There can be a range of reasons why your AirPods might suddenly lower in volume, sometimes to a level where you can barely hear them even if you turn the settings up. If this happens, then your best option is to fix the problem before any lasting damage occurs.
But how do you actually fix issues with quiet AirPods, and what are the main causes of the problem in the first place? If you are having trouble getting them to work correctly, then here are a few potential causes and ways to work around them.
Volume Settings
It is easy to accidentally reduce your volume settings on some devices, especially on more complex ones like laptops or personal computers. These might have multiple ways to alter audio – app volume, master volume sliders, noise suppression, and balancing options – that can all interfere with one another.
If you accidentally bumped your volume down, just try increasing it again. Be sure to test out every slider and mute/deafen function since these can also turn off your sound without necessarily telling you.
Earwax
Sometimes the problem is as simple as earwax build-up. Any dirt that gets into the AirPods is going to muffle them since the blockage will cover up part of the speakers and make it slightly harder to hear your music clearly. This can also happen at the gym if you sweat on them a lot.
Whatever the exact reason is, sometimes you just need to clean your AirPods to get them working properly again. Be sure to use careful cleaning techniques, ideally ones with soft Q-tips: the last thing you want is to damage your AirPods while trying to clean them.
Regular cleaning is the best way to ensure that these kinds of problems do not happen consistently. Cleaning the case can also help, especially if you have not done so before.
Software Issues
Sometimes software can be the problem. If you have not updated an app or device in a long time, then there might be serious audio incompatibilities or other faults that are making it impossible to use your AirPods normally.
Updating everything on a regular basis minimizes the chance of these issues happening, so be sure to double-check and see if you have ignored any important updates.
Other Settings
Sometimes your AirPods are quiet due to other device settings, from low power modes to audio equalizers. Fixing these issues can mean tweaking the different settings in your system, sometimes in ways that you would not expect.
For example, there might be issues with running two equalizer systems at once or having two different apps trying to use their mute functions at the same time. Not all code is going to play well together, and sometimes two apps or functions might cause problems that the developers could not anticipate.
In other cases, it might simply be the case that you triggered some option without realizing it. Changing the audio output device, setting your phone to not recognize your AirPods, or even altering the mute functions of your music player – these are just a few of the potential problems.
