10 Ways to Fix AirPods That Keep Disconnecting from Your iPhone

Are your AirPods often disconnecting intermittently when you are using them with your iPhone? This can be caused due to bugs, glitches, and conflicting settings.

Don’t worry as given below are 10 ways you troubleshoot most connectivity issues between your AirPods and iPhone, Mac, or other devices.

10 Ways to Fix AirPods That Keep Disconnecting from Your iPhone

1. Try to re-establish the Connection with Your iPhone

If your AirPods started disconnecting from your iPhone just moments ago, then re-establishing the connection between both devices might solve the issue.

Just put your AirPods or AirPods Max in the Charging Case or Smart Case, wait, then take them out again to reconnect them.

2. Keep Your AirPods and iPhone Close

This one is probably obvious, however, the further you move away from your iPhone, the higher the chances are that your AirPods will disconnect. The distance between you and your paired device must be maintained under 30 feet for them to work properly.

3. Disable and Re-Activate Bluetooth on Your iPhone

When you disable and re-activating Bluetooth on your iPhone or another connected device it will eliminate minor technical glitches and help fix AirPods-related connectivity issues. The easiest way you can do so is by toggling Airplane Mode on, then off.

Swipe down from the top-right of the iPhone’s screen to open the Control Center. Or, you could swipe up from the bottom of the screen if your device has a Home button, then, tap on the Airplane Mode icon. Wait for 10 seconds, then tap on it again to turn Bluetooth back on.

4. Disable Automatic Ear Detection

Automatic Ear Detection is a feature that automatically detects when the AirPods are in your ears, however, it can also sometimes cause the audio to disconnect. Especially if you tend to fidget with the left or the right AirPod while wearing it. If your AirPods do not stay connected turning off Automatic Ear Detection might help.

To do so, visit Settings > Bluetooth and tap the i icon next to your AirPods, then, disable the Automatic Ear Detection option.

5. Deactivate Automatic Switching

In iOS 14, AirPods gained a new ability to automatically switch between Apple devices when you start playing audio. If there is another iPhone, iPad, or Mac lying around, you should disable this functionality to avoid sudden disconnects.

To deactivate navigate to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the i icon next to AirPods. Then, tap on Connect to This iPhone, then choose When Last Connected to This iPhone. Repeat that on each iOS as well as iPadOS device that you own.

If you are using a Mac, navigate to System Preferences > Bluetooth and select Options next to your AirPods, then, set Connect to This Mac to When Last Connected to This Mac.

6. Avoid Wireless Interference

Wireless interference can sometimes be the cause of AirPods not working correctly. Check whether you have got common sources of interference around you, for example, poorly shielded power cables, microwave ovens, wireless speakers, and else. If yes, then you should move away from them.

7. Update Your AirPods

If your AirPods are not staying connected, outdated device firmware might be the reason. While your AirPods are connected to your iPhone, navigate to Settings > General > About > AirPods to check whether Firmware Version is up to date.

A search on the internet or a search on the AirPods’ Wikipedia page will help reveal the latest version of the AirPods firmware.

To update the firmware on your AirPods, you need to first place them back into the charging case, then connect that to a power source. Then, make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi and you should also keep it close to the AirPods. You need to wait for at least 30 minutes before checking back. The AirPods should update while you wait.

8. Update Your iPhone

The latest iOS updates for the iPhone come with loads of bug fixes that can help resolve connectivity issues with your AirPods. Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update to update your iPhone to the latest iOS version.

If you do not see any pending updates, you can try the trusted old method of restarting your iPhone instead. Make your way to Settings > General > Shut Down and drag the Power icon to the right. After the device shuts down, just wait for 30 seconds before you boot it back up.

9. Reset Your AirPods

Have you used the above-mentioned steps but are still running into issues with your AirPods disconnecting randomly, you should try and reset them. Place the AirPods inside the Charging Case or Smart Case, then, hold down the Status button. Or, hold down both the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown on the AirPods Max until the indicator begins to flash amber.

Then take your AirPods out, then follow the onscreen prompts on your iPhone to re-connect the AirPods to your iPhone.

10. Reset the Network Settings

Resetting the network settings on your iPhone should help resolve the corrupt network-related settings preventing the device from communicating with your AirPods properly.

To reset the network settings make your way to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset, then tap on Reset Network Settings. Type in your device passcode, then, tap on Reset Network Settings. Reconnect your AirPods after the reset procedure is complete to check if the issue persists.

The 10 given fixes above should have helped you fix issues with the AirPods disconnecting from your iPhone. If not, you are likely dealing with a defect on the hardware level, which means you need to contact Apple to solve the issue. You can contact Apple in different ways, you can do so by visiting an Apple Store, or you can download the Apple Support app. 

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