The Fairbuds XL have a modular design, making them easy to repair so they can last longer. If you need to replace a part, simply purchase spare parts in our online shop.

To guide you through the process, watch the instructional video series below to learn how to replace the components on your headphones.

Replacement Guide

Table of contents:

• Battery and Speaker Cover replacement
• Ear Cushion replacement
• Speaker replacement
• Headband Base replacement
• Headband Cover, Headband and Cable replacement (Fairbuds XL 2025)
• Headband Cover, Headband and Cable replacement (Fairbuds XL 2023)

Battery and Speaker Cover replacement

Here are the steps from the video:

1. Find a nice flat clean surface to work on. You will need a credit card, guitar pick or similar for leverage.
2. Make sure the Fairbuds XL are turned off. Keep your replacement part(s) at hand for easy access.
3. You will find the battery behind the left speaker unit. Use your fingers or the card/pick, and lift the cover by pulling it away from the speaker.
4. Once the left speaker cover is off, you will see the battery. Lift it out and hold onto it tightly to not drop it.
5. When inserting the replacement battery:
   
   Fairbuds XL (2023): insert with "yours to open, yours to keep" facing up. 
   Fairbuds XL (2025): insert with 'fairphone' and battery symbol facing up.
    
6. Press down gently on the battery to make sure it is in there properly.
7. Place the left speaker cover back and press down gently, starting from the top and moving downwards until it snaps into place.

Ear Cushion replacement

Here are the steps from the video:

1. Find a nice flat clean surface to work on. For replacing the ear cushions, you do not need any tools. Keep your replacement part at hand for easy access.
2. There is a very important instruction: When twisting the ear cushion, please hold on to the textile part/PU leather part of the ear cushion with one hand and the plastic side with the other hand.
3. To remove the ear cushion, you will need to twist it in a specific direction. Place the Fairbuds XL on a flat surface in front of you. The speakers and ear cushions should be facing you, and the headband should be facing away. The buttons need to be facing towards you. For replacing each cushion:
   
   Right cushion: You will need to twist the ear cushion away from you.
   Left cushion: You will need to twist the ear cushion towards you.
    
4. As you twist, you should hear a click when the ear cushion release.
5. Align the replacement ear cushion(s) with the hooks on the inside of the device. Make sure to match the arrow on the inside of the ear cushion to the arrow on the speaker. 
6. Make sure the holes on the ear cushion align with the hooks on the speaker.
7. Then twist the ear cushion in the opposite direction:
   
   Right cushion: You twist the ear cushion towards you.
   Left cushion: You twist the ear cushion away from you.
    
8. Remember to hold the non-textile part of the cushion as you twist. You will hear a click when it is in place.

Speaker replacement

Here are the steps from the video:

1. Find a nice flat clean surface to work on. Keep an empty container handy to store loose screws. You will need a credit card, guitar pick or similar for leverage. Plus, you will need a screwdriver:
   
   Fairbuds XL (2023): you will need a Phillips #00 screwdriver. 
   Fairbuds XL (2025): you will need a Phillips #0 screwdriver. 
    
2. Make sure you purchased the right speaker before you get started:
   
   If you are replacing with a Fairbuds XL (2023) speaker, this is speckled and a light green or black. 
   
   If you are replacing with a Fairbuds XL (2025) speaker, this has no speckles and is a darker green or black.
    
3. Make sure the Fairbuds XL are turned off. Keep your replacement part(s) at hand for easy access.
4. Replacing the speaker(s) will require you to pop off the ear cushion, speaker cover, and battery. You only need to do this for the side you want to replace.
5. For removing the ear cushion, you do not need any tools.
6. There is a very important instruction: When twisting the ear cushion, please hold on to the textile part/PU leather part of the ear cushion with one hand and the plastic side with the other hand.
7. To remove the ear cushion, you will need to twist it in a specific direction. Place the Fairbuds XL on a flat surface in front of you. The speakers and ear cushions should be facing you, and the headband should be facing away. The buttons need to be facing towards you. For replacing each cushion:
   
   Right cushion: You will need to twist the ear cushion away from you.
   Left cushion: You will need to twist the ear cushion towards you.
    
8. As you twist, you should hear a click when the ear cushion release.
9. For removing the speaker cover, use your fingers or the card/pick, and lift the cover by pulling it away from the speaker.
10. For removing the battery: Once the speaker cover is off, you will see the battery. Lift it out and hold onto it tightly to not drop it, and place it down.
11. Next, notice the two screws that hold the speaker unit into the headband base. Use the correct screwdriver to carefully unscrew them, being careful not to strip the head. Make sure to keep the screws in a safe place, such as the empty container.
12. Once both screws are removed, carefully release the speaker from the headband base. Wiggle the headband base to loosen it a little bit and gently pull away. You will see a cable that connects to the top of the speaker. Carefully release the cable from the speaker, allowing you to remove it completely.
13. Now, time to go in reverse. Once you have the old speaker out, connect the USB-C cable to the top of the new speaker. 
14. Then, place the new speaker on the headband base. Screw in the two screws.
15. Put the battery back in. When inserting the battery:
    
    Fairbuds XL (2023): insert with "yours to open, yours to keep" facing up. 
    Fairbuds XL (2025): insert with 'fairphone' and battery symbol facing up.
     
16. Then, put the speaker cover back in place and press down gently, starting from the top and moving downwards until it snaps into place.
17. Align the ear cushion with the hooks on the inside of the device. Make sure to match the arrow on the inside of the ear cushion to the arrow on the speaker. 
18. Make sure the holes on the ear cushion align with the hooks on the speaker.
19. Then twist the ear cushion in the opposite direction:
    
    Right cushion: You twist the ear cushion towards you.
    Left cushion: You twist the ear cushion awat from you.
     
20.  Remember to hold the non-textile part of the cushion as you twist. You will hear a click when it is in place.

Repeat on the other side if you have two replacement speakers. Afterwards, turn on your headphones and enjoy your replacement speaker(s)!

Headband Base replacement

Here are the steps from the video:

1. For clarity: The two headband bases connect the headband to the two speakers.
2. Find a nice flat clean surface to work on. Keep an empty container handy to store loose screws. You will need a credit card, guitar pick or similar for leverage. Plus, you will need a screwdriver:
   
   Fairbuds XL (2023): you will need a Phillips #00 screwdriver. 
   Fairbuds XL (2025): you will need a Phillips #0 screwdriver. 
    
3. Make sure the Fairbuds XL are turned off. Keep your replacement part at hand for easy access.
4. We start by removing the speaker cover. Use your fingers or the card/pick, and lift the cover by pulling it away from the speaker.
5. Next, notice the two screws that hold the speaker unit into the headband base. Use the correct screwdriver to carefully unscrew them, being careful not to strip the head. Make sure to keep the screws in a safe place, such as the empty container.
6. Once both screws are removed, carefully release the speaker from the headband base. Wiggle the headband base to loosen it a little bit and gently pull away. You will see a cable that connects to the top of the speaker. Carefully release the cable from the speaker, allowing you to remove it completely.
7. Now, to separate the headband base from the headband itself, slowly slide up the headband cover and there will be a silver lever that locks the headband base in place. Gently lift this lever, and remove the headband base completely from the headband. You might have to give it a little wiggle to get it out.
8. Slide the replacement headband base into the headband, making sure it is secure, and lower the silver lever again.
9. Next, reconnect the speaker to speaker USB-C cable.
10. Now, line up the holes on the headband base with the holes on the speaker unit and screw them together using the two screws you removed earlier.
11. With the replacement headband base in place, put the speaker cover back in place and press down gently, starting from the top and moving downwards until it snaps into place.

Headband Cover, Headband, and Cable replacement (Fairbuds XL 2025)

For the Fairbuds XL (2025), here are the instructions for replacing the headband cover, headband and cable:

Here are the steps from the Fairbuds XL (2025) video:

1. Find a nice flat clean surface to work on. Keep an empty container handy to store loose screws. Plus, you will need a Phillips #0 screwdriver. 
2. Make sure the Fairbuds XL are turned off. Keep your replacement part at hand for easy access.
3. To replace the headband and speaker to speaker cable, you will need to disconnect the headband base first (Note: below steps are not the same as replacing the headband base).
4. Start by unplugging the speaker to speaker cable from the speaker.
5. Then, remove the two screws connecting the headband base to the headband.
6. Next, slide the headband cover up and lift the silver lever locking the headband base inside the headband. Now you should be able to slide the base out, removing the speaker base and the headband base together. Lower the silver lever again.
7. Next, if you are only replacing the headband cover, you can simply slide it off now. Then, fold the speaker to speaker cable towards the headband. You can fold it to the top of the headband (as shown in the video). Folding the cable will make sliding the headband cover back on a lot easier. Slide the headband cover on, and you should be able to easily pull the cable out and straighten it once the headband shows on the other side.
8. If you are only replacing the headband cover, you can jump down to step 13 on how to re-attach the headband base and speaker.
9. If you are replacing the speaker to speaker cable, you will need to remove the speaker unit on the other side of the headphones. Disconnect the speaker to speaker cable on the other side. 
10. Then, remove the two screws connecting the headband base to the headband.
11. Next, slide the headband cover up and lift the silver lever locking the headband base inside the headband. Now you should be able to slide the base out, removing the speaker base and the headband base together. Now, slide the headband cover off and detach the cable (as shown in the video).
12. Take your replacement cable. Make sure the new cable fits snugly inside the headband. Then, fold the speaker to speaker cable towards the headband. You can fold it to the top of the headband (as shown in the video). Folding the cable will make sliding the headband cover back on a lot easier. Slide the headband cover on, and you should be able to easily pull the cable out and straighten it once the headband shows on the other side.
13. Once you have replaced what you need to, it is time to reconnect the headband base to the headband. First, make sure the silver lever is lifted and slide the headband base back into the headband.
14. Lower the silver lever again and screw in the two screws you took out earlier.
15. Connect the speaker to speaker cable to the speaker unit. 
16. Repeat steps 13-15 on the other side and you're good to go!

Headband Cover, Headband, and Cable replacement (Fairbuds XL 2023)

For the Fairbuds XL (2023), here are the different instructions for replacing the headband cover, headband and cable:

Here are the steps from the Fairbuds XL (2023) video:

1. To remove the headband cover, start by releasing the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cable on one side of the headphones.
2. Flap the headband cover open.
3. Lift the silver lever to release the headband base and speaker.
4. Slide the headband cover off the headband.
5. To remove the headband and cable, release the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cable on the other side of the headphones.
6. Lift the silver lever to release the headband base and speaker on the other side.
7. Slide the cable out of the headband.
8. If necessary, replace the headband and/or the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cable:
    
   1. Slide the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cable back into the headband.
   2. Slide the headband cover over the cable and headband.
   3. Click the headband base into the headband, and lower the lever to secure the base.
   4. Close the headband cover.
   5. Apply the speaker cover.

   6. Insert the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cable on both sides of the headphones.

      Note: Make sure the USB-C speaker-to-speaker cables are securely seated in the sockets.
       

If after reading the article you need more help, contact our Customer Support.