What you should know
- This guide identifies many of the reasons why your AirPods are so quiet.
- We identify the most common solutions to the problem – including adjusting settings, cleaning the AirPods, recalibration, and ensuring proper ear fit and charge.
- Follow the steps in this guide to solve your problem!
Introduction
In an age where wireless earbuds have become an integral part of our daily life, having optimal audio performance is crucial. Apple’s AirPods are one of the market leaders, known for their sleek design and impressive audio clarity, but there are instances when they may not perform at the level you expect. One common question people ask is why are my AirPods so quiet? Before you rush to conclude that they are defective, it’s worth noting that several factors could contribute to this. In this guide, we’ll explore the potential reasons why your AirPods are so quiet and, more importantly, how to remedy the situation.
What are the reasons why your AirPods might be quiet?
Here are the things you should check if your AirPods are quiet.
Turn up the volume on your AirPods
This seems obvious but just making sure. If you are having trouble hearing other people the volume might be the culprit.
Make sure the speakers and microphone are not blocked
This is a common issue with AirPods and they require regular cleaning. Over time dust, debris, and earwax can buildup and impact microphone and speaker performance.
Change your noise cancellation settings
Active noise cancellation can make audio sound quieter and conversely background noise can overpower your volume settings. Try toggling between transparency and noise cancellation modes to see if this resolves your issue. To change these settings on your iPhone go to Settings > Bluetooth > Click the “I” next to your AirPods. Under the Noise Control section toggle between Noise Control and Transparency.
Change your Volume Limit settings
iPhones offer Volume Limits to protect your hearing but sometimes this volume level can be too low. To check and disable volume limits go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety > Reduce Loud Sounds. Disabling this settings will remove sound limits.
You may have an issue with your Bluetooth connection
One way to test this is to connect your AirPods to another BlueTooth device and see if the problem happens on that device as well. If not, the issue may be due to the Bluetooth connection on your iPhone. First try disabling BlueTooth on your iPhone (Settings > BlueTooth and toggle BlueTooth off). Wait 30 seconds and then reenable BlueTooth and see if the problem persists. If it does, then you can try unpairing and pairing your AirPods to reset them. Instructions for pairing (resetting) your AirPods are in the Solutions section below.
Low power mode on your iPhone or AirPods can impact audio performance
Your iPhone will disable some functionality when low on power and this can impact your AirPods. Fully charge your iPhone and AirPods and then see if the problem persists.
Water damage could be the cause of the issue
If water get into your AirPods this can damage the speakers and microphones and cause issues with the volume.
What are the solutions to fixing quiet AirPods?
Check Ear Tip Fit Test
Make sure that your AirPods fit properly and you’re using the proper size ear tip. If there is not a proper seal this can impact sound quality. A proper seal will keep noise from leaking in or out while in use. You can run the Ear Tip Test to make sure you have a good fit. To run the test go to Settings > BlueTooth > Click the “I” next to your AirPods. Scroll down to the Ear Tip Fit Test and follow the prompts.
Make sure to clean your AirPods microphone and speakers regularly
Often dust and dirt can clog your AirPods speakers and microphone. To clean, use a dry cotton swab to clean the microphone and speaker mesh. To remove any debris from the grill use a dry soft bristled brush. Do not get your AirPods wet during the cleaning process!
Fully charge your AirPods and iPhone
A low battery on your AirPods or iPhone can impact audio performance. You can see the battery level by placing them in the case and placing the case next to your iPhone with the lid open. The screen will display the battery level of your AirPods and the case. After charging see if the problem persists.
Try to recalibrate the volume on your AirPods
If you are switching your AirPods between multiple devices this may impact the volume settings. To recalibrate the volume:
- Place your AirPods in your ears and play some music on your iPhone.
- With the music playing turn the volume down to 0.
- Go into Settings > BlueTooth and disable BlueTooth by turning it off.
- Continue playing the music through the iPhone speaker and turn the volume down to 0.
- Enable Bluetooth and try using your AirPods again to see if the issue has been resolved.
Make sure you are running the latest version of IOS, Mac OS, AirPod Firmware, etc
Make sure that both your AirPods and your iPhone have the latest software updates. Unlike your iPhone or Mac, you cannot control when your AirPods update their software. AirPods automatically update in the background when they are not in use. Place your AirPod case near your iPhone to make sure the latest firmware is installed. Also, make sure that any devices you connect to your AirPods are updated as well.
You can check your AirPods for the version they are running by going to Settings > BlueTooth and clicking the “i” next to your AirPods. Then scroll down to the About section and compare this to the latest version posted on Apple’s support website.
Reset your AirPods and reconnect them to your iPhone
Resetting your AirPods and reconnecting them to your iPhone will often resolve any issues you have. To do this first open Settings > BlueTooth > Click the “I” next to your AirPods. Scroll down and click “Forget Device” and confirm you want to remove your AirPods. Next open the case (make sure the AirPods are inside the case) then click and hold the button on the back of your AirPods case until the light turns amber and then it will turn white.
The light on the charging case is in a different location depending on the version of AirPods you own. The light is located inside the case for 1st and 2nd generation cases. For newer versions the light is on the front of the AirPods case.
Next, you will need to reconnect the AirPods to your iPhone. Open the lid on the case and hold it next to your iPhone. A screen will appear on your phone asking if you would like to connect the AirPods to your phone. Follow the steps to complete the process on screen.
Disable “Reduce Loud Sounds” in the iPhone settings
The iPhone is designed to protect your hearing and will limit the maximum volume when Reduce Loud Sounds is enabled. To disable this setting go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Headphone Safety > Reduce Loud Sounds and toggle to off. When “Reduce Loud Sounds” is enabled you can control the maximum volume using the volume slider that is displayed.
Check the audio balance on your iPhone or iPad to adjust your AirPods
If the sound is not balanced on your AirPods you will have a different volume in each one. To check this go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual. Scroll down to the Balance section and make sure it is set to zero – which is in the middle of the slider between Left and Right.
Enable “Headphone Accommodations” on your iPhone
If you like to manually customize your sound settings you can enable Headphone Accommodations on your iPhone. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual and find the Headphone Accommodation setting. When you toggle this to “On” you will be able to control vocal sounds, boost softer sounds, and choose if these settings apply to phone functions (i.e. phone calls, FaceTime, etc.), multimedia applications (music, etc.) or both.
Contact Apple Tech Support
If none of these solutions resolve the problem it is time to contact Apple Support. They can provide professional troubleshooting services and determine if there is a hardware issue that needs to be repaired.
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you understand why your AirPods are so quiet and provided you the solution! Remember, in many cases the issue is due to a simple setting change and can be resolved quickly and easily using this guide. Also, make sure to keep your AirPods clean and the software updated to prevent issues from arising in the first place. Lastly, you can always contact Apple technical support for professional assistance if you are unable to resolve the problem.
Jim is an entrepreneur and technology enthusiast who has over 20 years of experience in the technology field. Over the course of his career he has held numerous tech leadership roles.
Currently, he owns Smarter Tech Talk, a platform he launched in September 2023, dedicated to offering detailed analyses of consumer technology and applications. With this venture he hopes to use his deep expertise and passion for technology to provide others practical advice and guide them through todays complex technology landscape.