There's No Link Between Apple AirPods And Cancer - Healthline

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Do Apple AirPods Cause Cancer?

Medically reviewed by Teresa Hagan Thomas PHD, BA, RN — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 1, 2025

Myth origins
Earbuds and cancer
Cellphones and cancer
Takeaway

Despite online myths, there’s no scientific link between Apple or other Bluetooth earpods and cancer.

Apple AirPods are wireless Bluetooth earbuds that were first released in 2016. Over the past several years, rumors have circulated that using AirPods can lead to the development of brain cancer.

The rumor is based on the idea that Bluetooth electromagnetic radiation in your ear canal could cause cellular damage and tumors.

However, at this time, there’s no evidence suggesting that the amount of radiation emitted by Apple AirPods is enough to damage your health.

What’s the source of the AirPods cancer myth?

The myth that wireless headphones can cause cancer gained traction in 2015.

At that time, more than 200 scientists from around the world wrote an appeal to the World Health Organization and the United Nations to impose stricter international guidelines for electromagnetic radiation.

In the appeal, the scientists noted that numerous studies have found that radiation well below the current guidelines has the potential to damage human health.

The idea that AirPods might cause cancer gained popularity in 2019 after an article on Medium alerted people to the 2015 appeal. However, the 2015 appeal was a warning against all wireless devices, not specifically AirPods.

The strength of radiation released by Bluetooth headsets is significantly lower than other forms of radiation, such as cellphones, X-rays, or ultraviolet light.

Wireless devices produce non-ionizing radiation, which is too weak to remove electrons from atoms. Compared to cellphones, the amount of radiation released by Bluetooth devices is relatively low.

One 2019 study found the amount of radiation in Bluetooth headsets was 10 to 400 times lower than phone radiation.

Currently, there’s no evidence that Apple AirPods or other Bluetooth devices cause cancer. The amount of radiation produced by these devices is relatively low compared to the amount of radiation released from the cellphones to which they’re usually paired.

Can wireless headphones cause cancer?

Most wireless headphones use the same Bluetooth technology as Apple AirPods to transmit sound from your device to your ear. Even though Bluetooth emits less radiation than cellphones, some health experts have expressed concern about the long-term use of Bluetooth earbuds because of their proximity to the brain.

A branch of the World Health Organization called the International Agency for Research on Cancer has listed electromagnetic radiation released by cellphones and Bluetooth devices as potentially carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

More research is needed to examine whether the levels of radiation are strong enough to damage human health.

Do cellphones cause cancer?

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 98% of Americans own a cellphone, and about 91% of these are smartphones.

Cellphones emit a type of electromagnetic radiation known as radio waves.

In 1999, the National Toxicology Program conducted a 2-year study examining the effect of this radiation on more than 3,000 rats. The researchers found that the type of radiation found in cellphones was linked to an increased number of brain tumors in male rats.

However, the study, which was from 1999, used older 2G and 3G technology.

Human studies on cellphone radiation and human health are limited. Because scientists can’t ethically expose humans to radiation, they need to draw conclusions based on animal research or trends in large populations of people.

Brain cancer rates in the United States have not increased since cellphones became widely used. According to data from the National Cancer Institute, the rate of brain and nervous system cancer is dropping by 0.2% per year.

Most animal studies also haven’t found a link between cellphone habits and health issues.

Takeaway

At this time, there’s no evidence that using Apple AirPods or other wireless headphones increases your risk of brain cancer.

Bluetooth earbuds produce less radiation than cellphones. However, because they are so close to your brain, some health experts warn that more research is needed to examine their long-term effects.

To stay safe, consider minimizing your use of Bluetooth earbuds and avoid holding your cellphone to your ear for extended periods.

Using the speakerphone function on your phone for calls and the speaker for music can help you minimize your electromagnetic exposure.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Cancer stat facts: Brain and other nervous system cancer. (n.d.).https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/brain.html
Cell phone radio frequency radiation. (2025).https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/topics/cellphones/index.html
Cell phones and cancer risk. (2024).https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet
IARC classifies radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as possibly carcinogenic to humans. (2011).https://www.iarc.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr208_E.pdf
International appeal: Scientists call for protection from non-ionizing electromagnetic field exposure. (2019).https://www.emfscientist.org/index.php/emf-scientist-appeal
Mobile fact sheet: Tech adoption trends. (2024).https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/
Scientific evidence for cell phone safety. (2025).https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/cell-phones/scientific-evidence-cell-phone-safety
Wall S, et al. (2019). Real-world cell phone radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposures.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935118305024?via%3Dihub

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Medically reviewed by Teresa Hagan Thomas PHD, BA, RN — Written by Daniel Yetman — Updated on October 1, 2025

There's No Link Between Apple AirPods And Cancer - Healthline

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What’s the source of the AirPods cancer myth?

Can wireless headphones cause cancer?

Do cellphones cause cancer?

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