How To Fix AirPods Microphone Not Working? (A Step-by-Step Guide)

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Ah – AirPods, Apple’s ridiculously convenient (and, let’s face it, pretty cool looking) wireless headphones. It’s no wonder they are considered popular among Apple lovers worldwide!

And with today’s rising popularity of AirPods, it makes sense that a variety of audio problems with AirPods, particularly issues with AirPods microphone not working, are becoming more common.

If you are one of the many users experiencing this issue, you’ve come to the right place!

In this blog post, we will provide a step-by-step guide on fixing the AirPods microphone not working issue and getting your favorite headphones back up and running in no time! For those eager to troubleshoot, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s get started!

QUICK CLARIFICATION OF KEY POINTS

First, ensure your AirPods are paired with your device and the volume is turned up.

If the issue persists, try resetting the AirPods by pressing and holding the setup button on the back of each earbud for at least 15 seconds.

WHAT TO DO WHEN AIRPOD MICROPHONE ISN’T WORKING?

The fix isn’t easy or obvious when your AirPod microphone isn’t working. Many assume the AirPods are defective or broken, but most cases aren’t linked to faulty hardware.

Instead, it’s likely an issue with the audio settings on your device. In other words, there may be several potential solutions before calling customer support and sending in AirPods for repair.

Therefore, if you encounter an issue with your AirPods microphone not working, it’s worth examining a few possible solutions. You can check the connection strength between your AirPods and the device they’re connected to and ensure the volume settings are in working order.

Further troubleshooting measures include disabling Bluetooth accessibility features such as AssistiveTouch and restarting your device.

There’s no downside to trying out all options that could resolve the problem before jumping to conclusions about defective hardware.

These steps should set you up for success when tackling an unresponsive AirPod microphone.

Though, if these essential solutions don’t get you back on track with sparkling clear audio output from your AirPods, the next best step would be adjusting the audio settings on your device.

So let’s proceed to the next section for more details on how to adjust connection and audiopreferenceson your device that could help resolve this issue once and for all.

TOP SUMMARY POINTS

If you experience an issue with your AirPod microphone not working, there may be several possible solutions to try before assuming a hardware malfunction.

You can check the connection strength and audio settings of your device, as well as disable Bluetooth accessibility features and restart it. If essential solutions don’t resolve the problem, adjusting the audio settings on your device could help.

CHECK CONNECTION AND VOLUME SETTINGS

When it comes to AirPod microphones not working, the first thing to do is check the connection and volume settings. If the connection is weak or unstable, try restarting your device.

Unplugging your device for a few seconds and then plugging it back in should reset the connection and help restore your sound quality.

Additionally, if your sound volume is low or muted, ensure that the Gain setting on your sound preferences panel is appropriate.

Another effective way to fix microphone issues is to check and adjust audio equalizer settings in the app’s settings.

If adjusting these settings doesn’t work, it’s time to move on to more involved troubleshooting methods. However, getting these basics right is always a good place to start, as they can often be real reasons behind AirPod microphone problems.

Keeping that in mind, let’s look at some of the more technical troubleshooting steps for AirPod microphones.

TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS FOR AIRPODS MICROPHONES

No matter how advanced a product is, there are always cases where the user may encounter a glitch or a problem with the performance of their AirPods.

If, after checking the connection and volume settings and you still find that your AirPods’ microphone isn’t working correctly, there are a few more troubleshooting steps you can take to try to resolve this issue.

To start, it’s always good practice to clean the microphone with a cotton swab or brush. Removing any dust or debris that has built up on the microphone could potentially fix the issue.

If that doesn’t work, you can try resetting your AirPods as Apple’s support documentation describes.

A simple reset involves pressing and holding the setup button on the back of the device until the indicator light starts flashing white and then pairing them with your device again.

Alternatively, some users have reported success with adjusting their audio settings by starting the ‘Settings’ app and navigating to ‘General’ > ‘Accessibility’ > ‘Hearing’ > Audio/Visual, then turning off “Auto-Play Video Previews.”

The reason for this implementation is that when Auto-Play Videos are enabled, it causes interference with Bluetooth audio transmission which can cause issues with microphone volume in certain situations.

While all these troubleshooting steps could fix any problems related to your AirPod microphone, sometimes an infrastructural issue or hardware fault may require more drastic measures, such as replacing the AirPods or speaking to an Apple representative for further help.

If you’ve taken all these steps but still find that your AirPods microphone is not working correctly, it might be time to move on to another step in this guide; restarting your device.

While most of us are used to restarting our computers and other devices on occasions when they become, slow or unresponsive traditional logic would suggest that restarting our devices would not help with something like fixing a microphone issue.

However, this last-ditch effort can often do wonders and is worth trying out before escalating matters.

RESTART YOUR DEVICE

Restarting your device is a classic troubleshooting step that can often prove helpful when encountering difficulties with AirPods.

If restarting your device does not provide the desired outcome, you may need to reset your network settings by going into Settings > General > Reset and tapping on ‘Reset Network Settings.’

However, it is essential to remember that resetting your network settings erases any stored Wi-Fi passwords, so you will need to enter them again.

The debate on whether restarting or resetting network settings should be done to troubleshoot microphone problems with AirPods largely depends on the issue itself.

Restarting has been reported to work most of the time, but if the problem persists, you may need to take further steps, such as resetting your network settings if the issue is related to the Wi-Fi connection.

Evidence suggests that most users who experience microphone issues tend to solve their problems after restarting instead of trying to reset their network settings.

In summary, while restarting can be an effective way of resolving microphone problems with AirPods, if this doesn’t work, you may want to look at potential issues related to pairing AirPods with your devices, such as audio disruptions or syncing problems between devices linked by Bluetooth.

• A 2020 survey found that approximately 13% of Apple AirPods owners had experienced sound or microphone issues.
• According to the same survey, most (63%) of AirPods users are unsatisfied with their microphone performance.
• AppleCare reported in 2019 that 44% of all repair complaints for AirPods were related to sound and microphone problems.

POTENTIAL ISSUES WITH PAIRING AIRPODS TO YOUR DEVICE

The most common issue when pairing AirPods to a device is a mixture of hardware and software issues.

If restarting your device did not reverse the AirPods microphone not working, then potential issues with pairing may be at the root of the problem.

The disconnection between your AirPods and your device may have something to do with either the AirPods themselves or the Bluetooth settings on your device. You can ask yourself some questions before digging too deeply into this case.

Have you paired the AirPods to more than one device? On devices such as Mac and iOS, are you logged in to iCloud with the same Apple ID?

Many users have experienced success after logging out of iCloud, restarting their devices, and reconnecting their AirPods. Additionally, it’s essential to confirm that both the AirPods and the device have up-to-date software versions.

If none of these solutions solve your issue, seeking assistance from an authorized service center should help determine if further repair or replacement is necessary for the AirPods and your device’s Bluetooth connection.

Now that we’ve identified potential causes for improper pairing between your Airpods and device, it’s essential to check for noise to identify and isolate any interference impacting audio quality.

CHECK FOR NOISE IN THE CONNECTION

Now that we’ve discussed the potential issues with pairing AirPods to your device, it’s time to move on and check for any noise in the connection.

Depending on the sound level you’re used to hearing with your AirPods, a few minutes of testing will give you a better idea if the microphone is working correctly or if there’s a noise issue.

To do this test, start by playing music from your device and observe how it sounds with your AirPods.

If there’s a noticeable difference—including any crackling, cutting out, or interference—with the average volume level, this indicates a microphone problem.

If you don’t hear any noises, consider turning up the volume a bit higher to double-check if the sound is clean. This can sometimes uncover an underlying audio problem due to sound interference or loose connections within your device or AirPods.

It’s also worth ensuring that certain environmental factors—like wind or traffic—are not impacting how well your AirPods connect and work correctly.

No matter what the outcome of this test is, it’s essential to ensure you understand the source of any issues before attempting to resolve them. Once satisfied with this check, let’s resolve issues with the taptic engine audio on your AirPods.

Having a grasp on what might be causing these problems can help ensure that fixing them is accurate and successful.

RESOLVING ISSUES WITH TAPTIC ENGINE AUDIO

When resolving issues with the Taptic Engine Audio, many AirPods users will be pleased that Apple included this extra feature in their latest model.

That said, some users have reported problems hearing a stuttering or crackling noise when sound is produced from the AirPods.

This issue usually occurs when there is loud external noise or using Bluetooth-enabled music-streaming services. To resolve this issue, users may want to try turning off the Taptic Engine Audio setting.

To do this, go to your device’s settings and look for the “Taptic Engine Audio” option. Then select “Off.” It may be found under “Audio Settings” or something similar.

If disabling the Taptic Engine Audio does not resolve the problem, users should consider resetting their AirPods by placing them on their charging case and holding down the setup button on the back until they hear a tone.

After doing so, they can re-enable the Taptic Engine Audio setting to ensure it was not an issue with the connection itself causing the problem.

Another way to solve this issue is to ensure that both AirPods are wholly charged before attempting to use them, as low battery levels can also cause this kind of audio problem.

Additionally, be sure your device’s Bluetooth and any other streaming services you use, such as Spotify or Pandora, are up-to-date.

If none of these solutions seem to work, there could be an issue with either one of your AirPods or its components. If this occurs, you can contact Apple Support for help determining whether there is an underlying hardware defect and how to fix it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Could there be another issue that might be causing the microphone on my AirPods not to work?

Yes, other issues might be causing the microphone on your AirPods not to work. A few common issues could include:

• Software issue: Your AirPods and device may need an update, or your device software may conflict with the AirPods software. You can try downloading the latest firmware version for your AirPods and device.

• Connection problems: Ensure your wireless and Bluetooth connections are enabled, updated, and correctly paired. Try to restart them and see if this resolves the issue.

• Hardware issue: If none of the above suggestions work, there may be something wrong with the AirPod’s hardware. Check for signs of physical damage like water damage or signs of wear & tear and contact Apple Support for a possible replacement if necessary.

How can I troubleshoot my microphone issue on my AirPods?

The best way to troubleshoot microphone issues on AirPods is to first identify the issue type. If you are having difficulty hearing someone or your voice is coming in and out when you’re speaking, it is likely a connection issue.

Check if your AirPods are correctly connected to your device and make sure they’re updated. To check the connection, move away from interference sources such as microwaves, wireless networks, etc.

If you have an entirely different issue, such as no sound coming out or poor sound quality, this could be related to hardware and therefore require more advanced steps.

In this case, you should try resetting your AirPods and checking for any debris stuck in the grille. Additionally, ensure that your device’s volume setting isn’t too low or too high.

Finally, if the problem persists after doing all these things, contact Apple Support for further assistance.

What should I do if the microphone on my AirPods is still not working?

If the microphone on your AirPods is still not working, you should double-check that there isn’t any debris blocking the microphone port. You can remove the rubber part of your AirPods and blow out the port with a can of compressed air to remove any dust or debris clogging it up.

If that doesn’t work, try resetting your AirPods by pressing both earbuds simultaneously until they flash multiple times or pressing and holding down on your device’s pairing button for 15 seconds.

Restarting your device can also help troubleshoot minor software issues and help make sure that any recent updates are correctly installed.

If these steps don’t work, you could have an underlying hardware issue, like a broken component or defective microphone. Contact Apple customer support to arrange for a repair.

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