Are your AirPods sounding REALLY quiet?
Why do Apple AirPods go quiet, and how can you fix it?
There are a few causes for your AirPods getting quiet with time. Dirt and earwax buildup or outdated software are the biggest culprits. In addition, your phone’s volume limiter, the AirPods’ battery levels, and sound equalizer imbalances may cause your AirPods to get quiet.
Fortunately, all the issues that cause Apple AirPods to get quiet can easily be fixed. This article lists the top causes of AirPods getting quieter and discusses how to fix them. Read along to see why your AirPods are quiet and how to fix them.
Why Are My AirPods So Quiet, And How Can I Fix Them?
The main reason your AirPods are getting quiet is because of dirt and earwax building up on them. As you can imagine, anything that goes into your ears will get exposed to earwax. The same is true for earphones and AirPods. The earwax will buildup on the AirPods, blocking the speakers and causing the volume to decrease.
In addition, if you wear your AirPods to the gym, they will get sweat on them as well. When the sweat dries, the salt remains and becomes sticky. This allows dust to collect on your AirPods, further dampening the sound.
Therefore, you must clean your AirPods regularly to remove built-up earwax, dust, and salt. Use a clean Q-tip to remove any earwax and dust buildup from the AirPods gently. Also, remember to clean the AirPods’ case, as buildup also occurs there.
By regularly cleaning your AirPods, you can ensure the best sound quality and volume. In addition, this will also help the AirPods last longer. However, if you clean the AirPods and then realize that the sound quality is not improved, the problem might lie elsewhere. So, here are some common reasons your AirPods are quiet and how to fix them.
1. Your AirPods’ Volume Is Turned Down
While it may seem obvious, you can easily accidentally turn down the volume on your AirPods, especially if you use them when training or doing other activities. For example, you can easily press on the side of the AirPods, turning the volume down without realizing it.
So, before you start worrying about your AirPods being broken, first check that the volume on the AirPods is turned up.
2. Your Phone’s Volume Limiter Is Turned On
Most phones have a built-in volume limiter. It is meant to prevent the earphones from going too loud and causing damage to your ears. However, if you wish to adjust the volume on your AirPods, a volume limiter can be a serious nuisance. Fortunately, it is easy to switch off the volume limiter on your phone:
- First, go to the Settings page on your phone.
- Select Volume Settings.
- Turn off the volume limiter.
Sometimes the volume limiter might be automatically turned on after updates or when the phone has been restarted. Therefore, you turn it off again when you notice the sound going softer.
3. Outdated Software Can Cause Problems
In some cases, outdated software on your phone can cause problems when listening to music. In addition, old software makes your phone slower, and in some cases, it can interfere with devices connected via Bluetooth. To check if you need to do a software update:
- Go to Settings.
- Scroll down and select System & Updates.
- Install any software updates the phone requires.
Hopefully, this will fix the volume problem, and your AirPods will be back to working normally again. Also, check the Appstore for updates on your AirPods App, as outdated Apps might also cause your AirPods to get quieter.
4. Your Phone Is Set On Low Power Mode
If your phone is set to low power mode, it will minimize the power it uses for external sources. Bluetooth connection sometimes drains a lot of battery power. Therefore, if your phone is set to low power mode, it will try to optimize its power usage, and this may result in your AirPods being softer.
Follow these steps to see if your phone is set to low power mode and turn it off:
- Go to Settings on your phone.
- Scroll down to Battery.
- Select performance mode or turn off low battery mode.
Of course, turning off your phone’s low battery mode will result in the battery draining faster. However, it should also solve the problem of your AirPods being too quiet.
5. There Is A Problem With Your AirPods’ Equalizer
When you first set up your AirPods, you will follow a series of instructions that determine the best sound for each AirPod depending on your ears. Depending on your hearing, there might also be a difference in the volume of the two AirPods. To test if the sound Equalizer is what is bothering you, you can follow these steps:
- Log onto your AirPods App on your phone.
- Go to sound settings.
- Go to Sound Equalizer (EQ) and switch it off.
Then put the AirPods back in and listen if they sound better. You can also delete your profile and its optimized settings and start a new profile, capturing your hearing data from scratch. Also, ensure both AirPods have the same volume, so one doesn’t sound louder than the other.
6. Your AirPods Battery Is Low
Although a low power mode on your phone might cause your AirPods to sound softer, so too will the AirPods sound quieter if their batteries are low. This is because the volume might decrease as the AirPods try to conserve energy. To fix this, simply put your AirPods into their case for a quick charge.
Fortunately, AirPods charge extremely fast. Just ten minutes in the charging case can provide you with up to an hour’s listening time. So, if your AirPod’s sound is decreasing, it might require a quick charge.
7. Bluetooth Connectivity Issues
Sometimes your phone’s Bluetooth might have trouble connecting with the AirPods. This is more likely to happen if you have an older phone or have many Bluetooth devices paired with your phone. If your phone has trouble connecting with the AirPods, the sound might be distorted, or the volume might be softer.
You can remove the AirPods from your list of paired devices on Bluetooth to fix this problem. Then reconnect them with your phone, and they should be working fine again. In addition, remove any Bluetooth devices paired to your phone that you never use. This will lighten the load on your phone and prevent Bluetooth connection issues.
8. Your AirPods Need A Factory Reset
Unfortunately, if you have tried all the other options and none of them have solved the problem of your quiet AirPods, you might have to factory reset them. Fortunately, it’s easy to set up your preferred settings when the AirPods have been factory reset, so this isn’t a big hassle. This is how to factory reset your Apple AirPods:
- Place the AirPods in their charging case and close the lid for 30 seconds, resetting the Airpods.
- On your phone, remove the AirPods from your phone and any other devices they have been linked with via Bluetooth.
- Press the setup button on the AirPod’s case with the lid open and hold it in until the status light turns white.
- Your AirPods have now been reset. Reconnect them to your phone and follow the setup instructions.
One crucial thing you should do once the AirPods have been reset is to link them to your tracking App again, so you can track them if they get lost or taken in the future. A factory reset should solve any problems you have with your Airpods, and the sound should be back to what it was when you first got them.
9. Your AirPods Have Mechanical Damage
Suppose you dropped your AirPods or accidentally forgot them in your pocket while doing laundry. In that case, the AirPods may have been damaged. Unfortunately, if the issue is mechanical, there is no way for you to fix them, and you may have to buy a new pair.
Conclusion
Various reasons can cause your Apple AirPods to sound quiet. Fortunately, most of the causes for this are easily solvable, and you can fix them yourself. Bluetooth connectivity issues, low power mode, drained batteries, equalizer problems, and outdated software are but some of the causes for AirPods sounding quiet.
You can try resetting your AirPods and disconnecting them from your phone to try and fix the volume issue. But, unfortunately, suppose the AirPods have been damaged mechanically. In that case, there is, unfortunately, no easy fix, and your only option is to buy a new pair.