As an AirPods user, I was recently frustrated when my mic and speaker stopped working. After doing some research and testing, I discovered that this issue is actually quite common among AirPods users. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing how I solved the issue and other solutions I discovered in my research. I hope this post will help anyone else who is experiencing the same issues with their AirPods mic and speaker not working.
This issue can either be due to software problems or hardware ones. It can also happen because you’ve changed the AirPods settings on your iPhone.
| Reason | Description | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Battery | AirPods battery is dead or in low power mode, causing connection loss or significantly reduced volume. | Charge the AirPods overnight or until they reach full battery. Check the battery status on your device. |
| Connection Glitch | Issues with AirPods firmware or Bluetooth connection disrupting the connection between your device and AirPods. | Reset the AirPods connection by forgetting the device in your Bluetooth settings and reconnecting them. |
| Blocked Mic or Speaker | Grime blocking the microphone hole or speaker, causing low volume or muffled sound. | Clean the AirPods using a dry, lint-free cloth. If necessary, dampen the cloth with isopropyl alcohol to remove grime. |
| Changed AirPods Settings | Sound level settings on your iPhone or iPad have been changed, affecting the sound level of your AirPods, especially the microphone. | Check the AirPods settings on your device and adjust them as needed. |
| Reset and Update iPhone/iPad | If the issue is with your iPhone or iPad, resetting or updating the device may help fix any bugs causing the problem. | Reset the device or check for updates to fix any bugs that may be causing issues with your AirPods. |
| Visit a Repair Center | If none of the above solutions work, there may be a hardware problem requiring further inspection. | Take the AirPods to the nearest certified service center for inspection or consider purchasing new AirPods if they are outdated. |
Table of Contents
4 Reasons Why AirPods Speaker/Mic May Not Work
There are several reasons that can explain why the AirPods speaker and microphone aren’t working, so let’s check them out:
1. The AirPods Battery Is Dead
If the AirPods don’t make any sound or receive audio as soon as you take them out of the charging case, there is a chance that the AirPod’s battery is dead.
An AirPod with poor battery health may also lose its connection with the iPhone, preventing it from sending or receiving any sound signal. A low battery also activates low power mode, which reduces the volume significantly.
To find out the battery level of your AirPods, put them back in the charging case, and keep them close to your iPhone. The battery status should appear on your device.
Read more: One AirPod has no sound
2. The AirPods Connection is Glitching
AirPod software problems can occur for a wide variety of reasons, whether it’s due to the firmware of the AirPods or Bluetooth connection issues.
Regardless of the reasons, when it happens, the connection between your device and the AirPods is disrupted, and therefore, you might find that the speaker, microphone, or both aren’t working properly.
The good news is that occasional connection glitches don’t always mean that there’s a problem with your AirPods, and you should be able to fix them by establishing the connection once again.
Read more: AirPods keep disconnecting and reconnecting?
If the speaker is working but the microphone isn’t working or is extremely low-volume and muffled, there’s a chance that the tiny mic hole is blocked by grime.
In fact, AirPods have two different microphones in each ear. You can find one at the tip of the stem while the other is the small hole right by the earpiece. In most cases, removing the grime by cleaning the AirPods should fix the problem!
4. You’ve Changed the AirPods Settings
There are many AirPods settings that can affect the sound level of an Airpod, especially the microphone.
Glitching automatic ear detection and setting the microphone on a specific side can all end up causing hearing and speaking problems with the AirPods.
Keep in mind that some of these settings can be caused by your iPhone or iPad and not the AirPods itself, especially if the AirPods are working fine with other devices.
How to Troubleshoot Mic and Speaker Problems
Here are some of the helpful solutions that you can try to fix these issues:
1. Charge the AirPods Overnight
Charging the AirPods overnight can sometimes help them overcome some battery health issues.
You can try this method if you notice that one or both AirPods are dying quickly as you take them out of the case or the battery indicator on your iPhone says the battery level is pretty low.
2. Reset the AirPods Connection
Since a lot of speaker and mic issues can be caused by a glitching AirPod connection, it’s usually highly recommended to start your troubleshooting by resetting the AirPods connection.
To do this, open the Settings menu on your iPhone or iPad, then choose “Bluetooth”. Scroll down until you find your AirPods, then click on them. Tap the “Forget This Device” button to remove your device.
After that, go back to the Bluetooth tab, and re-establish the connection between your AirPods and iPhone/iPad.
3. Clean the AirPods
While cleaning the AirPods, make sure that you only use a dry and clean lint-free cloth. If you want extra cleaning power, you can dip the cloth in some isopropyl alcohol.
This should get rid of most of the grime buildup that is blocking the speakers and the microphones, allowing you to hear and speak louder.
4. Reset and Update Your iPhone/iPad
If the AirPods are working with other devices but not your iPhone/iPad, you might reset the device or check for updates to fix any bugs that are causing issues, especially if resetting the connection isn’t helping.
5. Visit a Repair Center
If all else fails, there might be a hardware problem in your AirPods that requires further inspection. You can take the AirPods checked at the nearest certified service center or opt for new AirPods if they’re outdated.
Wrap Up
With that said, you now know more about the reasons why your Airpods microphone and/or speaker aren’t working properly.
As you can see, this problem can happen for various reasons, but it can be fixed at home in most cases, so you should try some of these solutions before opting for a replacement.
