Ways to fix AirPods that can only hear in one ear

If your AirPods can only hear on one side, you may not have a broken headphone problem. Your headphones may just have a software problem or a hardware problem somewhere. So you can refer to some of the reasons why AirPods can only hear on one side below.

Table of Contents

• 1. Causes of AirPods error: You can only hear on one side
• 2. An effective way to fix the error of AirPods only hearing on one side
  • 2.1 Fix AirPods 1 side by cleaning
  • 2.2 Check the battery capacity of each headset
  • 2.3 Restart the connected device
  • 2.4 Put both earbuds back into the charger
  • 2.5 Try your AirPods with other devices
  • 2.6 Forget AirPods from your device
  • 2.7 Reset AirPods connection
  • 2.8 Check the audio balance again
  • 2.9 Reset machine settings
  • 2.10 Take your AirPods to a service center or repair shop

1. Causes of AirPods error: You can only hear on one side

• Bluetooth connection error: This is the most common reason why Airpods only hear on one side. When the Bluetooth connection is unstable, the sound may be interrupted or only output on one side.
• Software Error: Software errors in the Airpods or connected device can lead to a variety of problems, including only being able to hear in one ear.
• Dust, grime: Dust and grime that accumulates on the earbuds or charging case can clog the speaker grilles, resulting in distorted or no sound.
• Hardware errors: Hardware errors in Airpods, such as sensor errors, circuit boards, etc., can also cause you to only hear in one ear.
• Incorrect volume settings: The sound settings on your device may be off, causing sound to only come out of one ear.
• Charging Case Problems: The Airpods charging case may have battery or connection issues, resulting in one side charging and the other not charging, or an unstable Bluetooth connection, causing the AirPods to be lost.
• Headphones dropped, hit hard, stepped on, dropped in water: If Airpods headphones are hit hard, dropped, or dropped in water, they can be damaged in the hardware and cause you to only hear in one ear.
• Manufacturer defect: In rare cases, a manufacturer defect can result in some AirPods having only one side being audible.

Note that the fixes below for AirPods only hearing on one side will apply to all current AirPods models.

2. An effective way to fix the error of AirPods only hearing on one side

2.1 Fix AirPods 1 side by cleaning

As mentioned above, you should clean your headphones regularly, because if you use headphones every day, they will obviously get dirty and dusty. Especially for many people who sweat a lot and have to work or exercise outdoors.

Dust and dirt stuck on the surface of the speaker and headphones will make it impossible for you to hear the sound coming from them. Or you can only hear very little, so you should clean your headphones regularly, at least once a month, and don't forget to clean the charging case too.

2.2 Check the battery capacity of each headset

Many people often use only one AirPods headset while working, selling or jogging and leave the other ear to listen to what's around. So sometimes they have run out of battery in one ear without even noticing.

Not to mention the battery life of the two headphones may not be the same, so sometimes you listen to both ears but one ear runs out of battery before the other. At this time, checking the battery capacity of each ear is necessary.

2.3 Restart the connected device

Once you've checked your AirPods' battery level and made sure they're charged, it's time to restart the device you're using your AirPods on.

There may be a problem with your connected device, such as your computer or smartphone, that is causing one of your AirPods to disconnect. In that case, a restart may be all you need to fix the One AirPod Not Working error.

Restart your iPhone, Windows computer, Android device, or Mac — whatever you use with your AirPods. Once your device has restarted and Bluetooth is turned on, check to see if your AirPods connect and work properly again.

2.4 Put both earbuds back into the charger

Putting both earbuds in the charging case can help your earbuds fix the unstable connection problem, or fix the battery problem. Just put both earbuds in the charging case for a while, then take them out and listen.

2.5 Try your AirPods with other devices

It's not always the case that your AirPods are the problem. Sometimes, one of your AirPods stops working because of an issue with your smartphone or computer.

In this case, try using AirPods with other devices and see if you can hear sound on both AirPods.

If both AirPods work fine on any other device, then you know the problem is with your primary device and you need to troubleshoot it instead.

2.6 Forget AirPods from your device

One of the best ways to fix problems with Bluetooth devices is to forget them on your phone or other device and then pair them again. This allows your device to establish a new Bluetooth connection.

To forget your AirPods on your iPhone, open the Settings app and tap Bluetooth. Find your AirPods in the list and tap the Info (i) icon next to them. Then tap Forget This Device .

To forget your AirPods on Android, open Settings > Bluetooth . In paired devices, tap the gear icon next to the name of your AirPods, then select Unpair or Forget , depending on your device.

To forget your AirPods on your Mac, click the Control Center icon in the menu bar and click Bluetooth > Bluetooth Settings . The System Settings app will open. Click the Info (i) icon next to your AirPods and select Forget This Device .

To forget your AirPods on Windows, click Start > Settings > Bluetooth & devices . Then, click Devices and find your AirPods in the list. Click the three dots next to their name and select Remove device .

After unpairing, you'll need to pair your AirPods with your device again. Then, see if both AirPods are working.

2.7 Reset AirPods connection

This fix will help your AirPods reconnect to your smartphone. If your smartphone is only connected to AirPods and not connected to other devices such as Apple Watch , you just need to turn off Bluetooth and then turn it back on. Then put the headphones back in the charging case and wait about 30 seconds, then press and hold the settings button on the back of the AirPods when the LED light flashes, open the lid of the AirPods charging case and place it near the device you want to reconnect.

2.8 Check the audio balance again

You may never have to look into this setting, but you may have used it for some listening device before and then forgotten to reset it. Or you can use it to test for broken headphones.

Step 1: Select Settings > Accessibility > select Sound & Visual.

In the Sound and Video menu, when you scroll down you will immediately see Balance with two icons T (left) and P (right). Here you should drag the middle button to the side of the headset and test to see if your headset has returned to normal.

2.9 Reset machine settings

This is the last thing you should do if the above methods do not work because this setting not only re-runs the headset settings connected to your device. It also causes all the settings that you have previously set up on your device to be reset to the original state. So try this when you have used the other methods above but did not work.

2.10 Take your AirPods to a service center or repair shop

After using all the above methods and you still cannot fix the problem of hearing in one ear of AirPods, you should take your headphones to an Apple warranty center or to a reputable repair shop. It is very possible that your headphones have encountered a hardware error.

In addition to the above error of only being able to hear on one side of the AirPods, you may encounter other problems around your headphones. For each problem, you will have different ways to fix it, but the simplest way is still to disconnect your headphones from the current device, then reconnect.