Steps To Take When Your AirPods Are Not Working

The AirPods can be accessed through the device’s Bluetooth settings by selecting the blue circle with the I inside it that appears.

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From the time you put on your AirPods until the time you take them off, AirPods feel like an extension of your ears. The wireless earbuds are easy to use with your Apple devices, produce high-quality sound, and are comfortable to wear for extended periods. However, there are times when these devices do not function well. Sometimes your AirPods might not work how you want them to, but that’s to be expected with any piece of technology. Hardware or software issues are also possible causes of the problem. In most cases, the procedures for fixing an issue with the first or third generation of AirPod are identical.

Putting your AirPod back in their case and charging them through a Lightning cable or a Qi wireless charger is the first thing to try. Unfortunately, Apple does not provide any warning when the battery life of your AirPods case drops below 5%, so you may find yourself without working earbuds when the time comes to put them back in their case.

Put your AirPods through a cleaning.

Even though you’ve heard it a million times by now, it is worth repeating that your AirPod need to be cleaned regularly because they tend to collect a lot of gunk due to their size and design. The AirPod are earbuds, and not everyone keeps their ears clean. If you use AirPods Pro, which has rubber ear tips and thus is more likely to trap wax and dirt in your ears, this is especially important. The earpiece could function normally, but dirt would cause the volume to be extremely low or even eliminate it altogether.

You can clean your AirPod with alcohol wipes, as stated by Apple. Cleaning the exterior of your AirPods is recommended by the manufacturer, but as we explain in our guide, you should avoid getting any liquid on the ear cups of your AirPods Max or the speaker mesh of your AirPod or AirPods Pro.

Similarly, if your AirPod won’t charge, it could be because the contact pins on the buds or the case are dirty. When storing your earbuds in their case, the bottom can get grimy because of less space. If the case isn’t too filthy, you can clean the gold contact pins with a cotton swab and a little bit of alcohol. You should regularly clean your AirPod and your AirPod case.

Put the AirPods back to their original settings.

Sometimes your AirPods stop connecting to your iPhone, no matter what you try. You should restore your AirPods to their original settings in this situation. Except for the AirPods Max, the procedure is the same for all AirPod models. Apple provides the following instructions for resetting your AirPod to factory defaults:

Close the case around both AirPods earpieces.

Get the cover off

The AirPod can be accessed through the device’s Bluetooth settings by selecting the blue circle with the I inside it that appears next to the AirPods in the list of connected devices. Apple suggests skipping this if the device is not on the list.

To have the iOS device forget it ever had AirPods connected, select the “Forget this device” option.

To do this, locate the button on the bottom of the AirPod case and press and hold it for 15 seconds. There will be an initial burst of amber light, followed by a white flash as the case begins to blink.

After the reset, your AirPod can be used with any device and paired with it once again. Keep the earbuds close to your iPhone or iPad with the case lid open, and follow the on-screen instructions to repair them. It’s a little less complicated with the AirPods Max. Neither the Smart Case nor the headphones should touch anything before you press and hold the Noise Control button for 15 seconds. An amber and then a white blinking of the status LED means it’s prepared for pairing.

Pod-owners, please upgrade!

The AirPod, like many other modern electronic gadgets, feature firmware that occasionally requires an update. 

If an update is available, you can update the firmware of your AirPod by connecting the earbuds to your Apple device via Bluetooth, placing them in the case, and charging the case. Users’ experiences with the implementation of firmware updates vary widely, with some reporting an hour or less and others mentioning a delay of several weeks.

Get your AirPods checked out at Apple.

It may be time to return your first-generation AirPod Pro to Apple if you’re having trouble with sound quality. If your AirPods Pro cracks or has any other sound-related problems within three years of purchase, Apple will replace the faulty part (either earbud) at no cost to you.

Going to an Apple Store or a service center that is authorized to work on Apple products is all that is required to have your AirPod checked out. If it fails that test, Apple will replace the defective part if it meets the requirements. If Apple determines that there is no problem with your AirPods Pro or if they were purchased too long ago, your current pair will be returned.

However, if you have tried everything else and still can’t get your AirPod Pro working, you might want to consider taking them to Apple for a replacement. If you’re still within the first year of your warranty or have AppleCare+, this is especially important to remember. In the event that your AirPod are malfunctioning due to a hardware issue, no amount of at-home troubleshooting will help get them working again.