After years of a white-only design, Apple airPods may get new colours-here’s what recent leaks reveal

Apple AirPods could finally move beyond white as leaked prototype images suggest Apple once tested colourful designs. Here’s what we know so far about the possible design shift.

Apple has never offered a version of its AirPods in anything but white. But recent leaks show that at least early prototypes were made in a wide range of bright colours, which has led some to think there may be an update in the works, and one that would break with the past.

Early airPods prototypes aren’t shy of colour

Online, photos have surfaced showing AirPods prototypes that were finished in shades of pink and yellow. The images were shared by a known tech leaker on their X account and have since spread across the internet.

Christmas post Abandoned iPhone 5c colored AirPods 1st gen prototype. #appleinternal pic.twitter.com/Y2wzZTxgLC

— Kosutami (@Kosutami_Ito) December 24, 2025

The photos show off the AirPods connected to an iPhone 13 and AirPods charging case, which was also sport a bright yellow shade on these units. The leak includes two sets of prototypes, and we can see a wide range of colours in them, including off-whites, fuschia, yellow and more.

It is thought that the prototypes date from the internal testing of the first-generation AirPods, prior to its release in 2016. The decision to use more expressive colours echoes Apple’s approach to products like the iPhone 5c earlier on in its history.

The move towards more expressive colours has gained a lot of momentum in the past few years. Now when consumers pick a device it has to be personal enough and fit the person’s style or individual needs. Introducing colour to the AirPods could help Apple reach a new audience, as it’s become common for wireless earbuds from rivals to be available in multiple colours. This allows people to coordinate with their clothing and style or to add a pop of colour. While Apple does offer colours in products such as the Apple Watch and the AirPods Max, in the smaller device category, it tends to opt for all-white or monochrome finishes.

Apple’s own coloured products

Apple does have a history of using colour in certain products, and it’s not just the Watch or the Apple One Siri Remote. The AirPods Max came in multiple colours at launch and was later released in additional finishes, so the company is not averse to the idea of bringing it to an audio product.

So what does Apple say?

So far, we haven’t seen any official announcements about a coloured AirPods, and the only available AirPods models are white. This includes the standard AirPods, and AirPods Pro. We’ve reached out to Apple for a comment, but have not heard anything back. Apple has not given any indication that this is coming, or that there is a plan to add new colours to the range in the future.

The move to bring colour to AirPods seems like it makes sense. It could give Apple a chance to add some vibrance to its devices and bring it in line with consumer trends. While AirPods are a best seller, it does not have the same level of design language to it as the iPhone or Mac, for example. So, this could help distinguish it, especially with rivals already offering a colour option for their wireless earbuds.