iOS 16 Alerts iPhone Users When Trying to Pair Counterfeit AirPods, But Doesn't Block Them

iOS 16 will warn users who try to pair counterfeit AirPods with their iPhone or iPad, according to code found in the release candidate beta released to developers on Wednesday.

airpods lineup apple
Apple can already tell users when a non-genuine part is detected in an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌, but it looks as if the company is ready to extend this warning to fake Apple accessories, too.

First spotted by 9to5Mac, the code indicates that when a user attempts to pair non-genuine AirPods with their Apple device, the upcoming version of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 will throw up a message on the screen, which reads: "These headphones could not be verified as genuine AirPods and may not behave as expected."

A "Learn More" button will then redirect users to a support article on Apple's website explaining how to identify genuine AirPods. Notably, Apple doesn't appear to want to stop users from pairing the fake AirPods, but instead displays a "Don't Connect" option.

The surging popularity of AirPods has resulted in record numbers of counterfeit wireless headphones being seized at the U.S. border. According to a 2021 report, roughly 360,000 counterfeit wireless headphones with a retail value of $62.2 million were confiscated in the first nine months of the U.S. government's fiscal year, based on data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

U.S. Customs said that 80% of all counterfeit products coming into the U.S. were from mainland China or Hong Kong. While it's unclear how many of the seized counterfeit headphones were AirPods, U.S. Customs said seizures have increased 50% in the previous five years as products such as Apple's earbuds have gained popularity.


Counterfeit AirPods can use genuine Apple serial numbers and usually look physically indistinguishable from legitimate AirPods Pro. Many will even have functional active noise cancellation and Transparency mode features.

Related Roundup: AirPods 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: AirPods, iOS 16

Top Rated Comments

alpi123 Avatar
20 months ago
That's very useful.

There are a lot of places that sell knockoff Airpods and because they're practically indistinguishable from the real ones, a lot of people get scammed.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
20 months ago
This is a great change!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wanha Avatar
20 months ago
Curious to hear how those of you - who are convinced Apple only ever does something to make a buck - explain the fact that Apple only notifies and doesn't block counterfeit AirPods?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shanghaichica Avatar
20 months ago
Very useful feature. Much needed.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gixxerfool Avatar
20 months ago
Well implemented. Warns a user of the issue, but let’s them proceed either way. Makes sense really since there is likely any damage to be done from them allowing to connect.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
20 months ago
Very good. Happy to see this implemented.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...