safely

Last updated: 4 October 2026

Second hand AirPods can be a fair deal or a pair you can never use properly. The biggest trap is not a weak battery: it is a pair still locked to the seller's Apple Account. Apple says only the previous owner can remove that lock.

1. The seller must remove the AirPods from their Apple Account

Apple says AirPods can be paired with only one Apple Account at a time, and the owner must remove them before selling. On an iPhone they open the Find My app, choose Devices, tap the AirPods, swipe up and tap Remove This Device. Apple says it cannot remove this Find My Lock for you; only the previous owner can.

If a seller cannot or will not do it in front of you, do not buy. Apple says a reset alone stops the AirPods sharing location with the previous owner, but you still will not be able to pair them to your own Apple Account.

2. Check the model and the case

Match the model number in Settings, under Bluetooth and the info button, with Apple's list, and make sure the case is the right one for those earbuds. Apple says some cases work only with their own earbuds. The fake AirPods guide has the full check.

How to spot fake AirPods

3. Test both earbuds and the case

Play music through each earbud on its own, make a call, try noise cancelling and transparency if the model has them, and watch the case charge. A seller's battery claim is hard to verify on the spot, so give more weight to what you can test.

4. Ask about AppleCare and the bill

Apple says an AppleCare plan on AirPods can be transferred to a new owner. Ask whether there is one, and ask for the original bill. A pair with a bill and a transferable plan is worth more than one without.

5. Price it against new

We do not publish a used AirPods price. On 4 October 2026, new AirPods 4 started at Rs 35,999 and AirPods Pro 3 were Rs 64,999 at Shophive. A used pair should be well below the new price of the same model, and older generations such as AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 3 sit below current ones.

Meet safely

Meet in a public place, test before paying, and do not send an advance. The same rules apply as for a used phone.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use second hand AirPods that are still linked to the seller's Apple ID?

Not properly. Apple says the previous owner must remove them from their Apple Account before you can pair them to yours, and Apple cannot remove that lock for you.

How do I remove AirPods from an Apple Account?

The owner opens Find My on an iPhone or iPad, taps Devices, selects the AirPods, swipes up and taps Remove This Device, then Remove. It can also be done on a Mac or at icloud.com/find.

What should I pay for used AirPods in Pakistan?

We do not publish a used price we cannot source. Compare the seller's asking price with the new price of the same model on our AirPods page, and pay less for an older generation, a missing bill or a weak case.

Can AppleCare on AirPods be transferred?

Apple says an AppleCare plan on AirPods can be transferred to the new owner. Ask the seller to do it as part of the sale.

Sources

This is information about how Mobile Market works. It is not legal advice. Pakistani regulatory questions should be reviewed by a qualified lawyer. Contact help@mobilemarket.pk.