5 reasons why AirPods are too quiet and how to fix them

I love my AirPods. I use them to listen to everything from hardcore metal to rap and they handle it very well. As great as AirPods are, they occasionally suffer from some issues, including not being as loud as you’d like, or blocking the sound altogether. This can happen for a variety of reasons, most of which are easy to fix.

Don’t worry if your AirPods are too quiet. You can perform several operations to restore the volume to your desired location. In just a few minutes, your beloved earbuds will sound like new.

Also, it’s important to note that some of these tips apply to AirPods and AirPods Pro models. The AirPods Max can benefit from some basic tips, but being over-ear headphones means earbud-specific tricks won’t work.

1 Your audio balance is off-center

Applicable models: all

If only one side of your AirPods is quiet, it’s possible that you accidentally adjusted the audio balance at some point and just move it back to the center. Here’s how to fix the problem on your iPhone:

1. Startup settings app.
2. Scroll down and click Accessibility.
3. tap Audio/Videodropped by a little more than half.
4. move balanceslider to the center if it does not exist yet.

2 Your AirPods are filled with earwax

Applicable AirPods models: AirPods and AirPods Pro

It’s time to get a little gross, but chances are your AirPods are playing at maximum volume and all the clutter in your ears is preventing the sound from reaching your ears. Luckily, you can restore your AirPods to their former glory simply by cleaning them. You may need to be careful when cleaning your AirPods, but it doesn’t take a lot of technical skills to do it.

Here’s how to remove earwax from your base model AirPods and get them back to like-new condition:

1. Wipe the outside AirPods Disinfect or alcohol wipe (Exterior only; do not use cloth on speaker net).
2. Wipe gently Speaker mesh and microphone area Dry cotton swabsoft brush or clean cloth.
3. use a Gently scrape with a wooden toothpick The cotton swab does not touch the edge of the wax.
4. Do not allow liquid of any kind to enter the speaker grille.

A fun tip to note is to use Fun-Tak mounting putty into the hole to absorb the wax. You’ll have to rub the putty between your hands to warm it up, then press it against the speaker to pull out any gunk.

If you own AirPods Pro, this process is easier because the removable rubber tips will stop most of the wax from getting into the speaker mesh:

1. Remove the rubber head from your AirPods Pro.
2. Place the tip in the soapy water and Scrub until clean.
3. let them completely dry Then return them to AirPods Pro.
4. Wipe the outside AirPods Disinfect or alcohol wipe (Exterior only; do not use cloth on speaker net).
5. Gently wipe the speaker mesh Only if wax has penetrated the rubber tip, wipe the microphone area with a dry cotton swab, soft-bristle brush, or clean cloth.
6. Do not allow liquid of any kind to enter the speaker grille.

Remember, your AirPods
no
They are waterproof, so never immerse the earbuds in water to clean them. You could cause serious damage and possibly ruin your expensive headphones forever.

3 Your AirPods need an update

Applicable AirPods models: All

I’m not going to sugarcoat this for you: it’s extremely unlikely that this is actually the problem. If nothing else works, though, it’s worth checking to see if there’s a software update for your AirPods. Here’s everything you need to know about updating your AirPods.

4 Your volume is turned down

Applicable AirPods models: All

This sounds like a stupid solution and I almost feel like I might be insulting your intelligence by including it. Still, it’s worth turning up the volume on your AirPod-connected device to make sure you don’t accidentally turn it down by pressing the volume buttons in your pocket. Most people will check this immediately when the volume isn’t right, but it’s worth a quick reminder.

5 Your battery is low

Applicable AirPods models: All

There are reports that AirPods become quieter when the battery is low. Before you do anything too advanced, it’s worth putting your headphones on the charger and testing again. This is a quick and easy solution; you might get lucky and find that it solves your problem.

FAQ

Q: Will AppleCare repair damaged AirPods?

If you have AppleCare or are still under basic warranty, you should be able to get it replaced by Apple without any problems.If not, you might need to invest in a new pair of headphones, which means our guide to the best noise-canceling headphones and earbuds might be just what you need