Airpods, as excellent and helpful as they are, with their top-notch sound quality, also get their sound muffled.
That prevents you from enjoying all the benefits of using your airpods to the fullest, and you start thinking of getting a new one.
Well, you do not need to get a new one. You only need to understand why the sound is coming out muffled and how to fix it. This article will help solve that problem.
Your airpod sound getting muffled can result from several things, including dirt in the airpod speaker, interference in the Bluetooth connection, damaged airpods, or outdated device software. However, the most common cause of muffled sounds is dirt in the airpod speakers. You can often fix these problems without having to get new airpods.
Why Are My AirPods Audio Muffled?
There are several reasons why you have muffled airpod audio. The table below shows various reasons why you might have a distorted sound.
| Reasons | Description |
|---|---|
| Dirt in the airpod speakers. | You’ll have a muffled sound if dirt becomes stuck in the speaker from use. |
| Interference in the Bluetooth connection. | Another Bluetooth device interfering with the airpod can cause a muffled sound. |
| Outdated software device. | You can have a muffled sound if your device’s software isn’t updated. |
| Bad audio connection. | Poor audio source connection can muffle airpods audio. |
| Damaged airpods. | If your airpod is damaged, the sound will become muffled. |
| Airpods need resetting. | If your airpod needs a reset, and you haven’t reset it, you’ll have a muffled sound. |
If you discover you have muffled airpod audio, look for the signs above to know the cause of the problem.
How Do You Fix a Muffled AirPod Mic?
If you have a muffled airpod mic, you can fix it by following the instructions below.
#1. Reconnect Your Airpods
If you discover you have muffled sounds coming from your AirPods mic, put your airpods back in their charging case and take them out.
It will establish a new connection with your phone and should resolve the muffled sound issue.
#2. Clean the Mic
Cleaning your airpod mic can make your sound clearer. You get to clean the dirt stuck in the mic that prevents you from hearing well with the airpods.
Clean the mic with a cotton swab with alcohol. Be careful with the alcohol, and don’t put too much in it.
Use the alcohol cotton swab to clean the mic of your airpod. It will loosen all the dirt stuck in the mic.
Then, use a toothpick to remove the particles stuck in the mic. Be careful so as not to damage the mesh grill of the mic.
#3. Update the AirPods Firmware
Updating your airpods firmware is required for it to function correctly. If it’s outdated, the mic sound might come out muffled. So, check if there’s an updated version available and update it.
Then, connect your AirPods to a charger and leave them beside your iPhone with a stable internet connection. After 30 minutes, they should’ve updated.
#4. Update Your Phone Software
If your phone’s software is outdated, it can also result in your airpod muffled mic. You need to check if there’s an update available.
These updates fix any glitches from the previous versions and resolve issues. For example, updating your phone’s software can fix a muffled airpod mic.
#5. Charge the AirPods
Your AirPods mic muffled sound might be because your airpod battery is low, and the airpod wants to use the mic.
Try charging your airpod by inserting it into the case. Leave it for about 30 minutes before using it again to know if you no longer have a muffled mic problem.
#6. Disable Noise Cancellation Mode
You can disable this unique feature on airpods with noise cancellation features like the AirPod Pro and AirPod Max to see if it will resolve this issue.
#7. Reset Your AirPod
You can fix a muffled airpod mic by resetting your airpod. You can reset it by placing your airpod in the charging case.
On the airpod charging case, long press the status button until the light on it turns amber.
After resetting it, try reconnecting it to your phone and check if the muffled sound on your mic is gone.
#8. Reset Your iPhone Network
Resetting your iPhone’s network can resolve the issue of an airpod muffled mic. Reset it by navigating to settings and resetting your network settings.
#9. Replacing Your AirPods
In the case of a damaged airpod resulting in the muffled sound emanating from it, if you cannot fix it, it would be best if you order a replacement from Apple for a new one.
If, after following all the steps mentioned in the article, there’s still a muffling sound from your airpod, contact Apple for help.
How Do I Fix Airpod Sound Quality?
To fix the sound quality of your airpod, do these;
#1. Reconnect Your AirPods
If you notice the sound coming out of your airpod is poor and distorted, you can fix this by placing the airpods back in their case.
Leave the airpods in the case for a few seconds before taking it out to use. This hack will fix the sound quality of the airpods and make them sound better.
#2. Cleaning Your AirPods
Your airpod sound quality might be low due to dirt in the airpod speaker. To fix your AirPods sound quality, clean your airpod of the dirt in it to get a better sound quality.
You can clean your airpod with a dry cotton swab and ensure you get rid of all the dirt in the airpod, so the path from which the sound will come out will be free, and the sound will be clear.
#3. Updating Your AirPods
You can also improve your airpod sound quality by updating it to the latest version. Apple regularly pushes out updates that help fix bugs and improve performance.
If your airpod sound quality is low, an update to the latest version can improve your sound quality with the tweaks added.
Apple designed airpods to update automatically, but if your sound quality is low, you can always check if it’s updated, and if it is not, you should update your airpod yourself.
#4. Charge Your AirPod
If your airpod is low, the sound quality that will come out of it will be poor. Therefore, you should put your airpod back into the case and charge it.
How Do I Deep Clean My AirPods?
To deep clean your airpods, you must clean the two ears correctly. Start with the cleaning of one ear before moving to the other.
Follow the steps below to do a deep cleaning of your airpods.
- Add a little alcohol to the Q-tip of your airpod.
- Clean the dark mesh grille with the Q-tip. It is where the sound comes out from and where dirt is stuck.
- Leave the alcohol on the airpod for a while to loosen the dirt and earwax stuck in your airpods.
- With a toothpick, remove the now softened dirt or earwax from the airpod and clean it on a paper towel.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean the leftover particles in the airpods. You can add a little alcohol to ensure it cleans well.
- You can use compressed air on dry airpods to eliminate the dust and particles in the airpods mesh grill. But, of course, you can skip this step if you wish to.
- After cleaning, leave the airpod to dry thoroughly before using it.
- Place the airpods on a table with its speaker facing downwards to ensure that water doesn’t stay in and protect the airpod.
- Repeat this process for the second ear of your airpod.
With those steps above, your airpods should be clean and ready for use.
Can Earwax Damage AirPods?
Yes, earwax can damage your airpods. However, the wax in your ear prevents infection from excessive airpod use.
Although it is to protect you, in the long run, it also isn’t good for you, nor is it great for your airpod.
That is because your airpod will be placed in your ear and prevent air from entering the air.
The wax accumulated in your ear then enters the airpod and blocks the speaker. Also, muffled sounds can result from earwax stuck in your airpods.
It causes you not to enjoy the sound from your airpod. Consequently, this reduces the quality of your airpod sound.
If the earwax remains in your airpod for a long time, it can damage your airpod and reduce the lifespan of your airpod.
Hence, the need to regularly clean your airpods to rid them of earwax and prevent it from getting damaged and reducing their quality.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several reasons your airpod sounds muffled apart from dirt stuck in it and covering the speakers.
Fortunately, a muffled sound from your airpod doesn’t mean it is permanently damaged. You can always fix it and get your airpod back in good condition.
However, cleaning your airpods is essential to keep them from getting damaged.