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Why do my AirPods make me sound like a robot?

As an AirPods owner, I was becoming increasingly frustrated with hearing a robotic, distorted sound whenever I spoke while using them. After some research, I discovered that this is a common issue with AirPods, and I thought I’d share what I learned to help other AirPods owners who experience the same problem. In this blog post, I’ll explain why my AirPods make me sound like a robot, and what solutions I’ve found to fix this issue.

Likely reasons why your AirPod’s mic is making you sound like a robot are that it got wet, your AirPods are actually muted, the mic is broken, the mic is dirty or that your AirPods need to be reconnected to your device.

There are actually a number of things you can you can do about your AirPods making you sound like a robot and there are some common causes.

Key Takeaways and Tips
AirPods sounding like a robot can have various causes, including being muted, a hardware issue, a connection issue, water damage, or a software issue.
Check that your AirPods are not muted when you speak.
Try resetting and reconnecting your AirPods.
Clean the mic grill on your AirPods to remove any dirt or debris.
Check for software updates and install them if available.

Why does my AirPods make me sound like a robot?

Below are likely reasons why you might sound like a robot when talking on your AirPods or AirPods pro.

Read more: Why do my AirPods sound echoey?

Your AirPods are muted on your phone

It could just be the case that you have muted your AirPods and it is actually the mic on your phone that is recording you. It would help to check that your AirPod’s mic is not actually muted.

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 fix this try the following:

  1. Go to settings
  2. Go to Bluetooth
  3. Click the “i” next to your AirPods
  4. Click “Microphone”
  5. Change it from “Always left” or “Always right”

Dirty AirPods

It might be the case that your AirPods 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:

  1. Get some Blu-Tack
  2. 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 device you are using.

To reset and reconnect your AirPods, do the following:

  1. Forget the AirPods on the device you are using
  2. Put your AirPods in the case
  3. Press the button on the case for 15 seconds
  4. Wait 30 seconds
  5. Open the lid and hold the button on the case
  6. 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 device.

It would help to try connecting your AirPods to a different device and to see if the mic still makes you sound like a robot 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.

Water damage

AirPods are not waterproof and only AirPods gen 3 and AirPods pro are water-resistant. The issue could be that your AirPods received water damage.

This would be more likely if your AirPods have started making you sound like a robot suddenly and if it happened after they got wet.

In this case, your only hope is to take them to an Apple store and to see what they can do.

AirPods
AirPods

A software issue

AirPods do receive software updates. It might be the case that your AirPods need to be updated. They do update automatically when you connect them to an Apple device.

Read more: Why do my AirPods sound underwater?

How to get my AirPods mic to stop making me sound like a robot?

To get your AirPods mic to be clearer and louder try the following:

  • Change the mic that is being used as explained in the “Broken” section above
  • Reconnect your AirPods to your device
  • Clean your AirPod’s mic grill using the Blu-tack method as explained above