AirPods have found a massive fan base thanks to their ease of use, long battery life and automatic connection feature. The earbuds work seamlessly with other Apple products, making them perfect for customers invested in the Apple ecosystem.
Of course, AirPods can have their problems. If you just got a new phone that’s causing problems for your AirPods, or they’re just acting up for some unknown reason, you may need to reset your AirPods to get them working again.
However, the minimalist design of AirPods can make things difficult when it comes to troubleshooting. With no noticeable buttons or switches, how are you supposed to reset your AirPods?
Here’s how to reset Apple AirPods and understand the light codes to determine if a reset is needed.
How to hard reset Apple AirPods
If you’re having problems with your AirPods, performing a factory reset will often fix the problem.
Resetting the AirPods can be a quick fix for many common problems. Most importantly, the process fixes battery-related issues or inconsistent audio delivery, such as when only one AirPod delivers audio. Resetting the AirPods can also resolve connection issues.
When using a wireless case, these instructions work for both older generation models and the Airpods Pro. 1st and 2nd Gen Airpods originally came with a standard USB charging case, but you can opt for a wireless upgrade that uses Qi-enabled charging. However, device compatibility with specific AirPods versions varies, which could potentially be your problem as well. Be sure to check iOS version compatibility before delving into more advanced troubleshooting.
How to hard reset your Apple Airpods
To hard reset your Apple AirPods, do the following:
- Place your AirPods in the wireless case, close the lid, wait 30 seconds, then open the lid again. Make sure to leave the earplugs in.
- On your iPhone, open Institutionsthen choose bluetooth.
- under devicestap on the Yo (info) icon next to your AirPod’s device name. Select in the AirPods’ Bluetooth menu Forget this devicethen choose device forgotten to confirm.
- Leave the wireless charging case open with the AirPods still inside, and press and hold the button on the back.
- Wait for the light on the front to flash an amber color, then release the button.
please note: This will disconnect your AirPods from all connected devices. You will need to go through the setup wizard again to use it. Wait until the light flashes white again. This is the signal that you can try to restore one or more connections.
In many cases, the above steps are enough to solve any problems you have with your AirPods. If not, keep reading for some other troubleshooting tips.
How to hard reset Airpods Max
Another year brought another model of Airpods. If you have the Airpods Max, follow these steps to reset them:
- Charge your AirPods Max; they need some battery life to complete the following steps.
- Press and hold the Digital Crown and noise control buttons for 15 seconds.
- Wait for the light to flash Amber, then it will turn White.
- Reconnect them to your Apple device.
What does the light on the AirPods charging case mean?
Apple AirPods Gen 1 and 2 have the status light at the top of the earbud compartment, under the lid, when using the included wired charging case.
The LED is on the outside of the wireless charging case upgrade case. AirPods Pro comes with the wireless case by default.
No matter what setup you have, specific combinations of lights can indicate various problems, depending on where your AirPods live at the time.
Before starting a reset, it is essential to understand what problems are represented by different lights.
Battery Status
First, the LED status light tells you how much charge you have left on your AirPods.
If you see a green light while the AirPods are in their case, it means that your AirPods have enough battery life left for regular use. If you see a green light and your AirPods are not in the case, the case still has at least one charge remaining.
While you can’t see a battery life percentage, these status lights are a good enough indicator of how much battery you have left in your AirPods and the charging case. If you really want to know the percentage of the AirPods case or even the pods, open the case and look at your iPhone.
The AirPods connection
Is the amber light flashing?
A flashing orange light indicates a pairing error with one or more of your devices. You may need to disconnect and try again by resetting the AirPods. A white flashing light indicates that the AirPods are ready to connect to your Apple devices.
If there is no light in the case and your AirPods are in it, it means that the case’s battery is completely empty and needs to be recharged.
Other AirPods troubleshooting tips
Relying on the lights isn’t the only way to determine what’s wrong with your AirPods.
View battery percentage to ensure proper performance
If you open the case near a connected iOS device, you can press the button on the back of the case and open a readout screen on your iPhone of the battery status. This action tells you exactly how much battery life is left. You can do this when the lights don’t work properly, if you forget what each range indicates, or if you heard the shutdown bell.
Fix muffled sound
If your AirPods sound muffled, the first thing you should check is whether they are clean or not. Get rid of the earwax, dust and all other debris before testing again.
Alternatively, try the AirPods on different devices before going to the trouble of resetting them. Sometimes sound settings on the device affect the output.
Change your AirPods name to fix connection issues
Depending on your problem, you can always change the name of your AirPods to help with connectivity.
- Open your AirPods case with the AirPods still inside, access the bluetooth settings on the Apple device it’s connected to, then tap Yo (info) icon with a circle around it.
- Update the name of your AirPods and try connecting to a new device again.
Try connecting to other devices
You can try connecting your AirPods to another device to rule out device-specific issues. If your older iPhone model doesn’t work with your AirPods, but your Mac does, the problem is most likely the iPhone, not the AirPods.
Try cleaning the charging connections
One last thing to note is that a reset may not fix your AirPods charging issues. You can try to clean them and ensure that the connections are working properly. But not rebooting is usually a hardware problem that requires professional help.
Try replacing your AirPods
If you can’t fix your problems through hard reset or any of these other troubleshooting methods, there’s a good chance that your AirPods have hardware issues that may not be fixable. In this case, your best bet is to replace them with a new pair or check with Apple for any warranty options.
You can make an appointment at your nearest Apple Store for repair and assist if necessary. It may interest you to know that you can buy a single AirPod or the case from the company.
When you consider the cost of a complete AirPods replacement, the prices for just one component aren’t that bad, especially if you’re tied to the model you already have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple’s AirPods are an excellent accessory for any user. We’ve included the answers in this section if you still have questions.
Do I need to reset my AirPods to sell them?
Unlike other Apple devices, your AirPods are not directly linked to your iCloud account and do not store any personal information. It is for this reason that you do not need to perform a reset before you have donated or sold your AirPods.
The new owner can simply connect your AirPods to their iPhone and move along. Of course, it’s a good idea to remove them from your Bluetooth list on your iPhone so you don’t confuse them with a new pair.
Can I connect my AirPods if one of the buds is missing?
Before performing a reset on your AirPods, it’s important to be aware that you won’t be able to pair them again if one of the buds is missing. If you’ve lost one of your AirPods, or one isn’t working, you can order a replacement from Apple or pick one up at your nearest Apple Store.
A Final Thought
Apple AirPods are very easy to use, especially when you use them with other Apple devices. However, troubleshooting and maintenance can be complex. Instead, users should use online tutorials to guide them through these simple processes.
Familiarize yourself with the light patterns and colors mentioned in this article to identify the type of problem you have, and you will be able to solve most problems on your own. As you’ve already noticed, resetting the AirPods won’t fix everything, but it can be a quick fix for some common problems.