,

One airpod not working? we have the solution!

In general, AirPods are awesome—except when one of your AirPods is not working. The one AirPod not working issue arises when either your left or right AirPods aren’t working, this guide will explain what might be wrong and how you can fix it using simple methods. 

One AirPod Not Working?

There are many reasons why your AirPods are only playing in one ear, and the workaround will vary according to the problem. One AirPod not working issue can be easily attributed to software, Bluetooth, or even battery malfunction. 

Let’s look at one of the most common fixes that you can try to resolve the issue. This is a relatively simple fix that you should perform for one AirPod not working issue. 

Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Charging Case
Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless Charging Case
  1. Place both your AirPods in their case and ensure that they’re charging. 
  2. Wait for 30 seconds. 
  3. Bring the case near your Apple device and open the lid and wait for a pop-up to show on your device’s screen. 
  4. Wear both AirPods and try playing audio to check if both are working properly.

Other Troubleshooting Methods

Here are a slew of other troubleshooting methods that you can use for fixing your AirPods. 

Reset AirPods

If you’ve exhausted all other options and are still unable to resolve the issue, you may need to reset the AirPods.

How to reset AirPods

  1. To begin, place your AirPods in their charging case and close the cover. 
  2. Wait for 30 seconds. 
  3. Open the case cover, go to the Settings menu on your Apple device, and select the Bluetooth option. 
  4. Now, tap the i symbol beside your AirPods to turn them on and off. 
  5. Select the option to forget the device. This option may be found by scrolling down. 
  6. Open the charging case’s cover and press the button on the rear for roughly 15 seconds after forgetting your AirPods. The front light should flash white. 
  7. With the AirPods cover open, place your AirPods near your Apple device and charge them. Just like you did the first time, you will see on-screen steps for re-establishing the connection between the two devices.

Clean AirPods

You may not be able to hear the audio in one AirPod because it’s clogged with dirt and debris. Lint, dust, or earwax are all possibilities. If the speakers on your AirPods appear to be clogged, you should clean them. 

AirPods sound muffled
Dirty AirPods cause sound issues

To thoroughly clean your AirPods, go for a moistened cleaning wipe or a gentle toothbrush. Avoid using water to clean your AirPods as it might cause them harm. Check out our guide on how to clean AirPods

Toggle Bluetooth Connection

It’s possible that your AirPods aren’t receiving the audio from your Apple device correctly. Reconfiguring Bluetooth may help. 

  1. On your device, go to Settings > Bluetooth 
  2. Now, turn off Bluetooth by sliding the slider to the left
  3. Wait for 30 seconds 
  4. Turn it back on by sliding the slider to the right 

Unpair And Re-Pair AirPods

Assuming none of the suggested repairs have worked for you so far, it’s time for more un-pairing and re-pairing your AirPods.  

  1. Put your AirPods in their case and ensure that they have enough charge.  
  2. On your Apple device, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
  3. Locate and tap on your AirPods in your list of devices, then tap “i.” 
  4. Now, tap Forget the device and confirm your decision by tapping Forget Device option in the pop-up.  
  5. Hold down the back button for roughly 15 seconds until you see white and amber light indicator blink. 
  6. Release the button and connect your AirPods to your Apple device again by following the on-screen directions.

Restart Device

It’s unlikely that restarting your AirPods would solve this issue, but it’s convenient and simple, so why not? Restarting a device cleans the active memory and generally resolves temporary issues. You should restart the Apple device that you are connecting your AirPod with. 

Hard Reset AirPods

You should try hard resetting your AirPods if nothing else has worked. Just follow the steps below to perform the reset. 

How to hard reset AirPods

  1. Place your AirPods back in their case and wait for 30 seconds.
  2. Now, press and hold the button at the back for around 15 seconds until you see the white and amber light blink. 
  3. Release the button and connect your AirPods to your Apple device again by following the on-screen directions.

Reset Network Settings

Bluetooth devices connect to your device through several settings. It’s possible that an issue with these settings is to blame. In such cases, you should try resetting the network settings. After performing this reset, you will have to re-enter your WiFi password and pair Bluetooth devices again. Follow the steps below to reset network settings.

  1. Open the Settings menu on your Apple device
  2. Now, go to General > Reset > Reset Network Settings

Update iOS

This advice is undoubtedly familiar to those who have read any of our previous posts about AirPods. Device problems are often caused by faulty or out-of-date software. Similarly, your Airpods depend on Bluetooth connectivity to function correctly. 

If you’re experiencing problems with your AirPods, you may want to try an updated version of the software. Here’s how to get the latest software for your Apple device.  

  1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > General 
  2. Tap the Software Update option from the list 
  3. Download and install it if a new update is available 

After the update is installed, your Apple device will restart. Once it restarts, connect your AirPods and check if one AirPod not working issue has been resolved. 

Check Stereo Balance

iOS devices include an Accessibility feature that enables you to adjust the audio balance between the AirPods’ left and right earbuds. In the case of one AirPod not working, an imbalance in this configuration might have caused the problem. To fix this, follow the steps below. 

  1. Open Settings > Accessibility. 
  2. Go to the Hearing section and tap Audio/Visual.
  3. Now, go to the Balance section and check if the slider is in the middle. If not in the middle, drag the slider to the middle to restore sound balance on your device. 

Contact Apple Support

If none of these suggestions worked, the problem might not be something you can fix with software or a simple cleaning. There could be a hardware fault. If this is the case, you must contact Apple’s customer service to check if the AirPods have to be serviced or replaced.

Also Read: How To Check AirPods Battery on ALL Devices

Frequently Asked Questions

After trying every possible troubleshooting method to solve the one AirPod not working issue, we must now tackle some other related questions.

Why is my left AirPod not detecting?

There’s a chance that your left AirPod is running extremely low on power, which is why it is not being detected. Place it back in the charging case and wait up to 30 minutes for it to charge, and then connect it. 

Conclusion

The simplicity, dependability, and convenience of use of AirPods have made them extremely popular. AirPods are a terrific product, but they might also suffer from issues like any other gadget. We hope this guide helps resolve the one AirPod not working issue for you. If yes, which method did the trick for you? Let us know in the comments!

Avatar of Melissa
About Melissa

Hey! I'm Mel, I write the occasional article for Spacehop, amongst other things. I love meeting new people and chatting, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Leave a Comment

Previous

Do airpods work with android – everything you need to know

Fixes for right airpod not charging!

Next