Best AirPods Max Accessories for 2025

When you decide to make the purchase of Apple  AirPods Max you make a big investment. Keeping your headphones protected from scratches, drops and sweat is likely to be a priority. We've gathered the very best AirPods Max accessories and put them on this list for you.

Apple has some cool accessories but you don't have to stick with their pricey options. There are plenty of great third-party accessories for AirPods Max that fit your style and budget. From classic "shell" cases to charging stands and earcup protectors, we're certain there's something on our list that you'll love.

We've tested most of these products and this list will be updated as new accessories are released, arrive and are tested -- so be sure to check back.

Read more: Best Apple AirPods

Best AirPods Max Accessory Overall

The best accessory for your AirPods Max overall will change depending on your priority and your price point. An affordable protection options such as the Spigen Ultra Hybrid Pro earcups protects from scratches, work very well and can be easily personalized. Meanwhile, the Waterfield Designs Max Shield case adds more than just basic protection and a way to travel more simply with them but they cost quite a bit more.

Spigen Ultra Hybrid Pro

Spigen's known for its affordable phone cases but it also makes other assorted accessories, including the Ultra Hybrid Pro, a set of protective covers for the Max's earcups. If you just want some protection while still being able to show off the natural color of your AirPods Max's aluminum design, this is a good option.

See at Amazon

Wired Apple cable

Apple doesn't include a cable for wired listening with the AirPods Max, which is pretty irritating because they do sound better in wired mode. And sometimes it's easier to plug into a device than pair with it wirelessly, particularly if you have non-Apple devices that aren't on your iCloud account.

The easiest way to listen to high-res audio is to plug into a Mac or Windows PC and load up some FLAC files, which I did. You can also listen to streaming services this way (and any other audio). The volume levels were plenty high on the MacBook Pro I was using and I did experience a subtle but noticeable bump up in audio quality going the wired route.

Also, the cable does eliminate any latency, which might be a factor while  gaming  or with music production. Note that the AirPods Max still needs battery power to deliver audio, even in wired mode; there's no "passive mode" available. 

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Co2crea Hard Case with Sleep Mode

You can find several AirPods Max hard carrying cases on Amazon but this is arguably the best value. This case has a plush interior, a slot for storing a power adapter and magnets to put the AirPods Max into their lower-power sleep state (hibernation mode). It comes in multiple color options with prices ranging from $26 to $30.

See at Amazon

Waterfield Designs Max Shield

When Apple released the  AirPods Max , it got a lot of grief about the headphones' unusual protective covering, which drew its fair share of  bra and purse comparisons  and was criticized for not fully protecting the headphones. I wasn't as down on it as others, but I knew we'd soon see a bunch of third-party AirPods Max case options, and several have already arrived, including Waterfield Design's $99 Max Shield case.

Aside from its swanky design, what makes it different from all the $20 to $25 generic cases showing up on Amazon is that it has what Waterfield calls a Magnetic Butterfly that puts the AirPods Max in low-power mode just like the magnets on Apple's cover do. With other cases, you stick the AirPods Max (with their cover on) inside because they don't have magnets. These are also vegan-friendly, by the way.

The Max Shield is designed to house the AirPods Max either naked or wearing their cover and has an inner pouch to store the included USB-C-to-Lightning charging cable or the optional  Lightning-to-3.5mm audio cable for wired listening. There's also an exterior zippered pocket and an exterior stretch mesh pocket for storing additional items. The Max Shield is available in eight colors.

See at Waterfield Designs

Seltureone AirPods Max earcup protectors

If you drop your AirPods Max headphones on the wrong surface, the aluminum earcups could get dinged up. That's where a silicone earcup protector could save the day. There are plenty of them available on Amazon in plenty of color options. The Seltureone model is currently rated most highly by users — and it's priced around $10 — so that's my current pick in this category. That could change as new versions become available.

See at Amazon

Toluohu headband cushion

The AirPods Max mesh-infused headband is designed to be quite sturdy, but this headband cushion serves three purposes. It offers some increased protection for the mesh, adds some extra cushion for the crown of your head and customizes the look of the headphones. It's available in a few color options and can be easily removed and washed.

See at Amazon

Wiwu AirPods Max stand and holder (Update: out of stock)

Don't want to put your AirPods Max in their soft Smart Case to make them go to sleep? This simple, attractively designed stand is easy to assemble and serves as a convenient resting spot for your headphones. Thanks to an integrated magnet, when you put the AirPods Max on the stand they auto-disconnect from your devices and then reconnect when you take the headphones off the stand. This stand also works just fine with other headphones -- the auto Bluetooth disconnect feature only works with the AirPods Max. There are similar products on Amazon for $19.

See at Amazon

Read more: Best AirPods Pro Accessories