AirPods Tip: Save Your Serial Number
If you lose one of your AirPods, Apple is happy to replace it for $69. And if you lose your charging case, Apple will replace it (again for $69), but only if you can provide your serial number, something for which Apple reportedly isn’t always helpful. So it’s a good idea to make sure you can find that serial number, which may be on your receipt from the Apple Store. For online orders, you may have to log in, view the order, and then choose Print Invoice to find the serial number. Or, find the number now — on the AirPods packaging, under the case lid in the indentation for the left AirPod, or in Settings > General > About > AirPods in iOS — and save it in a secure vault like 1Password or even just in an entry in the Notes app.
If you bought them through Apple, the serial number is also on the receipt (pickup receipt if ordered and picked up in the store). This applies to all major Apple electronic items.
Good point, thanks!
Ah, this is true, but may be difficult to find. I had to search my email for the receipt (I keep everything) and then follow a link to the Apple Store site for that order, log in, and then choose Print Invoice from a pop-up menu in the section associated with the AirPods. It didn't appear anywhere else.
That said, I verified the serial number against the one on the inside cover of the case, and wow is that hard to get a picture of, even with the Magnifier in iOS 11 on my iPhone. Super tiny...