You put your AirPods on. Ready to conquer the day.
But, after a while, you take them off…
And you look at your iPhone.
You say, “Huh. It says it’s connected, but why…”
Why, indeed, does it have no sound?
You put them back on.
Still nothing.
Relax. I can help you.
Keep reading to discover:
- Why do your AirPods have no sound during calls.
- How Automatic Ear Detection can mute your AirPods.
- 9 easy ways to fix a pair of connected AirPods without sound.
- And so much more…
AirPods connected but no sound: 9 ways to fix it
#1: Clean your AirPods
Here’s a fact:
Your AirPods are dirty.
That’s unless you clean them regularly.
Which, in all honestly, you should be doing.
Why?
To answer that, let me give you another fact:
You have earwax. It’s your body’s natural reaction to potentially harmful debris.
Earwax creates a barrier between your inner ear and bacteria.
See? Earwax is nothing to be ashamed of and is actually a healthy response. That said…
The thing is, earwax buildup on your AirPods can block the soundwaves.
Resulting in a highly muffled sound or, worse…
No sound at all.
But, don’t worry. Instead, let me teach you how to properly and thoroughly clean your AirPods:
- Pour a single drop of pure alcohol into the mesh.
- Leave the AirPods alone for a couple of seconds.
- Use a toothpick to release any gunk on the surface of the mesh.
- Remove the remaining dirt using a short brush.
- Get a mini vacuum to release any earwax left inside your AirPods.
- Repeat until there’s no gunk left.
For a more detailed look at how to clean your AirPods, watch this video:
Warning: Don’t watch if you’re easily grossed out.
#2: Expel water from your AirPods
Have you exposed your AirPods to water recently?
It’s okay. It happens.
What matters is what we do after.
Water damage is known to short your electronics and render them useless but, on a smaller scale…
Did you know that water can also block the sounds from your AirPods?
When this happens, you must get rid of the water to prevent further damage.
How, you ask?
- Install Siri Shortcuts on an Apple device connected to your AirPods.
- Cover all of the sensors on your AirPods using your fingers.
- On Siri Shortcuts, press Water Eject.
- Wipe the released water using a microfiber cloth.
- Repeat until no more water is coming out.
Note: You’ve probably heard of dropping your gadgets in a bag of uncooked rice if they get wet. Don’t do it.
Not that it doesn’t work…
It’s just not that much faster than drying them anywhere else.
To prove that, TekDry did an experiment to test the effectiveness of the rice technique. The result?
Leaving the damaged device in open-air reduced the water content by 14.7%. On rice? Only 13.1%.
You may also be interested in: 7 Scary Dangers When Wearing AirPods In The Shower
#3: Check software requirements
Now, here’s a question:
When you bought your AirPods…
Did you check if they’re compatible with your device?
If you’re like me, who simply assumed that all AirPods devices could connect to any iPhone…
My sweet summer child, you’re mistaken.
“What happens when I try to connect my AirPods to a non-compatible Apple device?”
Well, it depends.
Some users report that they couldn’t connect to them at all.
While others have been able to connect but had a lot of issues with the sound.
And then there are those who… had no sound at all.
So, how can you tell if your AirPods are compatible with your device?
Here are the minimum system requirements of each AirPods:
| Device | AirPods 1st Gen | AirPods 2nd Gen | AirPods 3rd Gen | AirPods Pro |
| iPhone, iTouch | iOS 10 | iOS 12.2 | iOS 15.1 | iOS 13.2 |
| iPad | iOS 10 | iOS 12.2 | iPadOS 15.1 | iPadOS 13.2 |
| Macbook | Sierra | macOS 10.14.4 | macOS 12 | macOS 10.15.1 |
| AppleTV | tvOS 11 | tvOS 12.2 | tvOS 15.1 | tvOS 13.2 |
| Apple Watch | watchOS 3 | watchOS 5.2 | watchOS 8.1 | watchOS 6.1 |
#4: Update your Apple device
Sometimes, the problem isn’t the AirPods…
But the Apple device that’s connected to your AirPods.
To solve this, have you tried updating your software yet?
If the answer’s no, you should.
Why?
Think of it this way:
Devices get software bugs.
That’s why manufacturers like Apple release fixes along with their updates.
So, the solution to your problem may be to use the latest version of your device.
Plus, it’s always better to use the newer software anyway.
If you’re unsure how to manually update your Apple gadgets?
Let me guide you.
iPhone, iPad, iTouch
Pro tip: Always backup your device when updating. This saves you the hassle of recovering files if something goes wrong.
- Go to your Settings menu.
- Head to General.
- Select Software Update.
- If applicable, choose the update you want to install.
- Press Install Now to confirm.
Macbook
- Click the Apple logo at the top-left corner of your screen.
- Head to System Preferences.
- Press Software Update.
- Tap Upgrade Now or Update Now.
Apple Watch
For this, you’ll need an Apple device connected to your watch.
Got it? Proceed to:
- Open the Apple Watch app.
- Tap My Watch.
- Select General.
- Press Software Update.
- If applicable, enter your password to confirm.
AppleTV
- Open the Settings menu.
- Head to System.
- Press Software Updates.
- Tap Update Software.
- Select Download or Install.
#5: Reset your AirPods
How about let’s try a more radical approach to the problem at hand:
A complete reset of your AirPods.
Don’t worry. This is an entirely safe procedure that Apple itself recommends to solve issues.
You won’t lose anything important.
And, in return, you’ll have a pair of AirPods that’s good as new.
What’s more, you can do this in under 5 minutes.
Don’t believe me?
Challenge accepted. Get your timer and:
- Put your AirPods on its case with the lid closed.
- Wait 30 seconds, and then open the lid.
- Open the Settings menu on an Apple device.
- Under Bluetooth, select the More Info button that’s next to your AirPods.
- Select Forget This Device.
- Hold the Setup button on your case with the lid open until the light flashes amber.
And you’re good to go.
#6: Turn off Automatic Ear Detection
I’ve always thought that it’s pretty cool that my AirPods can detect when I’m wearing them…
But sometimes, they’re more trouble than their worth.
Allow me to elaborate…
Have you ever wondered how AirPods can detect your ears?
It’s because of your body temperature.
There are sensors around your AirPods that measure the temperature of their surroundings.
However, these sensors can break.
And, when they do, they might fail to detect your temperature.
Instead, they’ll just turn off the sounds on your AirPods. Forever.
That’s why we need to turn them off. How?
- Open the Settings menu of an Apple device connected to your AirPods.
- Head to Bluetooth.
- Select the More Info button that’s next to your AirPods.
- Disable Automatic Ear Detection.
#7: Change audio output
Turn up your volume and listen closely.
Can you still hear something?
Follow the sound.
Where does it come from?
If it’s from your iPhone or iPad, you’re in luck.
Your problem is simple:
You didn’t select the correct audio output on your Apple device.
And you can also quickly fix it with these instructions:
- Open the Control Center on your Apple device.
- Press the 2 arcs at the corner of your audio tab.
- Select your AirPods.
#8: Direct calls to AirPods
Do you usually hear sounds on your AirPods…
But not during calls?
In that case, you’re probably redirecting your calls to a different output.
Don’t fret. The fix for this only requires a quick change to your settings:
- Open the Settings menu of your Apple device.
- Head to Accessibility.
- Press Touch.
- Tap Call Audio Routing.
- Select your AirPods.
It’s that simple.
#9: Give Apple a call
There are times when our problems are beyond us.
For example, if you’ve done everything and your AirPods still have no sound.
But that’s okay. You can always contact Apple to get customer assistance.