Wearing your AirPods, EarPods, or Beats devices

To make sure that you have the best experience when you wear your AirPods, EarPods, or Beats devices, here's some information about getting a good fit and potential skin sensitivities.

A better fit means better sound performance and comfort

For optimal sound performance, including features with passive noise isolation, active noise cancellation, and transparency, AirPods, EarPods, and Beats headphones and earphones require skin contact. When worn properly, your AirPods, EarPods, and Beats headphones and earphones should provide a snug but comfortable fit.

Keeping your Apple and Beats devices—as well as your skin—clean and dry maximizes comfort and prevents long-term damage to your device. This is especially important after workouts with AirPods Pro, a Powerbeats product, Beats Studio Buds, or Beats Fit Pro; or after exposure to liquids such as sweat, soap, shampoo, makeup, sunscreen, and lotions that can potentially cause skin irritations.

If you're sensitive to certain materials

A great deal of care and research goes into choosing materials for all our devices. As part of our testing and evaluation process, both Apple and independent laboratories test the materials used in our products. Only materials that pass our rigorous review process are acceptable for use in Apple products. By setting conservative restrictions, testing for chemicals of concern, and conducting toxicology evaluations, Apple helps to ensure the safety of our customers. Every material that touches your skin has gone through extensive evaluation.1 This includes:

  • Material composition review
  • Trial studies on prototypes
  • Toxicological assessments by board-certified toxicologists
  • Consultations with board-certified dermatologists

A small number of people will experience reactions to certain materials. This can be due to allergies, environmental factors, extended exposure to potential irritants like soap, sweat, sunscreen, or lotions, and other causes. If you know you have allergies or other sensitivities, be aware that certain products contain the following materials:

Symbol for nickel

Nickel. The stainless steel acoustic mesh of AirPods, AirPods Pro, and EarPods each contain some nickel. However, they all fall below the strict nickel restrictions set by European REACH regulation. Therefore, while nickel exposure is unlikely to be a problem, you should be aware of the possibility in case you're susceptible to nickel-related reactions.

Symbol for acrylates

Acrylates. AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, EarPods, and Beats headphone and earphone products contain trace amounts of acrylates and methacrylates from adhesives. Acrylates and methacrylates are found in many consumer products that come in contact with the skin, such as adhesive bandages. Some people may be sensitive to them, or may develop sensitivities over time.

If you experience redness, swelling, itchiness, or any other irritation, you may want to consult your physician before you put your AirPods, EarPods, or Beats device back on.

What's in your AirPods, EarPods, or Beats headphones and earphones

AirPods, AirPods Pro, EarPods, and Beats earphones: plastic housing and (if applicable) silicone ear tip, silicone wingtip, stainless steel acoustic mesh, thermoplastic elastomer cable, and thermoplastic elastomer earhook

Beats headphones: silicone headband cushion, polyurethane leather ear cushion cover, polyester fabric speaker cover, and (if applicable) thermoplastic elastomer cable

AirPods Max headphones: thermoplastic polyurethane and polyester headband, PET textile-covered polyurethane memory foam headphone cushion,2 anodized aluminum earcups, and stainless steel sliding arms

  1. Learn more about Apple's restrictions on wearables.
  2. Not made with natural rubber latex.

Published Date: