As an AirPod owner, I was recently frustrated by the lagging I was experiencing while using my AirPods. After doing some research and testing, I wanted to share what I discovered in hopes of helping others who might be dealing with similar issues.
In this blog post, I will explain why my AirPods were lagging and provide my solution, as well as some other solutions I found during my research. I will also discuss the pros and cons of each solution.
Likely reasons why your AirPods lag are that they have a bad connection with your device, they need updating, they are faulty, or that it is actually an unavoidable lag that you get with Bluetooth headphones.
If you have a noticeable lag that is larger than 200ms, it is more likely to be due to a fault as opposed to an unavoidable lag that you get with Bluetooth headphones.
| Key Takeaways and Tips: |
|---|
| AirPods can experience lag due to several reasons, such as a poor connection, the need for an update, faulty hardware, or inherent Bluetooth latency. |
| To resolve the issue, try resetting your AirPods, ensuring they’re fully charged, and checking for firmware updates. |
| If you’re experiencing audio lag on your Mac or Android device, it could be due to a poor connection or compatibility issues with certain apps and websites. |
| Try adjusting the sound settings on your device or updating your software to fix the issue. |
Table of Contents
Why are my AirPods lagging?
Below are likely reasons why your AirPods have a lag.
Bad connection
If your AirPods have a large lag, it might be due to a bad connection with your device. This would be more likely if you are using a non-Apple device, but it could even be the case if you are using an Apple device.
It would help to try pairing your AirPods to a different device and to see if the lag is still there. If the lag is not still there, it means that there is a problem with the connection or the device you are using.
To re-pair your AirPods to your device, 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
- Wait 30 seconds
- Open the lid and hold the button on the case
- Reconnect your AirPods to your device
AirPods need updating
AirPods do receive software updates and it might be the case that your AirPods need an update.
To update your AirPods, you need to put them in the charging case, connect the charging case to a power source and move your Apple device (iPhone, iPad or MacBook) near to your AirPods.
Read more: Why do my AirPods have a delay?
You need to reset network settings
A number of users have found that it is necessary for them to reset their network settings on their device. To do this on an iPhone, go to settings, then general, then reset, and then go through the steps to reset network settings.
Read more: How should I carry AirPods?
Unavoidable lag
There is an unavoidable lag that you get with Bluetooth earphones and that is what you might be noticing. Bluetooth headphones will usually have a 200ms lag time.
There can be an additional lag depending on the app you are using and what you are doing.
Videos tend to have a lot less lag than games. Also, using native apps will likely give a better experience than 3rd party apps.
Faulty AirPods
It could also be the case that you have faulty AirPods. This would be more likely if only one of your AirPods are lagging or if there is a large lag regardless of the device you are using.
In this case, it would help to take your AirPods to an Apple store and to see if they can repair or replace your AirPods.
Why do my AirPods pros have a lag?
Your AirPod pros might have a lag for any of the same reasons that regular AirPods might have a lag.
It could be due to a bad connection, the app you are using, faulty AirPod pros, or unavoidable lag that you get with Bluetooth.
How to get rid of the lag on my AirPods?
It is not possible to get rid of 100% of the lag since Bluetooth earphones will always have some lag.
However, it would help to try the following:
- Reconnect your AirPods to your device
- Ensure you have a good connection with the device and that there is not much interference from walls or other electronics
- Recharge your AirPods
- Try alternative apps to the ones you use
Why do my AirPods have an audio lag on Mac?
If your AirPods only have audio lag on your Mac, it might be due to a bad connection with your mac.
Alternatively, it could be due to a problem with specific apps or websites that you are using which would be more likely if there is only an audio lag on specific apps or websites.
It would help to try resetting and re-pairing your AirPods to your Mac as shown above.
Why do my AirPods have an audio lag on Android?
If your AirPods have an audio lag on Android, it could also be due to a bad connection or a problem with specific apps and websites that you are using.
Again, it would help to try resetting and re-pairing your AirPods to your Android device.
