Why do my AirPods sound muffled? This is a common question of AirPods users after some time of use. The AirPods have dominated the Bluetooth earphones industry because of their quality sound, noise-canceling features, long battery health, durability, and, sleek and minimalistic design. The touch control features or the force sensor even make it superior in changing music and answering calls right there and there. Despite its great features, users experience common problems. Most of them require an easy fix and having a muffled sound is one of them.
Why Do My AirPods Sound Muffled
When your AirPods are starting to sound obstructed have static noises, cut out, or are a little bit quieter, you may try simpler fixes first before going into a more complicated and technical fix. Here are the fixes that you can try:
Charge your AirPods
The first fix you can try is to charge your AirPods. When the battery is low, the volume of the AirPods gets limited. Users skip this fix because the AirPods don’t sound muffled every time it experiences running out of battery but sometimes charging is all that you need to get rid of the obstructed sound.
So put them back on their charging case or charge them through a wired or wireless connection immediately. Wait for about 30 minutes before putting them back on.
Clean your AirPods
Earwax can build up in your AirPods over some time. The AirPods sit right through your ear canal and not cleaning your ears or AirPods regularly will cause your AirPods to have a muffled sound. It could also be dirt or dust coming from anywhere, especially if you let your AirPods sit on your furniture without their charging case.
Well, if this is the case, there’s also an easy fix. Grab some lint-free cloth, a cotton swab, and a bleach-free disinfectant or isopropyl alcohol. Start with the body of your AirPods, you may simply use the lint-free cloth to wipe all over. Alternatively, spray a little disinfectant or alcohol on the lint-free cloth (make sure not to spray directly on the AirPods), and wipe your AirPods. The cloth must not be too damp in any way. Follow through with another dry lint-free cloth after disinfecting.
The speaker mesh needs extra care. Because of the oval-shaped opening, we would need a cotton swab to be thorough in the cleaning process. Do not poke the speaker mesh while cleaning, the mesh is a sensitive part. Instead, go around the opening slowly and gently and make sure to circle around the edges where dirt build-up can be seen. You may also spray a little bit of disinfectant on your swab but make sure it is not that wet when touched.
As for the AirPods Pro, you may take the silicone ear tips off and clean them with running water. It may also be cleaned with a cloth with disinfectant, or cotton sprayed with some alcohol. For a more detailed guide on how to clean your AirPods, click here.
Make sure you have a strong Bluetooth connection
Sometimes, the reason for having a muffled sound is simply a weak Bluetooth connection. Make sure you’re within the 40-50 meter range (unobstructed) so you’re devices are within range. To make it optimal, stay within the 18-meter range. However, if it still doesn’t work, you may restart your Bluetooth connection. Go to Settings > Bluetooth. Connect your AirPods if they happen to be disconnected, and reconnect when it’s not. Do this by toggling off Bluetooth. Wait for at least ten seconds before turning it back on to reconnect.
Calibrate the volume between devices
Sometimes you simply need to do a volume calibration. To do this, simply put on your AirPods and go to Music. Using your iPhone, turn the volume of your AirPods to zero. Now, you shouldn’t be hearing anything on your AirPods. Go to the control center and turn off Bluetooth, but leave your AirPods in-ear. Go to music again, and turn the volume to its maximum. This time the sound must come from your iPhone. Now, go to Settings again to reconnect your AirPods. Go to Music again and listen to any volume you like, your device has just been calibrated.
Reset your AirPods
If none of the above-mentioned fixes work, you may need to reset your AirPods. You may do this by forgetting the AirPods from your device. For a step-by-step guide on how to reset AirPods, click here.
Let us know if the above fixes work. You may also check our related posts if you are experiencing quieter AirPods, pausing, or cutting out in connection.
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