The numbers match exactly. Apple’s tech specs list the AirPods 5 earbuds at 30.2 x 18.3 x 18.1 mm and 4.3 g, and the case at 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm and 32.3 g, or 34.7 g for the Wireless Charging Case, which are the same figures Apple publishes for AirPods 4.
So a sleeve, skin or keychain clip cut for an AirPods 4 case is dimensionally the same object as one cut for AirPods 5, and the USB-C cable or Qi pad you already own still works. What Apple has not published is any statement that the two generations are interchangeable, which is a separate question from whether they physically fit. Our AirPods 5 announcement roundup has the price, battery and noise cancellation details.
Key facts: AirPods 5 against AirPods 4, measured
| Item | AirPods 5 | AirPods 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Earbud dimensions | 30.2 x 18.3 x 18.1 mm | 30.2 x 18.3 x 18.1 mm |
| Earbud weight | 4.3 g | 4.3 g |
| Case dimensions | 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm | 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm (listed on the AirPods 4 with ANC page) |
| Case weight, USB-C model | 32.3 g | 32.3 g |
| Case weight, wireless model | 34.7 g | 34.7 g |
| Chip and Bluetooth | H2, Bluetooth 5.3 | H2, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Water and dust | IP57 | IP54 |
| Price | $129 / $149 | $129 / $179 at launch |
What carries over from an AirPods 4 setup
Anything sized to the case should still fit, because the footprint has not moved: cases, sleeves, skins and clips are all working to the same 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm outline. The earbuds are identical in every dimension Apple publishes, down to the 4.3 g weight, so stem-based accessories are in the same position.
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Cables carry over by necessity. Apple’s in-box list for AirPods 5 is the earbuds, the charging case and documentation, with no cable, the same arrangement as AirPods 4, whose spec page states the cable is sold separately. Wireless chargers carry over too, but only on the more expensive model: Apple lists the $149 case as charging over USB-C, Qi-certified chargers and Apple Watch chargers, including the magnetic fast charger that comes with Apple Watch Series 12. The $129 case is USB-C only.
What does not fit: the AirPods Pro 3 case
If your accessory was bought for AirPods Pro, none of this applies. Apple lists the AirPods Pro 3 case at 47.2 x 62.2 x 21.8 mm and 43.99 g, so it is around 12 mm longer and 9 g heavier than either AirPods 5 case, and the Pro earbuds are 30.9 x 19.2 x 27.0 mm at 5.55 g. Ear tips are not a factor in either direction, since AirPods 5 keep the open-ear design and ship without tips.
| Model | Case dimensions | Case weight | Earbud weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 4 | Not listed on Apple’s spec page | 32.3 g | 4.3 g |
| AirPods 4 with ANC | 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm | 34.7 g | 4.3 g |
| AirPods 5 | 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm | 32.3 g | 4.3 g |
| AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case | 46.2 x 50.1 x 21.2 mm | 34.7 g | 4.3 g |
| AirPods Pro 3 | 47.2 x 62.2 x 21.8 mm | 43.99 g | 5.55 g |
Same shell, different earbuds
The carry-over stops at the outside. Apple has moved Active Noise Cancellation onto both AirPods 5 models, where Apple’s 2024 press release put it only on the $179 AirPods 4 with ANC, and rates the new earbuds IP57 rather than IP54. Per-charge listening rises from 4 to 5 hours with noise cancellation on the wireless model and from 5 to 6 hours with it off on the $129 one, the $149 case adds a force sensor with volume swipe, and Live Translation and Voice Isolation appear on the AirPods 5 sheet but on neither AirPods 4. The event recap covers where the earbuds sit in the September 9 lineup.
What Apple has not said
- Whether an AirPods 4 case will charge or pair AirPods 5 earbuds. Apple publishes no cross-generation case compatibility statement, and the two are sold as matched sets.
- The case dimensions for the base AirPods 4. Apple lists its 32.3 g weight but the measurements appear only on the AirPods 4 with ANC spec page.
- Any first-party accessory compatibility list covering AirPods 4 and AirPods 5 cases.
- Which colors AirPods 5 come in; the tech specs page does not list finishes.
AirPods 5 are on pre-order now at $129, or $149 with the Wireless Charging Case, and arrive Friday, September 18 in the US and more than 65 countries. If you are reusing an old case accessory, the safe order is to buy the earbuds first and test the fit, and to install iOS 27 on September 14 so the software features Apple lists are available on day one.
