AirPods Keep Disconnecting and Reconnecting (Causes and How to Fix)

As an AirPods user, I have been frustrated with my AirPods constantly disconnecting and reconnecting. After doing some research and testing, I am here to share how I solved this problem and some other solutions I discovered. In this blog post, I will discuss the causes of AirPods disconnecting and reconnecting, and how to fix the issue. Hopefully, this will help other AirPods users who are having the same issue.

The reason behind this could be an unstable Bluetooth connection, unclean AirPods, a low battery level, the AirPods requiring a reset, the network setting requiring a reset, outdated firmware or iOS, automatic switching being turned on, Automatic Ear Detection being enabled, or hardware issues.

Causes	Solutions
Unstable Bluetooth Connection	1. Keep the device and AirPods within Bluetooth range 2. Remove clutter between the device and the AirPods 3. Turn the device’s Bluetooth off and on 4. Forget and reconnect the AirPods in the device’s Bluetooth settings
Unclean AirPods	1. Clean AirPods with a microfiber cloth and isopropyl alcohol 2. Use a toothpick to remove dirt from the edges 3. Finish cleaning with a soft toothbrush to remove fine debris
AirPods Need a Reset	1. Place the AirPods in the charging case for 30 seconds 2. Forget the AirPods in the device’s Bluetooth settings 3. Open the charging case and hold the button for 15 seconds until the light flashes orange then white
Network Settings Need a Reset	1. Open device settings 2. Go to “General” > “Transfer or Reset” > “Reset” > “Reset Network Settings” 3. Enter password to confirm
Outdated Firmware or iOS	1. Allow AirPods firmware to update automatically by connecting to the iPhone and leaving them for 30 minutes without usage 2. Ensure your iOS device is up to date
Automatic Switching or Automatic Ear Detection Is Turned On	1. Disable automatic switching by going to device settings > “Bluetooth” > “i” next to AirPods name > “Connect to This Device” > “When Last Connected to This iPhone” 2. Disable Automatic Ear Detection by deselecting it in the same menu

Table of Contents

1. An Unstable Bluetooth Connection

A weak or unstable connection can force your AirPods to keep disconnecting and reconnecting. The same goes for when too many devices are connected to the main device.

How to Fix

Make sure your device and AirPods are within each other’s Bluetooth range.
Remove clutter between the earbuds and the device.
Turn the Bluetooth of the device off and on again.

On your device, open “Bluetooth” then tap the “i” next to your AirPods’ name. Select “Forget This Device” and confirm. After that, reconnect the AirPods.

2. Unclean AirPods

A hardware issue with your AirPods could be the reason why they keep disconnecting and reconnecting.

It may be something wrong with the internal components of the earbuds or a buildup of dirt or earwax that leads to Bluetooth interference which destabilizes the connection.

How to Fix

If the problem is the hardware, you’ll need to bring your AirPods to a service center for help. As for cleaning, here’s what you need to do:

Use a microfiber cloth and some isopropyl alcohol to clean your AirPods, especially the speaker grills and the area around them.
Use a toothpick to gently remove dirt from the edges.

Finish up with a soft toothbrush to get into the crevices and get rid of fine debris.

3. The AirPods Need a Reset

A reset will return your AirPods to their default settings, which can resolve many bugs and glitches that may result in connectivity problems.

How to Fix

Here’s how to reset AirPods:

Return the earbuds to the charging case and leave them inside the closed case for around 30 seconds.
On your iPhone, open “Settings” and choose “Bluetooth”.
Next to your AirPods’ name, tap the “i”.

Select “Forget This Device” and tap “Forget This Device” to confirm.
Open the lid and hold the button for 15 seconds until the light flashes orange then white

4. The Network Settings Need a Reset

Resetting the network settings on your device will clear all saved data related to your VPN information, Bluetooth connections, WiFi, and network preferences.

Starting with a clean slate can resolve many bugs and glitches that may result in connectivity problems.

How to Fix

Here’s how to reset network settings on an iOS device:

Open “Settings”.

Tap ” General”.
Choose “Transfer or Reset” then tap “Reset” and select “Reset Network Settings”.
Enter your password to confirm.

5. An Outdated Firmware or iOS

New firmware versions are regularly pumped out to Apple devices to resolve bugs and errors, improve their performance, and boost your user experience.

As such, if your AirPods are running outdated firmware, their operation may suffer causing the earbuds to keep disconnecting and reconnecting.

You can check whether or not your AirPods are running the latest firmware by following the steps below:

On your iPhone (or connected device), open “Settings”.
Choose “General” then tap “About”.
Tap on your AirPods’ name.

You should be able to view their current firmware version.

Similarly, an outdated iOS can result in connectivity issues. So make sure your iOS device is up to date.

How to Fix

Currently, there’s no way to manually update the firmware from your AirPods or your iOS device.

If you want the latest AirPod firmware version, you need to let the earbuds update automatically as follows:

Connect the AirPods to your iPhone.
Leave the earbuds for about half an hour without usage.

6. Automatic Switching or Automatic Ear Detection Is Turned On

How to Fix

Here’s how to disable these features:

Connect the AirPods to your iOS device.
On the device, open “Settings”.
Select ” Bluetooth” then tap the “i” next to your earbuds’ name.

To turn off automatic switching, choose “Connect to This Device” and then select “When Last Connected to This iPhone”.
To turn off Automatic Ear Detection, just deselect it.

Final Thoughts

When AirPods keep disconnecting and reconnecting, the solution can be as easy as updating software, restarting a device, or disabling a feature.

If you’ve tried all the fix-ups mentioned above and nothing worked, your last resort is to contact Apple and ask their technical support team for help.