Why one Airpods earphone (usually the left one) does not work and what to do

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Despite the inflated price and imperfect sound, Airpods are purchased because of the firm belief in their impeccable performance. The article describes what problems can arise in Apple wireless headphones and how they can be eliminated if the headphones do not work.

Why doesn't one earphone work?

One of the Airpods headphones has stopped working. There are malfunctions that the user is unable to repair, as they are caused by:

• poor-quality factory assembly or initially defective components;
• mechanical damage;
• physical wear and tear.

But there are also problems with the operation of Airpods that you can fix yourself. The main ones:

• there is no pairing with the device or between the headphones themselves;
• one of the headphones has a quieter sound than the other;
• the earphone does not execute the command when double-tapped;
• the batteries of the earbuds, and sometimes the case, are quickly discharged;
• While listening to music or making a phone call, the connection is interrupted or the sound disappears.

Lost connection or sound

If one of the Airpods headphones does not work and no mechanical damage is noticed during inspection, then there may be two reasons:

1. Interrupting pairing.
2. Low battery capacity.

To eliminate the first you need to:

• place both headphones in the charging case for 15 seconds;
• connect them to your smartphone again.

To recharge the battery, the problematic insert is also placed in the charging case for at least 15 minutes.

If one of the earbuds drains faster than the other, calibrate your Airpods. They do this in the following order:

1. Charge the case to the maximum.
2. The headphones are inserted into the charging case.
3. After they are charged 100%, leave them in the case for another 15 minutes.
4. The headphones are removed and connected to the device.
5. They start playing music to completely discharge the batteries (at the same time, they again charge the case as much as possible).
6. After the battery capacity reaches 0%, wait another 5 minutes.
7. The headphones are again placed in a fully charged case and after the battery has reached 100% capacity, we can assume that the Airpods are calibrated.

Calibration can be done for all Airpods models, but this is often not recommended to avoid battery damage.

Why doesn't one left or one right earbud work?

There can be no specific faults with the left or right earbud as both devices are made up of identical components and perform the same functions.

But when replacing a failed earphone, you should take into account that their cases are still different, and replacing the left one with another right one will not work.

Firmware update

Immediately after the release of the second generation of Airpods, it turned out that when working with Android smartphones in headphones, synchronization is disrupted (one earphone does not see the other), disconnects and imbalance in sound volume occur.

All this can be fixed by installing new firmware. It is impossible to do this manually by connecting the case to a computer.

You will definitely need an Apple device. To update the software to the new version 10.3 you must:

1. Place the headphones in the charging case.
2. Connect the case to the charger and check the indicator that charging is taking place.
3. Connect Head Set to iPhone via Bluetooth.

Since the flashing occurs automatically, all you have to do is wait.

You can find out that the update has occurred as follows:

1. Go to the “Settings” menu on the iOS device to which the headphones are connected.
2. In “General” select “About this device”.
3. Scroll to Airpods, where you can see the version number in the software below.

What do the different colors of the case indicator mean?

On the case responsible for charging and connecting the headphones to the device, there is one indicator that notifies you about everything that happens with the Airpods.

For example, to update the firmware, it is necessary to make sure that charging is in progress, and for this the user must know how the indicator light signals this.

The dependence of the indicator signal on the state of the case and headphones is shown in the table:

The light indicator for the first generation Airpods is located under the cover of the case between the seats for the earbuds, and for the second generation model and Airpods Pro it is on the front side of the case.

Removing dirt

Another reason why the headset does not work is the presence of dirt. Contamination of the audio jack mesh with earwax reduces the volume of the AirPods. Cleaning:

• Do not wet airpods with water or immerse them in water;
• use clean, dry, lint-free material;
• exclude the use of aggressive abrasive substances: soap, shampoo, oils, hair dyes, creams;
• wipe with a slightly damp cloth;
• make sure that no liquid has leaked into the holes;
• Use a cotton swab to wipe the speaker grids and microphone;
• wait until completely dry.

Cleaning the Case:

• Use a soft brush to remove dirt from the connector;
• carry out cleaning without the use of abrasive materials;
• Do not insert foreign metal or other objects into the charging ports.

Actions in case of water contact: tap the earbuds on a soft, dry surface.

How to reboot

Sometimes a full reboot of the Airpods solves problems with sound loss. Before performing this, you must make sure that the batteries of the earbuds and the charging case are not discharged.

Then you should “untie” the Airpods from the transmitting device. This is done the same way on all devices:

• go to “Settings”, and then to Bluetooth;
• find the name of the headphones in the list of connected devices;
• after highlighting the name or clicking any icon next to it, click “delete” or “Forget device”.

Next reboot:

1. Both Airpods are inserted into the charging case and, closing the lid, wait for thirty seconds.
2. Open the lid without removing the headphones.
3. On the back of the case, press and hold the button until the indicator flashes orange.
4. The button is released. At the same time, the indicator changes color to white, indicating that the reboot was successful.

Check the physical condition of the EarPods or headphones.

You've probably already done this, but if not, you should. It's advisable to see almost inch by inch of the headphone cable, including the headphones themselves, the microphone, and the playback controller if you have one. If you find any particularly bent part or even raised plastic exposing the internal cable, this may be the cause of all the problems. In this case, we recommend skipping to the last two sections of this article.

If you do not find obvious visual defects, it is still possible that they are associated with a physical failure of the device. In fact, it's entirely possible that if you accidentally pulled the headphones out, they fell, or were damaged in some other accident, they could be damaged internally. Although in this case we recommend continuing reading to rule out other problems.

Why does one earphone sound quieter?

Three reasons:

1. The Airpods earbud battery is low. You can check this on a paired smartphone, and once you are sure, recharge the headphones in the charging case.
2. The sound emitter grid is dirty. It is necessary to inspect it, and if you find dirt, carefully clean it.
3. The volume on the transmitting device is incorrectly or poorly adjusted.

Autonomy, sound and microphone

I won't beat around the bush. In music mode, the headphones last up to 1 hour! In talk mode it's the same story. The case can fully charge the headphones only once.

That is, the total operating time of fake AirPods is 2 hours. I haven’t seen such autonomy of Bluetooth headphones for ten years...

The right earphone, which is considered the main one, discharges faster than the left one. This is a feature of all fake AirPods. I don’t know how long it actually takes to charge the headphones and case. Because no matter how you charge them, the case will still be displayed with an incomplete charge, and the headphones will show an imbalance of levels (the right one is always more discharged).

Sound... bottom . Causes bleeding from the ears. It is impossible to listen to music only if you hear through pain, as I did.

I don’t know how to describe this horror. Not an audiophile. But it’s a fact that it’s absolutely no good if you can hear anything at all.

But the volume reserve here is up to the explosion of your eardrums.

Microphone... also bottom. They can't hear you well, you can't hear well. You can't hear anyone on the street at all.

The only plus is that the connection is quite stable.

Checking the volume

To check Airpods volume balance:

• go to “Settings”;
• select “Basic” and then “Universal Access”;
• scroll down to the “Hearing” section;
• in the red rectangle with the inscription “Adjust the volume balance between the left and right channels”, the round slider should be located exactly in the middle between the letters “L” and “P”.

If this is not the case, install it in the desired position.

What can this copy of AirPods do? Characteristics

This particular model in China is called Air Pro 3, Air S Pro, as well as TWS i100000 .

Works via Bluetooth 5.0, just like the original. Operating range is about 10 meters without obstacles.

The battery capacity of the charging case is unknown, as is the headphones themselves. Operating time is supposedly up to 4 hours without a case, or a total of up to 12 hours with it (the case gives plus or minus 3 charges). The original works up to 6 hours and up to 18 hours, respectively.

The case supports wireless charging.

Apple W1/H1 chip emulation is used. Connection to iOS devices is automatic, with the appearance of an animated notification card. But connection is also possible to Android.

Size – 1:1 with original AirPods Pro. The headphones respond to taps just like regular (real) AirPods. Through them you can switch tracks, call Siri and manage calls.

The settings show up as “AirPods Pro”. An inexperienced buyer may well be deceived by their appearance, which is what 95% of those posting ads on Avito use.

If gestures don't work

For control, Airpods have built-in sensors that respond to touch. In the first and second generation models, both earbuds only respond to a double tap, and initially this gesture is programmed to call the audio assistant.

In this case, this action can be reassigned to each of the ear monitors. For this:

1. Open “settings”.
2. Switch to bluetooth.
3. In the Airpods menu, tap on the “double tap” section.
4. Select the right or left Airpods earphone and set one of the actions for the earbud:

• Siri (only the voice assistant can control the volume).
• "Start/Pause".
• "Next track."
• "Previous track."
• "Off."

The last step disables the earbud sensor. Therefore, if one of the headphones stops responding to a double tap, it means it is disabled in the settings. Otherwise, it is broken, contact the service center.

Airpods Pro have a larger number of gestures for control and they cannot be changed, and the sensors cannot be turned off, so if one of the earbuds stops responding to touch, contact the service.

If only one earphone fails

Listening to music, video or any other sound through only one earphone, even if it has two, is one of the strangest and even unpleasant sensations you can have. Especially if it's unintentional and you want to listen on both channels. In this case, we again recommend that you perform a visual inspection in the case of a problematic hearing aid. It may even happen that the breakdown is not complete, but the sound is heard, but at a lower volume. It is also important to make sure that all parts are in place and that the headset button is not raised.

Headphones drain quickly

The declared autonomy of Airpods is about five hours of continuous operation after a full charge and about three hours after a fifteen-minute recharge.

The initial autonomy indicators decrease over time due to wear and tear on the batteries of both the earbuds and the charging case.

If a relatively new gadget quickly discharges the batteries of two headphones at once, then there can only be one reason. In the device settings, the “Auto-ear detection” function is disabled, which means that even if the headphones are not used, they still continue to play a melody and drain the batteries.

The battery of one of the Airpods earbuds drains faster. This may occur during frequent phone calls if the microphone settings are set to “Always left earphone” or “Always right earphone”.

The purpose of the Airpods also affects when setting up the voice assistant and switching tracks.

If these are third party headphones

If your headphones are not made by Apple, you should check with the manufacturer or retailer to see what you should do. If you bought them recently, you can return them, but also if they are under warranty . If the fault was not caused by misuse or accidental damage, the seller must take responsibility and provide you with a replacement. If your headphones are no longer under warranty, you'll have no choice but to write them off and buy new ones.

Audio interruption during a call

Most often, the culprit in this situation is not the gadget, but the transmitting device. And the best solution to the problem is to restart the smartphone.

If the reason is worn-out batteries, then before the upcoming long telephone conversation you should:

• in the microphone settings, set “Airpods auto switching”;
• put one Airpods earphone in the case for charging;
• if the battery capacity of the Airpods used is lost, it is swapped with the one recharged from the case.

Updating the firmware

If one Airpods earphone does not work and the tips did not help, you need to reflash the gadget. In most cases, this operation is done automatically.

The new firmware version is installed as follows:

• Place the headphones in the case.
• Enable charging mode.
• Open the case cover.
• If the instructions are followed correctly, the work is carried out automatically.

Upon completion of the operation, all that remains is to check the available firmware version. You need to go to settings (basic), where in the “about device” section you can find information about the AirPods firmware.

No sound when Airpods are fully charged

The main reason is that there is no Bluetooth connection between the gadget and the device.

This may happen due to:

• long distance;
• presence of obstacles or radio signal lines;
• source of strong interference;
• breakdown or malfunction of the Bluetooth source and receiver modules.

The first thing you need to do is connect your Airpods to another smartphone. If the sound appears, then the problem is in the device, and you should try to reboot it or, as a last resort, reset the settings to factory settings.

If there is no sound, when pairing with another phone, we can conclude that the reason is in the headphones, which means you need to reboot them.

Replacement at Apple Store

If the problem is related to EarPods, Apple's official headphones, you can contact the brand store or its online technical support to comment on your case. Sometimes, even without a warranty, they may offer you a free replacement solution. And it is important to clarify that these types of accessories are not repaired as such, but are used to give you brand new and functional ones. You can resolve this issue from the Apple Support website or from the support app available for iOS and iPadOS.

How to clean your headphones

The first and second generation Airpods do not have IP certification and therefore are not waterproof at all. The Airpods Pro's protection rating is IPX4, which means they are only resistant to splashes, but not immersion in water.

The quality and volume of sound can noticeably deteriorate if the meshes protecting the sound emitter and microphone are dirty, so they must be cleaned regularly.

The basic recommendations presented on the Apple website indicate that when cleaning these elements, you can only use dry cotton swabs or soft brushes, and the use of sharp objects and disassembling the headphones is strictly prohibited.

However, these measures are sometimes not enough, and experienced users suggest performing the procedure as follows;

• the napkin is moistened in a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide;
• press the earphone mesh against it for a few seconds;
• large pieces of sulfur are removed using a toothpick;
• minor dirt is carefully removed with a toothbrush;
• Earwax does not get into the microphone mesh located at the end of the stem, so a dry cotton swab is enough for cleaning.

AirPods and AirPods Pro packaging

Often, fake AirPods can be detected even before opening the package itself. In fact, it is important to check even this, because maintaining the original integrity of the box will help you get your money back if you refuse the product.

What to look for on the box?

Apple sometimes changes the packaging design for its products, so the AirPods packaging may differ from photos found online. However, real AirPods will never have the overtly printed or pixelated images that counterfeit products tend to have.

Please read all text carefully and inspect each image on the AirPods box for errors. Any typos , double spaces or low-quality pictures give reason to assume that you have a fake in your hands.

The original AirPods Pro has a label with an arrow for easy unpacking.

What to look for in the box?

The best AirPods clones provide the correct outer packaging - the box of the headphones may even be packed in film with an arrow tag. But don't judge a book by its cover. Just because the outside of the box looks right doesn't mean there are real AirPods inside.

Open the box and look for typos or errors in the accompanying documents.

You should also make sure that your AirPods come with all the accessories listed on Apple's website: go to the specifications page for your specific AirPods.

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Diagnosing the problem: top 5 reasons why AirPods play quietly

Why are AirPods playing quietly? There can be many reasons - from breakdown (the worst case scenario) to interference in the room (when, due to other sounds or noise in the devices themselves, the user seems to hear music better in one ear than in the other). If you arrange common cases in descending order of frequency, the list will be like this:

• dirty speakers are the most common cause (the good news is that this is easy to diagnose and you can fix it yourself);
• settings in the device you are using;
• mechanical failure;
• insufficient charge;
• technical failures on the side of the headset or its docking station.

What to do if your Airpods become quieter

Choosing an action tactic to correct the situation if AirPods began to play quietly on an iPhone or iPad or Mac must take into account an understanding of the circumstances preceding the changes. Remember, perhaps the headset was left without a cover in the sun, fell from the height of your height, or got water on it? If so, then the cause is most likely a mechanical failure. And you need to go to the servicemen.

Was there anything that could explain the change in sound? Then it's probably all about banal dust and dirt on the speakers. Or a software glitch. Or maybe a firmware update was released, and while it was being installed, the sound balance was lost (an extremely rare case, but, as the famous detective Sherlock Holmes said, everything is possible, except the impossible).

If it's a matter of settings

What if the Airpods play quietly after reconfiguring? The algorithm is simple:

• go to the settings menu;
• click on the line “Universal Access”;
• click audiovisualization;
• set the slider strictly in the middle to equalize the sound between the left and right “ears”.

After this, we check that the sound is the same intensity in each of the headphones. If no changes are heard, then the problem is not in the software settings. We are looking further.

One AirPods plays quieter due to dirty speaker

A dirty speaker is a common problem that should be assumed first if the left AirPod is quieter than the right, or vice versa. There is a surefire way to check: turn on the flashlight on the “parent” smartphone and shine a light on the headphone meshes.

Ear wax, dust and dirt will be very visible. If the degree of contamination on the devices is visually very different, with a probability close to 100%, this is the reason.

What can be done:

• clean the mesh with ear sticks soaked in alcohol or peroxide (very carefully, it is not difficult to damage the speaker, but it cannot be restored);
• clean the “ears” with a toothbrush (medium or low hardness, without pressure and unnecessary zeal);
• in particularly difficult cases, users soak the headphone meshes in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (you need a flat container in which you can immerse the devices so that the liquid reaches the mesh exactly for 3 minutes, after which you place them, without turning them over, on a soft cloth to dry).

Checking the quality of cleaning is carried out in the same way as diagnostics (we simply shine a flashlight through the mesh).

Not enough charge

It’s rare, but it also happens that one Airpod plays quieter than another due to a weak charge. This is explained both by faster discharge of one of the devices (defective) and by poor contacts in the charging socket. Monitor how quickly your devices are charging, try restoring their charge to 100% or discharging one earphone (which plays quieter) completely to see how quickly it restores the charge in the docking station. If the issue is with contacts, you need to go to service.

The charging case itself, by the way, also tends to discharge. Monitor its operation so as not to encounter various problems, not only different sounds in the ears.

Mechanical damage

This case is not the most pleasant, but it cannot be ruled out. If one earphone plays quieter than the other in AirPods, the reason may be a simple breakdown. This can be “treated” in one of two ways – through repairs at a service center or by purchasing a more recent version of the headset from Apple.

By the way, if you suspect a breakdown because the devices fell, sank, or someone accidentally sat on them, it is better to immediately take them to the authorities. Attempts at cleaning with improvised means may ultimately be regarded as violations of operating conditions, and therefore will void the warranty.

If all else fails and one earphone plays quieter than the other

If one Airpods earphone plays quieter than the second after numerous attempts to correct the situation programmatically and mechanically (cleaning), you can try resetting the settings on the devices themselves and their charging case. For this:

• go to Bluetooth;
• go to the section by clicking on the i next to the name of the headset;
• command “Forget this device”, confirm;
• put the instruments in the case and close the lid;
• after 30 seconds, take out the devices and hold down the control button until the indicator lights up white;
• re-pair the headset with the smartphone.

If these steps do not help, try repeating them after rebooting the charging station (press and hold the button on the back of the case).

Connecting AirPods for the first time

The process of connecting new headphones (the first time), or after removing the headphones on the iPhone. You just need to unlock your iPhone, open the case with the headphones (the indicator on the case should blink white, if this is not the case, press and hold the button on the case for a few seconds). After which a message will appear on the iPhone screen asking you to connect AirPods. You just need to click on the “Connect” button.

The indicator on the case will light up green, and information about the connected headphones (charge level of the headphones and case) will appear on the iPhone.

Click “Finish” and we can use the headphones. In the future, they will connect to the iPhone automatically when you take them out of the case and insert them into your ears.