As an AirPods owner, I’ve been frustrated to hear a clicking noise coming from my device. Wondering what was causing this issue, I decided to do some research and testing to try and figure out the source of the problem. In this blog post, I’m going to share with you how I solved the issue and some other solutions I discovered. Hopefully, this will help you if you ever encounter the same issue.
The most likely reasons why your AirPods are making a clicking noise are a bad connection with your device, low battery, a problem with the app you are using, a problem with the mic or because the AirPods are broken.
Quick Tips:
A common source of clicking noises coming from AirPods is a bad connection with the device they are connected to.
Other possible causes include a problem with the mic, low battery, a problem with the app you are using, a problem with the eartips, dirt in the microphone area, and the AirPods being broken.
To fix the issue, try reconnecting your AirPods to the device, changing the mic that is being used, updating the AirPods, or taking them into an Apple Store to get fixed or replaced.
Table of Contents
Why do my AirPods make a clicking noise?
Below are likely reasons why your AirPods might be making a clicking sound.
A problem with the mic
A number of users have reported that the clicking noise is due to a problem with the mic in their AirPods.
When you use the mic on the AirPods, it is actually the case that only one mic is being used. So, what you can do is switch the mic that is being used.
To fix this try 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”
A problem with the connection
The cause might also be that your AirPods have a poor connection with the device that you are using.
It might be the case that you are too far away from the device, there are walls in the way, there is interference from other electronics, or your AirPods are connected to other devices as well.
It would help to try connecting your AirPods to a different device and to see if you still hear the clicking sound when you are connected to the other device.
If you do not hear the sound, it means that the problem is with the device or the connection you have with that device.
It would also help to try reconnecting your AirPods with the device.
Try the following:
Forget the AirPods on the device you are using
Put your AirPods in the case
Wait 30 seconds
Open the lid and hold the button on the case until the light flashes amber then white
Reconnect your AirPods to your device
Broken AirPods
It is also possible that you have damaged AirPods.
This would be more likely if your AirPods make the sound regardless of the device they are connected to, they make the sound even when they are not connected to any device and if it is a sound that they are not designed to make.
In this case, your best option is to take the AirPods to an Apple store.
When the AirPods are running low on battery, they will make a ping type sound. It could be the case that you are hearing the sound because your AirPods are running low on battery.
This would be more likely if the AirPods die shortly after. If your AirPods are dying quickly, even after you have very recently charged your AirPods, it would make it likely that your AirPods have a faulty battery.
Switching between noise canceling and transparent mode
AirPods
If you have AirPods pro, it could also be the case that the sound you are hearing is your AirPods switching between noise canceling and transparent mode.
When AirPods pro switch between these modes, they will make a ping-type sound.
This would be more likely if your AirPods only make the sound when you squeeze the stem for a few seconds which triggers the AirPods pro to switch between modes.
A problem with the Eartips
Sometimes, the sound is actually the result of the eartips vibrating. Try taking the eartips out and putting them back in again. If only one AirPod is making the buzzing sound try switching the eartips over. If the sound stops, you will know it is due to the eartip.
Sometimes the microphone areas can get dirt in them which can result in a clicking noise. To fix this, you can get a cotton swab and use it to rub the microphone grill.
Turn off transparency and noise cancellation modes
Some users have found that if you turn off the transparency and noise cancellation modes, the clicking goes away. To do this click the “i” next to your AirPods in the Bluetooth settings, then you can turn off the noise canceling and transparency modes there.
To tell you it is connected
AirPods will also make a ping sound when they connect to a device. If you only hear the sound shortly after taking your AirPods out of the case, it would be likely that you are hearing the connection sound.
If you keep hearing that sound afterward, it could be the case that your AirPods are switching between devices.
This would be more likely if your AirPods are connected to multiple Apple devices and it is causing your AirPods to keep automatically switching. In this case, it would help to disconnect your AirPods from all other devices and to only have them connected to the device you want to listen to.
A problem with the device itself
It might also be the case that there is a problem with the device or app you are using itself. It would help to see if you have similar problems when you listen to that device using different earphones.
You need to update the AirPods
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 your AirPods in the charging case while it is charging and put an iPad or iPhone near the case.
How to get my AirPods to stop making a clicking noise?
To get your AirPods to stop making a clicking noise, it would help to try reconnecting your AirPods to the device, to change the mic that is being used (as explained above), to update the AirPods, to see if they work fine when connected to different devices, and finally to take them into an Apple Store to get fixed or replaced.
Why are my AirPods making a crackling noise?
Likely reasons why your AirPods would make a crackling noise are that they have a bad connection with the device you are using, they are broken or there is a problem with the app you are using.
It would help to try reconnecting your AirPods to the device and to see if that fixes the issue.
Why do my AirPods make a popping noise?
Likely reasons why your AirPods would be making a popping sound are that the AirPods are broken, they need to be updated or that they have a poor connection with the device you are using.
