Last Updated on Giugno 13, 2025 by Ch David
How to spot fake AirPods Max in 2025 — Gen 1 or Gen 2, we’re covering both.
The first ones dropped in 2020.
The second-gen hit in 2024.
And fakes? They’ve only gotten better since.
Whether yours came sealed, secondhand, or straight from a friend — this guide will help you legit check every colorway, step by step.
Let’s break it down.
Also checking AirPods Pro? We’ve got a side-by-side guide for those too!
Risposta: The best way to spot fake AirPods Max — for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 — is by checking the serial number on Apple’s official Check Coverage tool. Real pairs will show a valid purchase date and coverage status. Fakes either won’t scan at all or show an error like “invalid serial.”
That’s the fastest way to confirm if they’re legit — but not the only one.
Keep reading for more signs that help you spot a fake AirPods Max beyond just the serial code.
You can find your AirPods Max serial number in two places:
Note: It’s totally normal for the codes to differ slightly between the box and each earcup. That’s not a red flag — Apple does this intentionally.
Still didn’t find it? Check Apple’s AirPods Max official guide.
Once you’ve got the code, go to Apple’s official Check Coverage page.
Enter the serial number and hit submit. Let’s see what happens in the next step:
Go to checkcoverage.apple.com first.
Now enter the serial number and submit.
In this comparison, we scanned two codes:
(These are shown in the images from step 1.1)
Here are the results:
Here’s what you’ll see for autentico AirPods Max:
Everything checks out — and you can confidently say they’re real.
Here’s what happens when you scan a fake pair:
If your result looks like this… chances are (+95%) you’ve got a fake pair on your hands.
Troppo difficile? Reach out to our Apple experts:
Flip the AirPods Max and inspect the charging port.
Real ones are slim and precise — the silver ring around the port is minimal. On fake pairs, the ring is oversized and the hole itself is wider. It throws off the clean Apple aesthetic.
Also: the tiny hole below the charger (mic or vent) is bigger on fakes too. Keep an eye out for overdone cutouts.
This kind of subtle hardware misprint also shows up in AirPods Gen 1 & 2 — especially around their charging case ports.
These letters mark Left and Right. They’re printed inside the mesh — and they say a lot about authenticity.
On real pairs, the “L” looks strong and clean. It’s thick, symmetrical, and feels confidently printed.
Fake pairs shrink the “L” and thin it out — it almost disappears into the mesh. Not a small mistake.
Same issue here. Real “R” is bold and stands out. The fake one is almost timid — thinner and less defined.
Together, both letters should feel equally bold and balanced on a real pair. Fakes often get one or both wrong.
Real Apple builds are all about balance — like the even curves on the ear cups or the sleek grip on the Apple Pencil. Fakes always miss that harmony.
Un breve accenno:
In caso di dubbio, si consiglia di ricontrollare i passaggi illustrati sopra questa riga.
The side of the box should spell out the full product name: “AirPods Max”.
Fakes skip the “AirPods” part and just say “Max” — that’s not how Apple labels anything.
This is repeated on the bottom label — if it doesn’t say the full name, walk away. Legit boxes never use just “Max” as the title.
This same packaging laziness shows up on other Apple products too — like the Apple Watch, where fakes cut corners on box layout and labeling.
Inside the ear cups, you’ll see two small circle-like diffusers.
On real AirPods Max, they’re spaced comfortably apart — with enough mesh space between them.
Fakes cluster them together, almost touching. The spacing is off, and it breaks the symmetry Apple always aims for.
That kind of rushed layout is also common with AirPods 3 — especially when looking inside the ear structure.
Short on time? Here’s your no-BS legit check. These 5 quick signs will help you spot fake AirPods Max — whether Gen 1 or Gen 2 — in under a minute.
Spotting just one red flag? Double-check. Spotting two or more? Chances are you’ve got a fake.
Want peace of mind? Let our team check them for you.
If you’ve only got a minute and need a quick way to legit check your AirPods Max, this short video walks you through the key signs. Whether it’s a Gen 1 or Gen 2 — you’ll see the fastest checks right away.
👇 Watch it here:
Let’s talk about how you can easily authenticate AirPods Maxes.
Replicas are everywhere — and they’re sometimes even as much as $250.
The absolute best place to go is the serial number on your product.
Here, you can actually go to the Apple website, type in the serial number, and what should pop up is a multitude of purchase data.
It should be legit — it should have warranty info, it should have all of this information.
If anything like this doesn’t pop up, that is a huge red flag.
Next place you’ll want to go is actually the charging port.
Here, you can look at all of these different holes on the AirPods and compare them to an authentic version.
You’ll often see some holes look bigger, maybe smaller — often larger — or the silver part around the charger will be larger.
Next, you should look at the lettering on the AirPods.
Often we see that replicas have thinner letters, and that is always a red flag too.
If your AirPods Max feel off — even just a little — don’t guess. Get a real answer.
At Legit Check, we’ve authenticated hundreds of AirPods Max, from the 1st gen (2020) to the 2nd gen (2024). Whether it came sealed, secondhand, or straight from a reseller, we know exactly how to check if it’s real.
No AI shortcuts.
Every legit check is done by human experts who know the tiny differences that separate a $500 original from a $150 replica.
Here’s what we check:
What you get:
We’ve saved our users millions in fake electronics — and your case could be next.
👉 Got doubts about your AirPods Max? Let’s clear them up, today.
By now, you’ve seen how deep the fake game goes — from the serial number to the charger port, even down to the font inside the mesh. Whether you’ve got a Gen 1 or Gen 2, the signs are there… if you know where to look.
Here’s a quick recap:
If even two of those checks look off… you might not be holding a real pair.
Still unsure? Don’t sweat it. Our legit check team has seen every version of the AirPods Max — Gen 1, Gen 2, and all the wild reps in between.
Send yours in, and we’ll give you the answer — backed by proof and a Certificato di autenticità if needed.
AirPods Max aren’t built for sweat or water. There’s no official water resistance rating — so even light rain, workouts, or steam rooms can damage them. If you’re thinking of using them at the gym or in humid environments, it’s not worth the risk.
Fakes are even riskier: they use lower-quality materials and poor seals, so they’re even more likely to get damaged from moisture — sometimes instantly.
Most fake AirPods Max won’t work with Apple’s Find My network.
Even if they connect, the features usually break down — like no live location, no sound trigger, or showing the “Not your device” error. Real ones link instantly with full tracking and lost mode options. If Find My is acting weird, take that as a major red flag.
If you want premium sound and noise cancellation — yes.
AirPods Max are still one of the top picks for audio quality, build, and seamless Apple ecosystem pairing. But if you need something more portable, sweatproof, or travel-friendly, there might be better fits for less. Fakes can mimic the look, but never the experience.
Yes — and not just one. They’ve got 9 microphones.
Eight are used for noise cancellation, while one is dedicated to picking up your voice. Call quality is clear in most settings, but watch out: some replicas try to copy the mic holes but don’t deliver usable call quality. If your pair sounds off during calls, that’s a clue.
No — audio stops when you plug them in.
Unlike wired headphones, AirPods Max can’t charge and play at the same time. Once the Lightning cable is connected, playback pauses. If someone claims theirs can play while charging, they’ve either modded them… or they’re holding a fake.
If you’ve read this far — solid move. You now know more about spotting fake AirPods Max than most people ever will.
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Grazie per aver letto questo articolo,
Ch Daniel e Ch David
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If you’re checking other tech or fashion pieces too, don’t stop here. We’ve got more legit check guides with the same no-fluff style — quick signs, real vs fake pics, and all the red flags you need to watch for.
