Do your AirPods keep disconnecting from your iPhone when you’re on the phone or listening to music? You’re not the only one who feels this way. Since its inception in 2016, AirPods have been plagued by connectivity troubles.
Airport connection issues appear to be fairly common, according to user comments on Apple’s support forums. However, these issues can be resolved, and in this post, we’ll teach you how to fix a pair of AirPods that keep disconnecting from your iPhone. Here’s how to disable the AirPods’ automatic switching feature if you’re annoyed by it.
If your AirPods keep connecting to other iPhones and iPads, read this: How to Stop AirPods Connecting to Other iPhones and iPads.
Why do my AirPods keep disconnecting?
You probably don’t want to hear this, but AirPods keep disconnecting from iPhones and other Bluetooth devices for a variety of reasons. It might be a hardware issue, a signal quality issue, or an issue with a particular iOS version.
AirPod keep disconnecting were annoyingly prevalent with iOS 10.1 in 2016 and 2017, but reappeared in 2018 with the iOS 11.2.6 release. Following the iOS 12.1 upgrade, the problem reappeared for the third time, and it will most likely happen again in the future. Report any issues to Apple, and keep an eye out for patches in future releases.
Disconnection issues are most commonly associated with phone calls: a caller complains that they can’t hear you well or at all, or your AirPods disconnecting in the middle of a discussion. When playing music or connecting to in-car Bluetooth, the problem is less prevalent.
The issue might be caused by Bluetooth interference, or it could be caused by the sensors within the AirPods that identify whether or not they’re in your ears. Whatever the cause, one of the audio remedies listed below should resolve your AirPod disconnection issue.
If you can’t fix it, check out the best AirPods offers or go straight to Apple’s website to get a new set. Don’t give up just yet, though.
How can I reconnect my AirPods to my iPhone?
To prevent your AirPods disconnecting from their Bluetooth connection, go over the list of likely causes and cross them off one by one.
Are they no longer in power? Have you ever unintentionally disabled Bluetooth or picked the incorrect audio output? Is it a physical issue with one earbud, is ear detection malfunctioning, or are the AirPods just dirty? Finally, we may look for sources of signal interference.
Step 1: Confirm that you have the necessary software.
- You’ll need iOS 15.1 or macOS 12 to use AirPods 3.
- AirPods Pro require iOS 13.2 or later, as well as macOS 10.15.1 or later.
- The previous AirPods 2 require iOS 12.2 or macOS 10.14.
Step 2. Make sure the battery is fully charged.
The first step is to double-check that your AirPods are fully charged. You won’t be able to hear anything if they’re out of power.
Follow these steps to check the charge state of your AirPods on your iPhone:
- Open the case’s cover and place it near your iPhone with the AirPods inside.
- The battery level will be displayed in a popup on your iPhone.
- You may also check your iPhone’s batteries widget. Scroll down the home page by swiping from left to right.
- Scroll down until you see Edit. Touch on it, and then add Batteries to your iPhone if you haven’t already.
- This widget will also display the battery status of any other Apple devices that are connected to it, such as an Apple Watch.
Step 3: Check Bluetooth
Check that the Bluetooth on the device you’re using the AirPods with is turned on.
- Launch Control Centre on your iPhone or iPad and ensure Bluetooth is enabled.
- Alternatively, navigate to Bluetooth > Settings. A green indicator should appear to indicate that Bluetooth is turned on.
It’s worth turning Bluetooth off and on again, even if it’s already on.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth and toggle the green switch to “white.”
- Turn off Bluetooth for at least 15 seconds before resuming use.
It will now claim that your AirPods are not linked, but as soon as you choose them as the audio source, they should reconnect (see next step).
Step 4: Double-check your audio device’s settings.
Make sure your AirPods are chosen as the output audio device—this should happen automatically because the AirPods detect that they are in your ears, but if it hasn’t, follow these instructions.
While you’re listening to music on your iPhone, Tap the AirPlay icon that appears beneath the song (if you have the track selected).
Choose your AirPods from the list of possibilities.
If you’re on the phone, make sure AirPods are chosen from the audio options that display on the screen when you dial. When you’re on the phone, you may also change the audio source by touching the speaker icon.
Step 5: Unplug and reconnect your AirPods.
“Turning it off and on again” can address a variety of issues with electrical gadgets, including the AirPods.
- Close the AirPods cases and wait 15 seconds.
- Now open the lid and push and hold the rear of the case’s setup button.
- Hold your breath until the light flashes amber and then white.
- Your AirPods should now be reset (even if they aren’t your AirPods).
- Place your AirPods near your iPhone to reconnect them (make sure Bluetooth is turned on).
- Now go through the iPhone’s setup choices.
Step 6: Reset your AirPods
If the steps above didn’t work, try resetting the AirPods. Follow these steps to accomplish this:
- Close the charging case and place the AirPods inside.
- Wait thirty seconds before reopening the cover.
- Go to the Bluetooth settings on your iPad or iPhone and look for your AirPods in the device list. A little I symbol will appear next to the gadgets. A new page will open when you tap on this symbol.
- “Ignore this device” should be selected.
- Keep the lid open and press the setup button on the rear for 15 seconds to return to the charging case. After that, the display should flash amber, then white.
Step 7: Ensure that your AirPods are clean.
You should clean them because it’s conceivable that your problem is caused by dirt.
Because you don’t want to scratch or blemish the casing or harm the components, this is a delicate job. In a separate article, we go over how to clean AirPods in detail.
Step 8: Use only one AirPod at a time.
According to reports, the problem occurs less frequently when only one earbud is used, so you might leave one in the charging case.
You may also configure your AirPods so that just one microphone is used.
- Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iOS device and choose AirPods when the AirPods case is open.
- By tapping the i, you can select Microphone from the list of options.
- Automatic is the default setting, with both AirPods supplying a microphone. This, however, may be changed to “always left” or “always right.”
Step 9: Turn off the Automatic Ear Detection function.
You should also try turning off this function to see whether your AirPods perform better without it.
- On your iOS device, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
- Turn off automatic ear detection by tapping the I next to your AirPods.
This function should automatically redirect audio to your AirPods once it finds them in your ears, but it’s worth double-checking to see if something isn’t working properly.
Step 10: Disconnect your watch from the power source.
The problem might be caused by connecting with both an Apple Watch and AirPods, so unpair your Watch and check if the issue persists.
If you have other Bluetooth devices, it’s a good idea to unpair them as well, just in case something is interfering.
Step 11: Turn off your iPhone’s Wi-Fi.
We’re not sure why this makes a difference, but some customers have reported that turning off Wi-Fi on their iPhone fixed the audio problem. This might be due to Wi-Fi interference sources, which we shall investigate in the next stage.
Step 12: Look for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth interference sources.
There are a variety of gadgets that might cause interference, so it’s conceivable that one of them is causing your audio dropouts. Here are a few things you can do to stay away from it.
- If the problem occurs while on a call, get closer to your Bluetooth device—your iPhone, for example.
- Microwave ovens, fluorescent lights, wireless video cameras (like baby monitors), and cordless phones should all be avoided.
- To free up the 2.5GHz frequency for Bluetooth, switch devices that can use it to the 5GHz band. (Learn how to switch to the 5GHz spectrum here.)
When using a Mac,
Check your sound settings in System Preferences on your Mac if the issue is due to utilising the AirPods with your Mac.
- Select your AirPods under the Output tab in System Preferences > Sound.
- Under the Input tab, do the same thing.
It might be connected to Bluetooth’s inability to send and receive audio if the problem occurs during FaceTime or audio conversations conducted on your Mac, with callers complaining that your voice isn’t clear or that they can’t hear you. As a result, the sound quality may change from high to poor fidelity as a result of this.
Separately, we have information on which devices work with AirPods.