As an owner of Apple’s AirPods, I know the frustration of finding a lost pair of them. After a lot of research and testing, I’m here to share how I solved the problem and some other potential solutions I discovered. In this blog post, I’ll discuss the various ways you can use AirPods that you found and the possible implications of doing so.
AirPods don’t sound any different on Android compared with iPhone since they both send audio to the AirPods via Bluetooth. In general, people have no complaints about the sound quality of AirPods when used with Android.
If your AirPods happen to sound bad when you use them on Android devices, there are a number of possible reasons but there are also things you can do about it.
| Quick Tips: AirPods on Android |
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| AirPods sound good on Android but not all features are available. |
| If AirPods sound bad on Android, check Bluetooth quality is set to high, reset and reconnect AirPods, and make sure volume is not turned down. |
| Possible causes of bad sound quality on Android: low Bluetooth quality, faulty or dirty AirPods, and needing to reconnect. |
| Possible causes of bad mic quality on Android: muted mic, broken or dirty AirPods, connection or software issue, and needing to reset and reconnect. |
Table of Contents
How good is the sound quality of AirPods on Android?
The sound quality of AirPods, when being used with Android devices, is generally good and most users do not have complaints of the sound quality.
If you are considering getting AirPods and you use an Android device, it won’t be the case that you will get to make use of a lot of the features that AirPods have when used with Apple devices such as automatically switching between Apple devices, tracking abilities, and being able to see their battery percentage.
When used with Android phones, AirPods work as regular earphones and there are a lot of alternatives that you may want to consider.
The Sony Wf-1000xm4 earphones are widely praised and you may want to consider getting them instead of AirPod Pros especially if you want the best noise-canceling.
Read more: What to do if I dropped AirPods in the toilet
Why do my AirPods sound bad on Android?
Below are likely reasons why your AirPods sound bad on Android and what you can do about them.
You have the Bluetooth quality set to low
If you click on the Bluetooth settings of your AirPods and scroll to the bottom, you should see “AAC” which you can switch on to get the highest possible audio quality.
You need to reconnect your AirPods
It could also be the case that you need to reconnect your AirPods and it would help to try reconnecting them to your phone.
To reset and reconnect your AirPods, do the following:
- Forget the AirPods on the device you are using
- Put your AirPods in the case
- Press the button on the case for 15 seconds until the light flashes orange then white
- Wait 30 seconds
- Open the lid and hold the button on the case
- Reconnect your AirPods to your phone
Volume turned down
It could also be the case that you have the volume turned down on the websites or apps that you are using. It would help to check that you do not have the volume turned way down (although, you should try and avoid listening to loud music to protect your hearing).
It should be noted that there are other possible causes if it is not only your Android device that your AirPods sound bad on. If your AirPods sound bad on other devices as well, it could be due to the AirPods being dirty or because they are broken.
Faulty AirPods
If the sound quality has become bad since dropping your AirPods or getting them wet, it might be the case that they have become damaged. In this case, the only option would be to take them to an Apple store.
Read more: Can you turn off the low battery sound on AirPods
How to make my AirPods sound better on Android?
To get your AirPods to sound better on Android, make sure that you have “AAC” enabled in the Bluetooth settings for your AirPods, reset and reconnect them and make sure that you do not have a volume limit set on your phone.
Why do my AirPod’s mic sound bad on Android?
If it is your mic that sounds bad on your Android, below are a number of possible causes.
Your AirPods are muted on your Android
It could just be the case that you have muted your AirPod’s mic on your phone or that your AirPods are not actually being used as a mic.
It would help to make sure that it is actually your mic that is being used when you are talking on your phone.
Broken AirPods
It could be the case that the mic on one of your AirPods is broken. However, only one mic is actually used at a time to record your voice.
So, you could try using the other mic to see if it is due to a hardware fault. To do this, you can simply put one AirPod in the case to force the mic from the other AirPod to be used.
You can change the mic that is being used on iPhone by doing the following:
- Go to settings
- Go to Bluetooth
- Click the “i” next to your AirPods
- Click “Microphone”
- Change it from “Always left” or “Always right”
However, it does not appear to be possible to switch which mic is being used on Android.
Dirty
It could be the case that your AirPod’s mic is dirty. The problem is that metal filings can easily get into the filing grill which can make it harder for the mic to hear your voice. To fix this do the following:
- Get some Blu-Tack
- Firmly press it into the microphone grill several times
Your AirPods need to be reset
Another possible cause is that your AirPods need to be reset and reconnected with the phone you are using.
To reset and reconnect your AirPods, do the following:
- Forget the AirPods on the device you are using
- Put your AirPods in the case
- Press the button on the case for 15 seconds until the light flashes orange then white
- Wait 30 seconds
- Open the lid and hold the button on the case
- Reconnect your AirPods to your device
A connection issue
It is also possible that there is an issue with the connection that your AirPods have with your phone. It would help to try connecting your AirPods to a different device and to see if the mic is still quiet when using that device.
It would also help to disconnect your AirPods from all the other devices that they have a connection with in case their connection has been interfering with your AirPods.
A software issue
AirPods do receive software updates. It might be the case that your AirPods need to be updated.
To update your AirPods, you need to put them in the charging case while it is being charged, then put a connected Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac) near the AirPods.
Pros of AirPods on Android/h3>
- Good sound quality
- Easy to set up and use
Cons of AirPods on Android
- You can’t make use of all of the features without iPhone
- Potential pairing issues
