Why do my AirPods sound muffled? Step-by-Step Guide in Fixing Muffled AirPods.

Why do my AirPods sound muffled? In today’s techie world, Apple’s AirPods are that one earbud that has quickly risen to popularity due to their ultra-portable size, wireless capability, and exceptional sound quality. However, even these state-of-the-art Bluetooth headphones can malfunction, causing sounds or music to become muffled or distorted. 

Apple’s AirPods are reinvented Bluetooth headphones. AirPods function by employing “optical sensors and motion accelerometers to recognize when they’re in your ears,” according to Apple’s website. A “speech-detecting accelerometer that interacts with beamforming microphones to filter out extraneous noise and focus on the sound of your voice” is included in their voice detection feature.

Why do your AirPods sound muffled? Well, Dirty speakers are the primary reason why most AirPods sound muffled. Due to the placement of the EarPods in the ear canal, earwax and other debris can accumulate and degrade the sound quality over time. Bluetooth interference or the need to reset your AirPods are two other possibilities.

Also, AirPods muffled sound while talking or listening to music can be caused by poor Bluetooth connection. Or perhaps, your AirPods just need a reset.

Are you experiencing muffled AirPods? , worry not! This is because the issue is easy and simple to fix. We are hereby guiding you step by step on different methods available to fix out AirPods with a muffled sound. We have also explained in detail the common causes of this issue. To understand better, follow us closely!

 How To Fix Muffled Sound In AirPods

As said earlier, the most common issue with the AirPods’ sound quality is a muffled or decreased sound. The leading cause of this distortion is likely to be dirt in your AirPods themselves. 

How to Cleaning Your AirPods

Although not always visible, dirt and wax grim from your ears can lodge up your AirPods which in turn affect its sound quality. This results in a muffled sound. To avert this problem, it is advisable to properly clean your AirPods at least once after three months. It is imperative to note that the rate of washing them varies per individual, though it is recommended that you clean your AirPods every three to six months to maintain good sound quality. Cleaning will also help extend the life of your AirPods, so you can have many years of use!.

However, how quickly you wash your AirPods is less crucial than how well you wash them. You should wash them thoroughly to avoid mechanical damage while maintaining their cleanliness. It is recommended that you only use water and avoid using certain washing chemicals. Scrub them gently as well to avoid breaking them.

The following easy steps will help you quickly clean your AirPods:

1. Use cardlax ear-buds washer to wash muffled Airpods: Yes, there is now a washing machine for your AirPods. Everything is becoming easier thanks to technological advancements. An automatic AirPods washing is also included, ensuring that your AirPods are clean and beautiful. Because AirPods are so small and sensitive, they can easily be damaged if washed by hand. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, simply place your AirPods in the machine, set the machine to clean, and wait a few minutes. After that, your AirPods will be spotless and gleaming.

2. Wipe Down the Exterior of the Airpod with a Microfiber Cloth

Wiping the exterior of the airpod with a microfiber will ensure that the outside of each unit is as free of loose particles as possible and give you a basic clean. It will also help prepare the AirPods for a deeper clean, as will be mentioned in later steps. You should do this step frequently, even after every use. It will not hurt the AirPods and will prevent some amount of dirt buildup over time.

3. Clean Speaker Ports

The tech giant, Apple recommends dusting the speaker mesh with a dry Q-tip and cleaning your AirPods with a “soft, dry, lint-free towel” (or a cotton swab). This procedure is ideal for cleaning on a regular basis. 

Items you will need to begin cleaning the crevices Manually are:

• Microfiber cloth
• Q-tip
• Toothpick 
• Paper towel
• Screen cleaner (such as an optic cleaner for DSLR cameras) 
• Rubbing alcohol (90% or higher) if you don’t have screen cleaner
• Compressed air (optional) or small air pump

Once you have all these items ready, you can now follow these steps to deep clean your Muffled AirPods.

• First Spray screen cleaner/rubbing alcohol on one end of the Q-tip: Why do you have to spray the screen? This process will help soften the wax and dirt that is built up in the crevices. Rubbing alcohol is also recommended to disinfect the equipment. You only need a few moments for the alcohol to soften the wax and dirt buildup.
• Secondly Spread the cleaner on the grill: Remember that the grill is simply a mesh screen and should not be subjected to undue pressure. Use the Q-tip to apply the cleaner to each part of the earbud that has a dark mesh grille (there are three of these). These areas are where the sound comes out of, so it will be the most affected by gunky buildup.
• Use the toothpick to remove the buildup: Now is the time to use the toothpick to gently remove the softened buildup from all the crevices. A paper towel can help you clean the toothpick for optimal gunk removal.
• Wipe again with a microfiber cloth: Once you are satisfied that all the buildup is removed, you can use your microfiber cloth to get rid of the remainder of the particles. Spraying this cloth with a bit of screen cleaner or alcohol will provide you with extra cleaning capability. 
• Use compressed air for added effect: If you have a compressed air canister or other small air spraying device, you can use this on the dry earbud to remove dust and particles from behind the grill. This step is optional but can provide an additional benefit.
• Let them dry thoroughly: Once you have cleaned one unit, you want to make sure it is completely dry before use. Rest them on the table so that the large part of the speaker is facing downward; this will ensure that any liquid which may have gotten inside migrates outward to keep from damaging the inner workings of the earbud.

4. Cleaning the charging case

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After cleaning your Airpod it important you keep it a clean environment. The charging case of your AirPods could have undoubtedly accumulated quite a bit of dirt and lint from frequent usage. Putting your clean AirPods in a dirty case means zero work. Therefore, to effectively fix muffled sound in AirPods, you should also clean its charging case. To do this;

• Spray your screen screener on your Q-tip and spread it all over the dirty charging case.
• Use a toothpick and pluck out all the built-up dirt/wax
• With a microfiber, wipe out reminder particles.
• Use your compressed air to get tiny leftover particles.
• After you’ve cleaned and dried your AirPods and case, it’s time to put them to the assessment by listening to some songs

Unfortunately, cleaning your AirPods won’t always fix the issue. Although cleaning the airpod is a necessary routine of AirPod upkeep, there are other actions you may take to resolve any audio difficulties you may be experiencing, such as – why do my AirPods sound muffled. Muffled Airpod can also be cause by bad Bluetooth Connection. It important that you also check the Bluetooth connection.

Check Your Bluetooth Connection

Turning off all other Bluetooth devices near your AirPods is one of the first step in troubleshooting the Bluetooth connectivity issue. There’s a risk this won’t work for you, but it has worked for others who have had muffled audio.

Restarting your Apple Airpod may solve the problem in some instances. To get your Bluetooth to work again, follow these steps: 

1. Open your device’s Control Center or network settings  
2. Disable Bluetooth completely  
3. Wait for around 30 seconds and turn it back on 

This fix may be able to assist you in reestablishing a Bluetooth connection. If this does not work, you may need to reset your AirPods to fix why my AirPods sound muffled. 

Reset Your AirPods

If the muffled sound persists even after cleaning and drying the AirPods, the next logical step would be to reset them. The idea is that resetting the AirPods may address a connection error, perhaps resolving the muffled sound issue. Resetting AirPods is extremely simple. Follow the steps below.

1. Keep AirPods in the charging case and shut the lid
2. Wait 30 seconds and reopen the case lid
3. On your iPhone/iPad, open Settings > Bluetooth and tap the “i” icon next to your AirPods 
4. Click Forget This Device and confirm
5. Open the lid of the AirPods case, press and hold the button on the rear of the case for 15 seconds.
6. Wait for the light to flash white
7. Now, leave it for 30 seconds

Check For Updates On iOS Device

If you’re experiencing problems connecting, it’s possible that your iPhone, iPad, or iPod is running an older version of iOS. Apple releases important iOS updates to the most recent edition of the company’s operating system on a regular basis. iOS 15 is the most recent significant iOS release. It was announced at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 7, 2021, as the successor to iOS 14, and released to the public on September 20, 2021.

As a result, if you’re still using an older version of iOS on your smartphone, you should update it immediately; this is especially important if you have multiple Apple devices and want to keep them all up to date.

If you’re concerned that this isn’t the case, check your iOS version. Check the version number of your update by following the steps below.

• Open Settings > General > About
• Look for the version number on the About page

Check for the update notification on your Apple device if it does not have the most recent version of iOS. Apple’s support staff can assist you if you don’t have the latest version of the update available. 

No matter how well your AirPods worked on a previous version of iOS, if you are not on the latest version of iOS or macOS, then you’re missing out on the latest patches. 

It’s worth noting that if you own a jailbroken device or an older model, your only option is to fix the AirPods sound muffled issue by upgrading the iOS. If your device is not eligible for the update, the last resort would be getting a new device.