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How to know if my AirPods Pro is fake?

So in the section on the back where it says designed in california and assembled in china.. it says “Assembleed in China” could this be a typo SOMEHOW or are they fake? I got them from a friend who didnt use them anymore so I do not know.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Aug 31, 2023 7:29 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 1, 2024 4:38 AM

How to know my AirPods Pro is fake or original

30 replies

Aug 31, 2023 8:09 PM in response to Dom_445

Dom_445 Said:

"Fake Airpods Pro: So in the section on the back where it says designed in california and assembled in china.. it says 'Assembleed in China' could this be a typo SOMEHOW or are they fake? I got them from a friend who didnt use them anymore so I do not know. "

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All that it reads is official. They are designed in California, and assembled in China.


Verify these are Genuine AirPods:

  1. Get the Serial Number: Find the Serial Number of your AirPods - Apple Support
  2. Enter the Serial Number here: Check Your Service and Support Coverage - Apple Support
  3. View the Results: If all shows up as an AirPod, then you are fine. If not, then these are fake, and you should request a return.

Feb 4, 2024 4:02 PM in response to ilycxlt

ilycxlt Said:

"are these real or fake i searched the serial number on apples support and this is what is shown"

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Thank you for the screenshot.


Validate the Date of Purchase:

It seems what needs to happen is that you need to verify the date of purchase to get your AppleCare up and running. Once that is corrected, then all the registration will be able to be activated. Once activated, then they are official --Apple would not offer courage for an un-genuine device. So, go here: About the Purchase Date or Expiration Date for your AppleCare Agreement - Apple Support

Mar 1, 2024 7:38 AM in response to fazil12

fazil12 wrote:

How to know my AirPods Pro is fake or original


Nobody here can remotely identify fake AirPods.


If we were able to give you some means of identification, the counterfeiters would then implement that, too.


If you bought from an Apple reseller or from Apple, they almost certainly are real. If you bought elsewhere, particularly if sold as “new”, then what you bought might or might be counterfeit. The better the deal you got, the more likely they’re counterfeit, too.


If the AirPods ear fit test and the noise cancellation and transparency modes all work, the AirPods are probably real.


If the particular AirPods-related model you have acquired should support MagSafe charging (check the part numbers), then if that MagSafe charging does work can point to a legitimate device. (Various and older AirPods models don’t and shouldn’t support MagSafe, so you’ll have to first identify which you have.)


For some background on the difficulties identifying some of the better counterfeit devices, this from Adam Savage of Tested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db99cXMD780


And before anybody suggests it, the only thing a serial number check proves is that there’s probably one legitimate device with that serial number, somewhere, and that there can be zero or more counterfeits using that same serial number. Creating a counterfeit device requires some effort, but copying legitimate serial numbers off legitimate boxes and from “helpful” internet postings is easy. Particularly if you plan to make a few thousand copies of each serial number, or more.

Apr 1, 2024 8:17 AM in response to Dom_445

Serial number validation does mean anything, even if the warranty is still valid. What scammers do is to use a legitimate serial number and copy it on 10s or 100s or more devices. What often happens (happened to me as well) is that some function on your AirPods is not working properly (modes, microphone, charging, you name it), and you take it to the Apple store to fix it, and when they run it through their system, they can see multiple (in my case hundreds of) service requests under that serial number. This is all the people who in hope of getting their AirPods to work, took them to the Apple store and realized it is counterfeit.

Feb 3, 2024 7:19 PM in response to ilycxlt

ilycxlt wrote:

are these real or fake i searched the serial number on apples support and this is what is shown


The only thing a serial number check proves is that there’s probably one legitimate device with that serial number, somewhere, and that there can be zero or more counterfeits using that same serial number.


Creating a counterfeit device requires some effort, but copying legitimate serial numbers off legitimate boxes and from “helpful” internet postings is easy. Particularly if you plan to make a few thousand copies of each serial number, or more.


Nobody here can remotely identify fake AirPods.


If the AirPods ear fit test and the noise cancellation and transparency settings work, the AirPods are probably real.


For some background in this from Adam Savage of Tested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db99cXMD780


Mar 30, 2024 11:02 PM in response to Selena_179

Selena_179 wrote:

My serial number is [serial number expurgated] is my airpods pro fake?


Nobody can remotely identify a counterfeit AirPods Pro.


Serial numbers can be copied, and are not useful for verification.


Usual tests are all three audio modes, no errors when connected to an Apple device, and (where applicable for the particular model) MagSafe charging works.


But if it all works, use it.


For some background on the difficulties identifying some of the better counterfeit devices, this from Adam Savage of Tested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db99cXMD780

Apr 11, 2024 7:02 AM in response to Dom_445

I think there is much easier way to find if it is authentic or not.


You have a production date and serial on a box. If you put serial in Check Your Service and Support Coverage - Apple Support you will see information when it was purchased. Something like this:

AirPods Pro (2nd generation)
Purchase Date: November 2023
Serial Number: F7QG6X014R



  1. If the box is sealed, how it is possible to see purchase date info? That date is used for warranty and is set when you do first activation of the device. So until serial is not activated you should not see it. Correct me if I am wrong, I verified this with my iphone and mac. They both got purchase date when I did first activation of the device.
  2. If box is not sealed you can check production date on the box and compare it with purchase date. In my case scammer tried to sell me pods with production date of 12/2023 and purchase date 11/2023. Now explain how it is possible that the phone is bought before it is produced. ;)



Apr 27, 2024 9:33 AM in response to sarath108

sarath108 wrote:

How to know if my AirPods Pro is fake?


Nobody can remotely identify a counterfeit AirPods Pro.


Serial numbers can be copied, and are not useful for verification.


Usual tests are all three audio modes, no errors when connected to an Apple device, and (where applicable for the particular model) MagSafe charging works.


But if it all works, use it.


For some background on the difficulties identifying some of the better counterfeit devices, this from Adam Savage of Tested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db99cXMD780

Aug 31, 2023 8:36 PM in response to Dom_445

They’re almost certainly counterfeits.


As has been documented with various counterfeits, the serial numbers can be and variously are copied.


Of all the work of constructing a counterfeit, copying serial numbers from legitimate devices is trivial.


Typos on Apple products are vanishingly rare. From counterfeits, typos are rather more common.


Counterfeits can reportedly missing active noise cancellation mode, as that is more expensive.

Dec 18, 2023 2:59 PM in response to bakir195

bakir195 wrote:

My serial number is [expunged] are my airpods fake


The only thing a serial number check proves is that there’s probably one legitimate device with that serial number, and zero or more counterfeits.


Creating a counterfeit device requires some effort, but copying legitimate serial numbers off legitimate boxes and from helpful internet postings is easy. Particularly if you plan to make a few thousand copies of each serial number, or more.


Nobody here can remotely identify fake AirPods.


If the AirPods ear fit test and the noise cancellation settings work, the AirPods are probably real.


How to know if my AirPods Pro is fake?

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