People are so attached to their AirPods that they spend over half a billion per year replacing them. If you’re experiencing issues with your AirPods not working, you may have thought about replacing them.
The good news is that you may not have to. You can sometimes solve the problem on your own. Even if you can’t, it’s often far less expensive to have them repaired.
Have you recently asked yourself, “Why is only one AirPod working?” If so, it’s time to troubleshoot the problem.
Let’s dive in and cover the most common reasons that your AirPods might not be working right.
Why Is Only One AirPod Working?
It’s frustrating to put in your AirPods and press play only to hear sound out of one earpiece.
What are some common reasons one AirPod might not work? For one, it may not have charged all the way. To eliminate this possibility, place both AirPods back in the charging case and make sure they’re getting a charge.
Another quick fix is to make sure they’re both clean and no dirt or lint is blocking the speaker. Wipe them down with a soft cloth and dry cotton swab.
If neither of these quick fixes has done the trick, it could be a hardware issue. If troubleshooting doesn’t resolve the problem, you may want to contact Apple support or reach out to a tech repair company.
First, let’s look at some quick fixes.
Checking the Stereo Balance
If your left or right AirPod is not working, the problem could sometimes be with your stereo balance. While this setting helps people with hearing impairments, it can also lead to one headphone playing sound while the other plays nothing.
On your iPhone, go to “Settings” and “Accessibility.” Find the “Hearing” section and choose “Audio/Visual.”
Make sure the slider under “Balance” is in the middle. If it’s not, adjust the slider here.
Reset Your AirPods
Sometimes the fastest fix with technology is to restart the device. Here’s what you need to do to reset a pair of AirPods:
- Open up your settings and select “Bluetooth”
- Tap the “i” icon located beside your AirPods
- Choose to “Forget This Device”
- Return your AirPods to their case and charge for 30 seconds
- Hold the setup button for a few seconds until the status light flashes white
- Place your AirPods next to your phone or device and open the lid to reconnect
- Set up AirPods by following the instructions on the screen
Once you’ve completed the above steps, test your AirPods to see if they both work. Can you hear out of both of them? If not, keep troubleshooting.
Update the AirPods
If resetting the device didn’t work, make sure the software is updated. Updates often have bug fixes that eliminate problems like one AirPod not connecting or working at all.
AirPods should update on their own if they’re in their charging case and that case is connected to a power source. You also must have them beside your phone while it’s connected to the internet.
There isn’t a way to manually update AirPods, but they’ll update once you connect them to your phone or tablet. You can do this by following the steps outlined above.
If you haven’t used your AirPods in a while they may need updating. To find out if they need updating, you first need to check the firmware version.
To Check the Firmware Version
Connect your AirPods to your device. To do this, place the AirPods inside the charging case and open your settings on your iPhone.
Select “General” and “About” from here. Select your AirPods from the list of devices. You should see the firmware information listed.
To find out if you have the latest version, you can look it up online.
If you’re using an outdated version, follow the steps mentioned above to update your device. Remember, you need to have your AirPods in the charging case while the case is connected to power. They’ll update once you pair them with a device connected to the internet.
Once you’ve done all that, your AirPods should automatically install that latest update.
If you can’t get them to connect, follow these tips to pinpoint the issue.
Testing Another Pair
To make sure the problem is with your AirPods and not your phone, it helps to test another pair of headphones.
Do these have the same problem?
If you can hear out of each side with these headphones, you’re dealing with an AirPods problem.
If you can’t hear out of one side again, the issue is with your phone settings. Use our above tips and if they don’t work, try resetting your phone settings.
To do this, simply open your settings and go to “General” and then “Reset.” From this point, all you have to do is choose “Reset All Settings.”
Contacting Apple Support
A quick message to Apple support can often resolve your issue. If you’ve tried the above troubleshooting tips and nothing worked, it doesn’t hurt to reach out to Apple.
They may have more suggestions for you to try before you decide to repair or replace your AirPods.
Taking Your AirPods to a Tech Repair Shop
Have you had your AirPods for less than a year? If so, they may still be covered under the limited warranty. If you’ve had them for longer than that, you’ll either have to repair or replace your headphones.
Since they’re costly to buy, many people choose to take their malfunctioning AirPods to a repair place to have them fixed.
If you’re worried about paying too much, find a shop that offers a price-match guarantee. You’ll often find it’s cheaper than replacing your AirPods.
Fixing the Issue
Why is only one AirPod working? In many cases, the answer to this question is because your AirPods need a charge or an update.
If you’re still having troubles like only hearing the sound on one side, it’s time to consider the fact it’s a hardware problem.
Let us help you fix your AirPods so you can start listening again. Contact us or visit one of our many locations today.
