You’re listening to your favorite podcast and they were just about to reveal a funny joke and blank. Your AirPods just cut out. Now, before you panic, there are several reasons why your AirPods cut out your music, podcast, or audio in general and we’ll discuss them here. Tick off your list of which one seems like your problem before applying all the solutions. You may not need a hard reset.
Why Do My AirPods Keep Cutting Out
The expectation on AirPods may be high due to its price point but you gotta take it easy, every gadget has its Achilles heel. Besides, we’ve got you covered with your necessary fix.
1. Low battery
Well, you bought your AirPods because of its 4 ½ hours of listening time and it could be extended by simply placing it back in the charging case. Sometimes, you don’t finish the 4-hour listening time. You place it back in its case and get them again for second-time use but you don’t count how long you have. You overlook this part. So maybe you simply ran out of battery?
To check on this, place your AirPods back in their case and leave the lid open. A pop-up window shows up and shows the battery levels of each AirPods. If it indeed ran out of battery, simply leave them in the charging case so it could be back to its performing battery level.
Know more about your AirPods battery life and how long they charge here.
2. Weak Bluetooth connection
Your AirPods heavily rely on Bluetooth connection. Therefore, both devices must have to work with Bluetooth for them to function smoothly. The usual fix for this is to turn your Bluetooth off on your device to have a quick reset on the connection. Another way is to completely forget the device through Settings > Bluetooth > Airpods i > Forget this device. Then reconnect by paring it back again. If this solves the problem then it may just be some trouble between your AirPods and your device’s connection.
Another reason regarding Bluetooth connection is its proximity. You may be out of range. The AirPods’ optimal range is 10-18 meters. This could extend to 40-50 meters granted your connected device has Bluetooth 5.0 version like your AirPods. Of course, the proximity issue can also be determined by other factors like thick walls or other structures.
3. Issues with proximity sensors
Proximity sensors are the black holes on your AirPods other than the speaker mesh. These determine if your AirPods are in-ear or not. Your AirPods are probably cutting out because the proximity sensors are either not working or too sensitive to your current activity.
If you’re doing intense activities such as trail running or jump ropes, your AirPods may not stay put. This would likely move your AirPods making the proximity sensor away from the ear canal causing your AirPods to cut out. Turn off Automatic Ear Detection through Settings > Bluetooth > AirPods i > Automatic Ear Detection must be turned off.
Another reason could be that your proximity sensors may be too dirty. If earwax, dust, or other dirt gunks up your proximity sensors, it wouldn’t function properly. Safely clean your AirPods regularly with cloth, cotton swabs, and disinfectant wipes.
4. AirPods detect another audio source
Another outstanding feature of the AirPods is that they can connect to multiple devices. Well, sometimes, it could work against you. You may be simply streaming your favorite Netflix show on your iPhone but needed to check something out on your Mac. You open your Mac and your AirPods cut off. This could mean that your AirPods are switching from your iPhone’s audio to your Mac.
Turn automatic switching off through your iPhone by going to Settings > Bluetooth > AirPods i > Connect to this iPhone > When Last Connected to this iPhone then the Automatically button must be turned off.
5. Outdated firmware
Keep your firmware updated to avoid bugs and errors. Bugs on previous versions get fixed on the newer versions.
Why Do My Airpods Keep Disconnecting from My Laptop
Sometimes, the AirPods keep cutting out through continuous disconnections and it's annoying especially if you're in a middle of a call streaming live news, or even watching a movie.
Reconnect AirPods
There are different ways to fix this issue but you can start by unpairing your device and pairing them again:
Settings > Bluetooth > Bluetooth & other devices > Select your AirPods > Remove Device
Afterward, reconnect your AirPods by:
Settings > Bluetooth > Bluetooth & other devices > Add Bluetooth or other device > Pair your AirPods
Restart PC
If it doesn't work, you may also try restarting your computer. Power off the computer and wait for a minute before turning it on again. Reconnect your AirPods, and try them on again.
Troubleshoot
There is a built-in Bluetooth troubleshooter in Windows. You can:
Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Scroll down and click on Additional Troubleshooters > Bluetooth > Run the troubleshooter
Update Driver
Right-click on the Start button > Device Manager > Bluetooth > right-click on AirPods > Update Driver > Search Automatically for Updated Driver Software
Windows will search for drivers and install them on your computer. To fully see the results, restart your computer.
Install Updates
Go to Settings > Updates & Security > Windows Update > Check for Updates
Windows will check available updates. It will either go through with installing them on your computer or you may get a notification to Install, click Install if this happens. After installing, your computer may automatically restart. Manually do it to check if AirPods are working fine now.
How to Disconnect AirPods from All Devices
If you would like to just do everything like it’s Day 1. You can reset your AirPods to disconnect them from all of your connected devices. Click this link for a step-by-step guide on how to reset your AirPods. Forget all devices that were previously connected to your AirPods.
Final Thoughts
When you check on the possible problems on why your AirPods keep cutting out, make sure to be thorough on your self-check-up. If you choose to reset your AirPods, you may also want to restart your device as the connection problem may not be coming from your AirPods but from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Also, it may not even be your AirPods. Instead, it could be a Wi-Fi or internet connection problem on your device.
Whatever it is, it’s always great to maintain your AirPods’ battery life. Make sure your AirPods and device are within the optimal range. Keep your proximity sensors clean and intact. Turn off Automatic Ear Detection if you have an intense activity. Turn off Automatic Switching if you don’t want to be disturbed by changing audio sources and keep your firmware updated at all times.
Still annoyed by your AirPods cutting out after all the fixes we’ve provided? Share your issue and we might just have the solution for you.
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