How to troubleshoot and reset your AirPods | iMore

AirPods not working? Don't worry — there's likely a fix!

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Are you having problems with your AirPods? Want to know how to troubleshoot or reset them? You've come to the right place.

AirPods are awesome, they might even be the best Apple product the company has released in the last decade. For many, the magic wireless earbuds work all the time, with no need to worry about connection issues or sound problems. For others, AirPods can have issues that reoccur regularly and take away from the otherwise epic music-listening experience.

Luckily, we're here (hear) for you! Whether you've got the regular AirPods 3, the latest AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, or any of the earlier models, here's how you can troubleshoot and reset your AirPods if you experience any problems.

As you use Apple's AirPods, you might run into an issue or two that may require some troubleshooting. Here are some of the most common ones we've seen:

Apple's AirPods can hold their charge for a lengthy period of time when not connected to a charger — even while buried in a bag. But when you pull them out, how can you tell if they're still charged? The answer lies in both your AirPods case and your connected devices.

When fully charged, each earbud has from a 4.5 to a 6-hour listening charge, depending on which model you own. Pop them into the charging case for a total of 24-30 hours' charge.

While your AirPods case won't indicate precisely how much battery you have left from those totals, it can give you a general idea. It has a single indicator light under the lid, which is used for both pair status and charge status. But what does the light indicate, exactly?

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Your AirPods themselves also have a last-ditch alert to let you know it's time to charge them:

For more precise battery percentages, you can check your connected device. You have several options for checking this status on your iOS devices:

Non-iOS devices should also be able to check this status by going to their Bluetooth connections.

If you're having issues with your AirPods battery draining faster than its stated charge capacity, it may be time for a replacement. Lithium-ion batteries have limited shelf life, and depending on how frequently you use your AirPods, you may need to replace your battery at some point. Apple does offer battery replacements.

That said, we've also seen pairing errors and iOS bugs drain Apple's earbuds more quickly than they should: Before you bring in your AirPods for service, try fully draining and recharging your case and buds; if that doesn't work, we recommend resetting your AirPods and seeing if that improves your battery performance before contacting Apple Support.

If one of your AirPods has mysteriously stopped playing sound, or the sound is muffled, the first thing to check is whether it's clean: Because the AirPods sit inside your ear canal, they can very quickly accumulate ear wax and all sorts of nasty cruft.

How to clean your AirPods

After cleaning, try listening again: If you're still having issues hearing through that earbud, check listening on a different device — does it do the same thing on an iPad or a Mac? If so, it may be time to reset your AirPods or replace the earbud.

There are a few factors potentially at work if your AirPods aren't charging, so let's try and narrow down the potential culprits. Potentially, the following issues could be at play:

The easiest ones to rule out are the external factors: If you're using MagSafe charging, try charging via cable instead. If you're been using a cable, try charging your AirPods case with a different cable and charging brick, in a different power outlet. If they charge, try various combinations of charging cable, power brick, and outlet to determine which one is at fault.

If you've tried the above combinations and still can't get a charge, try cleaning your AirPods and their case to make sure the contact-based chargers are clear of any debris.

If you have friends with working AirPods, you can further narrow down potential culprits by testing your earbuds in their case: If your earbuds charge in their case, your case is faulty; if your earbuds don't charge, you may need to replace the entire thing.

If you still can't get anything to work, it may be time to contact Apple Support.

Yikes! Though the first and second-generation AirPods aren't officially sweat- or water-resistant, we have heard of AirPods surviving water rides thanks to their case: It has (in a number of cases online) protected AirPods earbuds from suffering water corrosion, but it's also the thing that is most likely to be damaged. While the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro models are water-resistant, they aren't rated for a trip through the washing machine, so you'll obviously want to avoid it if possible. But these things do happen.

To give the case and earbuds the maximum chance of survival, first of all, never try to charge waterlogged AirPods. Then follow our tips for liquid damage:

If your case or earbuds aren't working after following these steps, it's time to make an Apple Support appointment.

If you drop one of your AirPods in the snow, how do you find it again? With a little luck — and a lot of sound!

How to find your AirPods in the snow

If your AirPods are DOA, there are a few things you can do before panicking.

First and foremost: Check your battery level and give the AirPods a good, long charge (6+ hours). If you still can't get a response, try a reset and check our troubleshooting tips for unresponsive earbuds. If all else fails, consider booking an Apple Support appointment.

You can fix many issues with AirPods by resetting them. Here's how:

Once you've performed this reset, you can set them up again.

Hopefully, these tips have helped you get your AirPods sorted and back to working their magic. If you've tried everything and your AirPods still aren't working correctly, you can always contact Apple Support by clicking the Support tab on Apple's website, using the handy Apple Support app, or calling 1-800-MY-APPLE. Any of those options can help you troubleshoot further, or if need be, set up a Genius Bar appointment or mail-in repair.

Christine Romero-Chan was formerly a Senior Editor for iMore. She has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently part of the Digital Trends team, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed.When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.

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