Solved: One AirPod is Louder Than the Other

When using your AirPods, you may experience one AirPods sounding louder than the other. There are various reasons why this could happen to your AirPods or AirPods Pro. These could either be physical or improper audio settings. So, when one of your AirPods is louder than the other, the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that both the AirPods and the charging case are clean. If that doesn’t work, then you can try other troubleshooting steps outlined below.

How Do I Fix One Airpod Is Louder Than the Other?

1. Clean Your AirPods and Their Charging Case

Before you try other troubleshooting steps you should give your AirPods a good clean-up job. Accumulated dirt on the charging case, particularly the contact points, and the AirPods speakers can cause inconsistent audio levels between the AirPods. Earwax buildup could also happen on both your AirPods and the charging case causing one of them to sound louder than the other.

Avoid using thin tissue that could break up and get stuck inside the charging case or on your AirPods. This could lead to sound issues later on.

2. Ensure the AirPods Audio Balance Is Set To Normal

If cleaning your AirPods and their charging case did not fix the issue, check the audio balance on your iPhone or iPad.

3. Reset Your AirPods

Another step that you can do is to restart your AirPods. If you haven’t done so before, put your AirPods in the charging case, then press and hold the setup button at the back of the case. Wait for the status light to flash yellow then white. Wait for a few seconds before pairing your AirPods with your iPhone or iPad again.

4. Restart Your iPhone or iPad

Follow the steps below to restart your iPhone or iPad depending on which model you have:

• For iPhones without a Home button: Press and hold either the volume button or the power button. Swipe the slider to shut off your device. Wait at least 30 seconds, and then hold the power button to turn it on again.
• For iPhones with a Home button: Press and hold the power button. Swipe the slider to shut off your device. Wait at least 30 seconds, and then hold the power button to turn it on again.
• For iPads: Press and hold either the volume button or the power button at the same time. Swipe the slider to shut off your device. Wait at least 30 seconds, and then hold the power button to turn it on again.

5. Check for Firmware Updates for Your AirPods

If one of your AirPods sounds louder than the other, it could be due to the need for a firmware update. It’s important to note that Apple doesn’t send notifications about AirPods firmware updates through your iPhone or iPad. Instead, these updates are applied automatically when certain conditions are met.

To ensure your AirPods receive any available updates, follow these steps:

1. Make sure your AirPods are in their charging case, and the case is charging.
2. Place the AirPods and the charging case near your iPhone.
3. Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi.

Firmware updates are automatically pushed to your AirPods when they’re connected to your iPhone, and your iPhone is online. Although you won’t receive a notification, these updates are designed to improve performance, fix bugs, and sometimes address sound issues like uneven volume.

6. Seek the Assistance of Apple Support

Your last resort if none of the above steps worked is to contact Apple Support. Depending on their diagnosis of your AirPods or AirPods Pro, you can either file for repair or request a replacement of your AirPods. That is of course if they found out that the problem was not caused by a software issue. If Apple Service Center cannot fix the hardware issue and your AirPods are still under warranty, you can request a repair or replacement.

Conclusion

I’ve used both the original AirPods and the AirPods Pro, and throughout my experience with both models, there have been several instances where one AirPod sounded louder than the other. However, after trying all the steps mentioned above, I can confidently say that the issue is gone.

If you have any other methods of fixing the issue of one AirPods sounding louder than the other, feel free to leave a comment below. Your insights could greatly assist others experiencing similar issues, potentially saving them from unnecessary replacements or expenses.