As an owner of Apple AirPods, I have been increasingly frustrated with them cutting out when I use them to listen to Spotify. After doing some research, I have come up with some potential solutions that I would like to share with other AirPods users that are having similar issues. In this blog post, I will explain why my AirPods keep cutting out on Spotify and what potential solutions I have found to try and fix this issue.
Likely reasons why your AirPods cut out on Spotify are that you need to reset and reconnect your AirPods to your phone, you need to update Spotify, or the ear detection sensor is faulty. You can turn off the ear detection feature in the settings of your iPhone or iPad.
Tip:
To reset and reconnect your AirPods do the following:
- Forget your AirPods from your devices
- Put them in the case
- Open the lid
- Hold the button for 15 seconds until the case flashes orange then white
- Re-Pair your AirPods to your devices
Table of Contents
Why Do My AirPods Keep Cutting Out on Spotify?
To understand why the Apple AirPods will cut out on Spotify, you need to understand the technology in the Apple devices, to begin with.
With the Apple AirPods, you are dealing with what is known as Ear Detection technology. This is a technology that is purpose-built into the Apple AirPods to help with the play and pausing of audio.
The purpose of the Ear Detection technology is to help the Apple AirPods detect when they are sitting in your ear. When they come out of your ear, they will actually pause the sound of whatever is playing. In this case, it is Spotify.
Read more: Can I paint my AirPods?
The thing with Ear Detection technology is that it is not perfect. On the Apple AirPods, you will see a black sensor on both of the earbuds.
These are the proximity sensors necessary for the Ear Detection technology to do its thing. If the sensor is not detecting your ear correctly, it will think that it should be pausing whatever it is playing.
The reason Spotify will disconnect from your AirPods is due to the fact that the AirPods think they are not in your ears. This will cause them to pause and disconnect from your music playing experience.
Other possible causes are:
- 1. Low Battery – AirPods can lose their connection with devices if the battery runs low.
- 2. Software Glitches – Spotify or your device’s software may be buggy, and this can cause connection issues.
- 3. Out-of-Date Software – Make sure your device’s software is up-to-date.
- 4. Interference – Other devices, such as your Wi-Fi router or Bluetooth devices, can interfere with your AirPods connection.
- 5. Broken AirPods – If your AirPods are physically damaged, they may be unable to connect properly.
- 6. Incorrect Settings – Make sure your Bluetooth settings are correct and that you’re connecting to the correct device.
- 7. Distance – Your AirPods may be too far away from the device to maintain a connection.
- 8. Faulty Hardware – If your AirPods are defective, they may not be able to connect properly.
How to Get AirPods to Stay Connected on Spotify?
You want to work with the Apple AirPods to ensure they remain in an active connection state with Spotify. The first thing that you can do is to clean the Apple AirPods.
You want to clean the AirPods so that the proximity sensor is clear. You also want to be sure that your ears are clean as well. A bit of ear wax is all it takes to throw off the sensors and the Ear Detection technology.
Read more: Why are my AirPods so loud?
Why Do My AirPods Keep Pausing on Spotify?
The other option you have with the Apple AirPods when they keep pausing on Spotify is to turn off the Ear Detection technology completely. It could be that the shape of your ears just does not mesh well with the earbuds of the AirPods and the proximity sensors.
You can go into your AirPod settings on your Apple iPhone, iPad, or Mac device. Go into Settings and then Bluetooth. From there, click on AirPods and then click the small “i” icon next to them.
You can then see the option to turn Automatic Ear Detection to an “off” state. This will prevent the pausing from happening again.
You will need to work with your Apple AirPods to understand why they keep on pausing when you are trying to play Spotify.
The Automatic Ear Detection technology of the AirPods is phenomenal, but it is not without its flaws. It is very delicate in terms of its ability to pick up your ears and just a bit of wax can throw the whole tech off.
You have the option to disable it entirely, but that may not be ideal either. Just be aware of the problem and work with your AirPods to keep Spotify from pausing on your endlessly.
Pros
- Ear Detection technology is very useful for play and pausing audio.
- Can help keep your AirPods connected to your device.
- Can help prevent Spotify from pausing.
- Can help with low battery issues.
Cons
- Ear Detection technology may not be accurate.
- Can be easily thrown off by ear wax.
- Can cause Spotify to pause unexpectedly.
- Must manually turn off Ear Detection feature.
