Apple AirPods are among the best wireless headphones you can buy on the market. The Cupertino firm has been improving its AirPods lineup since day one, adding new features and offering higher audio performance. However, Apple’s wireless earbuds sometimes become a cause of annoyance as they are not working as intended.
A common problem with Apple’s wireless headphones is that your AirPod only plays audio in one ear. Whether it’s your left or right AirPod not working, it’s super annoying. That’s why we are going to fix it in this guide. But there are a few things you need to know about the Apple AirPods that only play on one ear.
What’s the Cause?
There is no specific cause for this AirPod problem, but it can range from low battery charge to dirty AirPods to incorrect network or audio settings. Before doing anything, try updating your AirPods to see if the problem has been resolved. To update the AirPods, simply leave your headphones next to your iOS device, which should update automatically.
How to Fix One AirPod not Working Issue
Check Your Battery Charge. One of the main reasons why your AirPod is only playing audio in one ear is your battery charge. In fact, if your AirPods are running low on battery or the battery is dead, they are not working, or only one AirPod still works. In this case, try charging your AirPods and check the battery charge by bringing the case closer to the phone and opening the lid.
Ensure your AirPods are clean. Dirt builds up in your AirPods over time, causing them to malfunction. In this case, check your AirPods and make sure nothing is blocking sound from coming out. If there is lint or dirt inside, use a soft cloth to remove it.
Turn off Bluetooth and turn it back on. This is a classic fix for any software-related issue. If the audio only gets out from one ear, try resetting Bluetooth. To do it, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad > Bluetooth > turn off Bluetooth, wait for at least 20 seconds and turn it back on.
Restart Your iPhone or iPad. If the problem persists, try restarting your iPhone or iPad currently paired to the AirPods. A restart should clean out your device’s memory and should solve some software issues. So, it’s worth a try.
Unpair and Repair your AirPods. If nothing is fixed, try setting up your AirPods from scratch. To do it, go to your iPhone or iPad Settings and forget the AirPods. After that, put your AirPods into their case, press and hold down the button on the case, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Hard reset your AirPods. This is the last solution if nothing above works. A hard reset should erase all current settings, meaning your AirPods will be reset to their factory state, which should fix the issue. To do it, forget the AirPods on your iPhone or iPad. Put your AirPods into the case, and keep the button pressed for 15 seconds until you see the light flash amber and then white. Release the button and follow the on-screen instructions.
Reset network settings. This is one of the most common fixes for one AirPod not working. To do it, go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
Check your stereo balance. There is a cool Accessibility option that lets you control the stereo balance between the left and right AirPods. The problem may be with incorrect settings. Launch Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > move the slider to the center.
Also read: How to Fix AirPods Not Connecting to iPhone or iPad
