Do you have a problem with your AirPods connecting randomly to Mac or iPhone, even when the case is closed? If so, don’t worry – you’re not alone! This is a common issue that many people are experiencing. This blog post will discuss how to fix this issue and properly keep your AirPods connected.
First things first, you’re not alone.
There are many reports on Reddit of people having the same issue with AirPods suddenly connecting. Even at the most inconvenient times, such as during Zoom calls, the sound can inadvertently switch from an iPhone to a Mac. This is annoying for users and can be a hindrance to productivity. While it is unclear what causes this issue, it appears to be a software bug that Apple must fix. In the meantime, users can try restarting their devices or resetting their AirPods. Hopefully, Apple will release a fix soon so users can use their devices without this annoying issue.
What can you do about it?
You can try a couple of solutions if the issue with your AirPods connecting randomly to Mac becomes too much of a problem. However, these come at some performance costs and may not work for everyone, so I’ll tell you more about them here!
Turn Off Automatic Ear Detection
The Automatic Ear Detection is a handy little feature that allows the audio being routed from your connected device to seamlessly switch to the AirPods the moment you put them in your ears. This means that your AirPods can automatically pause the audio track when you remove them and resume playback when you put them back in again, ensuring you won’t miss anything.
AirPods suddenly connect to Mac because they “think” you’ve put them in your ears when you haven’t. This is where turning off Automatic Ear Detection comes in to solve the problem; by doing so, your AirPods won’t try to automatically connect to your Mac (or any other device) when they’re not in your ears.
How to Turn off Automatic Ear Detection
1 – First, put the Airpods on and go to the Bluetooth settings on your iPhone.
2 – Find the AirPods in the list of devices and tap on the “i” icon next to it.
3 – Scroll down to the bottom and toggle off the switch next to “Automatic Ear Detection.”
Your AirPods will no longer try to connect to your Mac (or any other device) when they’re not in your ears automatically.
The trade-off by doing this is that you won’t be able to use the automatic ear detection feature anymore. You’ll have to connect your AirPods to your devices manually, and the audio track won’t automatically pause when you remove them from your ears.
While this may be a minor inconvenience, it’s worth it if you no longer have to deal with random AirPods connections, especially if it was causing issues with productivity or interference with Zoom calls.
Switch off the auto-connect feature
Apple’s auto-connect feature for AirPods and AirPods Pro is a great way to keep your devices connected, even if you’re using different Apple products. With this feature enabled, your AirPods will automatically connect to any iOS or iPadOS device that you’re logged into with your Apple ID. Additionally, macOS Big Sur introduced this feature to Macs as long you are using the same Apple ID. This is an excellent feature for people who use multiple Apple products, as it ensures that you’ll always be able to use your AirPods, no matter which device you’re using.
Despite its many benefits, the AirPods switching feature can be frustrating when you’re trying to use your iPhone or iPad simultaneously with your Mac. Sometimes AirPods automatically switch to the Mac when you’re using them on your iPad, which can be disruptive if you’re in the middle of a call or trying to listen to music. Additionally, the AirPods may refuse to switch back to the iPhone even when you get a call, which can be frustrating if you’re expecting an important call.
How to switch off the auto-connect feature
- Click the apple logo at the top left corner of your Mac and select “System preferences”
- Click on “Bluetooth”
- Find your AirPods in the list of devices and click on the “Options” button next to it
- Select “When Last Connected to This Mac” from the drop does next to “Connect to This Mac”
- Click “Done”
One potential downside of disabling the auto connect feature on your AirPods is that you’ll no longer be able to benefit from the automatic connections. This means you’ll have to manually connect your AirPods to your devices whenever you want to use them. While this may be a minor inconvenience, it’s worth it if it means you no longer have to deal with random AirPods connections.
