Can I Wear AirPods While Running?

When I first bought my AirPods, I was a bit hesitant to take them out on my daily runs. I had wondered, can I wear AirPods while running? They might be great for regular workouts, but does that also apply to running?

After using my AirPods for several months, I’ve experienced my fair share of pros and cons. I’ve shared them all in this article, so read on to know more!

Topic	Running with AirPods
Key Takeaways	Regular AirPods are better suited for indoor exercises and may fall out during running. They are not as water-resistant as other options and can block environmental noise, which can be dangerous.
Pros	AirPods allow you to listen to music while running, which can increase your enjoyment and reduce exertion levels. AirPods Pro are great for running.
Cons	Regular AirPods may fall out during runs, are not as water-resistant as other options, and can block environmental noise making you more susceptible to danger. However, AirPods Pro do not have these issues.
Safety Tips	Disable the Active Noise Canceling function, lower the volume, wear the AirPods correctly, wrap them with waterproof tape if you sweat a lot, use third-party accessories like ear hooks and wires, and consider wearing only one AirPod while running.
How to Run with AirPods	Rotate and wedge the AirPods in to secure the fit, switch to memory foam tips if they keep popping out, and use the “Ear Tip Fit Test” function for AirPods Pro.
Conclusion	It is possible to wear AirPods while running, but caution should be exercised. If the AirPods do not fit perfectly, ear hooks or wires may be necessary. Ensure that the volume is low enough to hear environmental cues.

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Can I Wear AirPods While Running?

In my experience, AirPods are better suited for stationary indoor exercises like lighting weights, stretching, plyometrics, etc. You can certainly wear AirPods when running, but I don’t recommend doing so because there’s always the possibility that they’ll fall out during your runs.

You see, AirPods aren’t cheap—at least, not as cheap as regular wireless earbuds. With a wired charging case, standard AirPods cost between $100 to $150, while premium variants—Pro and Pro Max—cost between $200 to $500.

When you’re deep in the running zone, you might not notice one of them slipping out of your ears until it’s too late. And when one falls out, it’s often difficult to locate.

Now, there’s an easy solution to this: ear hooks. But ear hooks are uncomfortable, and not many people like the way they look.

Another reason I don’t recommend wearing AirPods while running is that they’re not as water-resistant as other options out there. AirPods have an IPX4 rating, meaning they’re resistant to low water splashes but don’t do well with prolonged liquid content. This can be a problem if you tend to sweat a lot during your runs.

Is It Safe to Wear AirPods While Running?

Listening to your favorite tunes while running not only reduces your exertion levels but increases your overall enjoyment. However, it’s generally not safe to wear AirPods—or any device that blocks ambient noise—while running. In fact, this can be quite dangerous in some situations.

Music, particularly loud music, cuts you off from your environment, which makes you more susceptible to dangerous situations. This applies to both heavily trafficked areas and empty areas. If you have your AirPods on full volume, you won’t be able to hear dogs barking, cars honking, and footsteps coming up behind you.

Standard AirPods don’t have noise-canceling features, but they can still block a lot of environmental noise at increased volumes. AirPods Pro and AirPods Max feature Active Noise Cancellation, which, as the name suggests, greatly reduces unwanted background noise.

Due to this, wearing AirPods of any variant on your runs puts you at risk of environmental hazards. Even if you live in a secure environment, you can never guarantee your safety 100% of the time.

There’s also the fact that listening to music on your AirPods at full volume increases the risk of eardrum damage.

How to Run With AirPods

Though I’m a stickler for safety, even I can admit that running simply isn’t the same without music. So, if you’re planning to go on runs with your AirPods, follow these safety tips:

Disable the Active Noise Canceling function on your AirPods Pro and AirPods Max to reduce the risk of environmental hazards. You can do this by going to Settings > Bluetooth and disabling Noise Cancellation. You can also say, “Hey Siri, turn off noise cancellation.”
Lower the volume of your AirPods to an acceptable level so the music won’t block off environmental cues, as well as damage your hearing.
If you’re using AirPods Pro and they keep popping out during your runs, switch to memory foam tips.

Wear your AirPods correctly. Rotate and wedge them in to secure the fit. The stems should fall almost parallel to your jawline.
If you’re one to sweat a lot, wrap your AirPods with waterproof tape.
Use third-party accessories, such as ear hooks and AirPods wires, to prevent your AirPods from falling when they pop out of your ears.

For AirPods Pro users, use the “Ear Tip Fit Test” function to your advantage to get the right silicone fit for your ears.
If you tend to get lost in your music easily, consider wearing only one AirPod while running.

Conclusion

Can you wear AirPods while running? Yes—but use some discretion!

Unless your AirPods fit perfectly, there’s always the possibility of one or both AirPods falling out during your runs.

If you’re not confident with the fit, consider getting a pair of ear hooks or AirPods wires.

Also, make sure to listen to music on low volume so you won’t be blocked out of environmental cues!