The essential AirPods troubleshooting guide

If you really love them, you’ll go for the AirPods Max…

AirPods are reliable pieces of equipment and should just keep going, however when things do go wrong you need to know what to do. Here’s the ultimate guide.

How to reset AirPods

Sometimes you need to reset your AirPods. That might be because the sound they make has changed or the pair have gone out of sync. That’s when it’s good to reset them.

To do so, pop them inside their case and close the lid.

Now wait for 30-seconds, open the case again and open your iPhone’s Settings>AirPods page.

This brings up the settings for your AirPods and you should scroll to the bottom of the page and tap Forget Your Device.

You’ll beed to follow a couple of prompts, but once the process completes close the case, wait a minute, open the case, and press and hold the back button for 15 seconds until the front of the case flashes amber then white.

Then reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone by bringing both together and tapping Connect.

Your AirPods have now reset, which solves nearly all software-related problems on these devices.

How to clean your AirPods 

In normal use AirPods get dirty. To clean them, Apple’s own AirPods cleaning guide says it’s OK to use disinfectant wipes you can buy in chemists and some supermarkets, or use cotton wool and hospital-grade 70% isopropyl alcohol sanitiser – but do not get them wet. You’ll also find AirPods cleaning kits online which include little tools to keep your earbuds tidy.

How do I update AirPods software?

AirPods are miniature computers that contain tiny H1/H2 processors running software that Apple sometimes updates. Updates are automatically pushed to the devices, but sometimes you can force them to install the lates update by following this procedure:

• Remove them from the case.
• Connect to the iPhone.
• Now pop them back inside the case.
• Plug the case into power.
• Plug your iPhone into its charger.

Once you follow this sequence your AirPods should update.

[Also read: How to use Live Listen and AirPods with iPhone]

How to find your AirPods

Apple’s Find My system can help you track down your AirPods or some AirPods cases, so long as they are still powered up and registered to your iCloud account. Recent models offer a Lost Mode which will share a message if someone tries to set them up with another device.

How to replace a lost AirPod

Apple will sell you a replacement earbud or charging case. The bud costs $69 (AirPods) or $89 (AirPods Pro) while a new charging case sets you back from $59. If you pay for AppleCare+ insurance for your AirPods then the cost falls to $29 per incident.

More help?

Apple has additional resources inside its AirPods User Guide.

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