Is your left AirPod slightly louder than the right one or vice versa? Does the music in one ear pop out more than the one in the other? Then you may be facing the common issue that every AirPods owner has had to deal with at least once in their lifetime. The issue might seem quite frustrating and annoying at first but fear not. With a little research and personal experience, we have found some of the most effective fixes and solutions if you have been puzzled by the question: “Why is one AirPod louder than the other?”.
Why is one AirPod louder than the other? – Methods To Solve
In this guide, we’ll share with you some of the most effective solutions that you must try if one of your AirPod is louder than the other. The solutions shared in this guide are the fruit of personal experience, Apple’s Support Community forums, and some useful subreddits. So, without wasting any more time, let’s jump straight in.
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1. Adjust the Audio Volume Balance
Go to your iPhone settings, and you will find the option to change the output sound volume with either AirPod. This method has proven useful for many Apple users puzzled by the question: “Why is one AirPod louder than the other?”. You will need to follow these steps to adjust the audio volume balance in your iPhone:
1. Go to the “Settings” app and tap “Accessibility”.
2. Under the “Hearing” option, tap on “Audio/Visual”.
3. Check and adjust the audio volume balance slider between the left and right channels of your AirPods. We recommend keeping it aligned in the middle to have an equal volume of sound.
Note: If you’re on iOS 12 or prior versions, you will have to go to “General” from Settings and then “Accessibility”. This method should be able to fix the problem.
2. Clean It
In case you didn’t know, AirPods are not dust and water-resistant. Hence, AirPods can accumulate dirt and wax over a long period, which hampers their quality. It is a good idea to clean your AirPods from time to time to preserve their quality. One simple way to clean your AirPods is using a soft toothbrush to brush the speaker grills gently. We recommend using a clean cloth to wipe it every time you brush it. You may also use a cotton swab instead of a toothbrush to wipe the speaker grills.
It is smart to lightly dampen the cloth or the cotton swab with water or alcohol before wiping. But make sure that you do not use water or alcohol excessively as this may damage the AirPods. We recommend combining this method with the sucking method to ensure that the problem is fixed once and for all.
3. Switch To Another Device
If none of the above solutions worked for you and you are still left with the question: “Why is one AirPod louder than the other?” then you may need to check if your AirPods are faulty. To identify if your AirPods are faulty, connect your AirPods to one of your other devices like a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, etc. and then play a video or a song. If the AirPods work fine with other devices, then your original device might be at fault. In this scenario, you will need to reset your iPhone or iPad settings. Follow these steps to reset your settings on your iPhone or iPad:
1. Go to “Settings” and then tap “General”.
2. Select “Reset” and then choose “Reset All Settings”.
Note that resetting all settings means resetting your network settings/Wi-Fi passwords, the keyboard dictionary, the Home screen layout, location settings, and privacy settings. This will not lead to the loss of any of your data or media. After resetting, try testing your AirPods to see if the problem has been fixed. This will work 99% of the time in case your device is at fault.
Here are some other effective methods that you could also try:
1. Restart Your iPhone
A common solution to numerous glitches and errors is simply restarting your iPhone. To restart your iPhone, you will have to:
1. Press and hold the Power button or the side button and one of the volume buttons until the slider appears.
2. Swipe the red icon from left to right.
3. Wait for around 30 seconds to a minute and then hold the Power button again until the Apple logo appears.
Another method to restart your iPhone is as follows:
1. Go to “Settings” and then tap “General”.
2. Tap “Shut Down” at the bottom.
3. Swipe the red icon from left to right on the slider.
4. Now, plug your iPhone into a power source to turn it on again.
You can also turn off your iPhone using AssisitiveTouch as follows:
1. Go to “Settings” and then tap “General”.
2. Tap “Accessibility” and then tap “AssisitiveTouch”.
3. You will need to turn on the switch next to the AssistiveTouch option and then tap the AssisitiveTouch button.
4. Tap “Device” > “More” > “Restart”.
5. You will need to tap
2. Reset Your AirPods
If restarting your iPhone didn’t fix the issue and you are still left wondering: “Why is one AirPod louder than the other?” then you may need to reset your AirPods. This can get rid of a number of connectivity and battery issues. To reset your AirPods:
1. Press and hold the Setup button on the back of the case.
2. Release the setup button once the light flashes amber a few times and then turns white.
And just like that, your AirPods have been reset. You can connect your AirPods to your device and check if the problem has been fixed.
4. Visit Your Nearest Apple Authorized Service Provider
If none of the above solutions worked for you, then this is the last step you should take. If you’re on a warranty, we recommend that you visit the nearest Apple authorized service provider and check if you qualify for a replacement. If you feel like going to the physical store is a tad bit tedious, you even contact them online for assistance. All you have to do is visit Apple’s Get Support website and then click ‘AirPods’ and ‘Audio Quality. You may also find some useful advice and tips from the various comments left by others who have faced the same issue.
Final Words
That concludes our guide in which we tried to answer the question: “Why is one AirPod louder than the other?”. The problem may arise due to various software or hardware issues or connectivity glitches. Most of the time, this problem is caused due to the accumulation of debris and is usually fixed by following the first or third method. If you are not sure what is the actual cause behind the problem, we recommend giving each method a shot in the order we have mentioned in the article.
Were you able to fix the issue? Let us know in the comments below which method worked for you. If you know of any other solutions or fixes to this issue, you can share them in the comments. Thanks for reading!