Experts Debunk Viral Claims: AirPods Not Like Microwave Ovens

The claim that using AirPods is like having a small microwave near your brain isn’t accurate, according to engineering professors who spoke with AFP. They dismissed these ideas as baseless rumors found online. Although Apple’s wireless earbuds release electromagnetic waves comparable to those of microwaves, they operate at much weaker power levels, the specialists explained.

"AirPods = Baking your brain in a mini microwave oven," reads the Korean-language caption of an X video Posted on March 3, 2025.

The video, which has garnered over three million views, features a man asserting that using Apple’s wireless earphones is akin to having a small microwave positioned near your brain since both emit the 2.4 GHz frequency.

He notes that this is the optimal frequency for heating food efficiently and effectively. Consequently, miniature 'microwaves' within your head could produce similar effects on your brain, tissues, and organs.

He subsequently employs an electromagnetic field meter to gauge their "hazardous frequency," and he states that the radio power density of AirPods measures at 0.709 milliwatts per square meter.

He ends by stating that there is "emerging research indicating significant connections between brain tumors, cognitive impairment, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and various other neurodegenerative disorders," while images from academic article summaries appear on the screen.

The video was likewise shared on Threads and Instagram .

AFP previously debunked a similar claim That AirPods are a cause of detrimental electromagnetic radiation.

Allegations regarding detrimental emissions from electronic gadgets have been around since as early as 2015 -- one year prior to when Apple surfaced. released Its initial wireless AirPods — when a cluster of international scientists authored a missive urging further research and the establishment of guidelines regarding the health impacts of non-ionizing electromagnetic fields originating from electronic gadgets. (archived here and here ).

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged As the issue has turned into a focal point for health concerns, it stated that there is "no proof to suggest that being exposed to low-level electromagnetic fields poses harm to human health." archived link ).

'Significantly lower power'

Experts consulted by AFP also refuted the assertion that utilizing wireless earbuds was comparable to placing a microwave oven close to one's head.

"That's nonsense," Wang Sung-sik , an electrical and electronic engineering professor at South Korea's Hanyang Cyber University, told AFP on April 8, said archived link ).

He explained that natural light possesses a remarkably high frequency without causing harm. The key factor is the intensity and whether a substantial quantity of energy is delivered.

He noted that the radio power density mentioned in the video — 0.709 milliwatts per square meter — wasn’t contrasted with the value for a microwave.

The typical maximum exposure microwave oven levels are 500 milliwatts per square meter as per the WHO, or approximately 700 times greater than the statistic for the AirPods ( archived link ).

Jungwook Jay Paek , an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the State University of New York at Binghamton, stated that the ability of microwave ovens to heat food isn't solely due to their operating frequencies. archived link ).

He explained in an email to AFP on April 6th that these microwave ovens emit waves with high intensity, and their reflective interiors amplify the exposure of food to these waves via numerous reflections, ensuring that the energy is precisely directed towards the food.

Paek stated that AirPods and comparable devices emitting electromagnetic waves do so at considerably lower power levels, without reflective enclosures, and they are not designed to concentrate electromagnetic energy on human tissue.

He also pointed out that the possible long-term impacts of continuous exposure to low-level electromagnetic fields from these gadgets are still unclear and might necessitate additional scientific scrutiny.

The study referenced in the shared video also recommends additional scientific exploration into the impacts of exposure to electromagnetic fields, instead of asserting a "significant link" to brain tumors and conditions.

Two studies mentioned that indicate a potential connection were grounded in an examination of literature regarding the conceivable impacts of 5G exposure and a research project conducted on albino rats.

AFP has refuted comparable assertions connecting wireless networks and radio frequencies to health issues. here and here .