My AirPods Max Were Completely Dead… Until I Opened Them

These AirPods Max were completely dead. No chime. No pairing window. No signs of life at all. I tried everything on the outside first, from resets to the classic headphone time out, but nothing changed. So it was time to go inside.

I applied a bit of alcohol, gently worked around the seam, and popped the cup open. AirPods Max internals always look sleek, but this pair had a mystery waiting.

Trying the Most Extreme Hard Reset Possible

When a device refuses to turn on, the first thing I always check is the battery connection. I disconnected the battery, waited, then reconnected it. Sometimes that alone forces the headphones to reinitialize… Not this time.

So I decided to go further and tried a full battery swap. Still nothing. No response. No pairing. No indication the headphones were waking up at all. That is when I realized this probably was not a power problem.

Digging Deeper and Finding the Real Culprit

The Bluetooth board lives inside the left cup, so I opened that side next. Right away, something caught my eye… water damage.

There were clear traces of corrosion all across the Bluetooth board. That would definitely explain why the headphones refused to connect or even show up on my phone.

If the communication board is dead, the entire headset feels dead.

To confirm, I swapped every connectivity related component between two different AirPods Max units. And just like that, the issue followed the Bluetooth board. Case closed.

What Actually Fixed It

The Bluetooth board is officially the culprit. The bad news is that the replacement part is not something I keep in stock. The worse news is that these are my own AirPods Max, so he might have to wait for parts like everyone else.

At least I know the problem. They are not dead, just socially awkward and refusing to talk to my phone.

Final Thoughts

It is always satisfying when a mystery device finally gives up its secrets. These AirPods Max looked totally healthy from the outside, but one tiny bit of corrosion took down the entire headset. The repairs are doable, but only if you have access to the right parts and a little patience.

Funny enough, this might be the first time my own headphones put me on a parts waitlist. Technology really knows how to keep you humble.

See you in the next article!