As an Apple AirPods user, I was growing increasingly frustrated with the delay I was experiencing when trying to listen to audio from my phone. I had done some research and testing to try to figure out what was causing the delay, and I wanted to share my discoveries with others who might be experiencing the same issue. In this blog post, I’ll be discussing the possible causes of AirPods delay and exploring the pros and cons of different solutions to this issue.
Likely reasons why your AirPods have a delay 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 delay 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: |
|---|
| Common causes for AirPods delay are bad connection, needing updates, faulty AirPods and unavoidable lag. |
| AirPods can receive software updates and it might be the case that your AirPods need an update. |
| There is an unavoidable lag that you get with Bluetooth earphones and that is what you might be noticing. |
| Reset and re-pair your AirPods to your device and try alternative apps to the ones you use to see if there is any improvement. |
Table of Contents
Why do my AirPods have a delay?
Below are likely reasons why your AirPods have a delay.
Bad connection
If your AirPods have a large delay, 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 still be the case even 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: What happens if you let your AirPods die?
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.
Read more: Why are my AirPods lagging?
Faulty AirPods
It might 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 delay?
Your AirPod pros might have a delay for any of the same reasons that regular AirPods might have a delay.
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 delay 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
- Reset your AirPods then reconnect them again
- 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 delay on Mac?
If your AirPods only have audio delay 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 delay 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 delay on Android?
If your AirPods have an audio delay 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.
