AirPods Mic Not Working? Fixes for iPhone, Mac, and PC
Connect your AirPods, press Start, and pick them in the Mic list.
- Runs in your browser
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Step 1: Start
Press Start, then choose Allow when your browser asks.
Step 2: Talk
Your result shows here
Say a few words after you start. You get a plain answer in seconds.
Step 3: Hear yourself
Record up to 10 seconds and play it back. This is what your call hears. The clip stays in this tab.
Try saying: Peter picked six silver spoons from the sink.
Advanced
Press Start first. The numbers, spectrum, and checks fill in once the mic is on.
- Level
- -- dBFS
- Peak (session)
- -- dBFS
- Noise floor
- -- dBFS
- Clips
- 0
- Sample rate
- -- kHz
- Channels
- --
Talk for a few seconds to get input volume advice.
Plays your mic through your speakers or headphones as you talk.
Use headphones to avoid feedback. Speakers will squeal.
Stay silent for 3 seconds, then talk for 7. You get a grade for background noise, speech level, clipping, and clarity.
Your last two recordings stay here, labeled with the mic and processing used, so you can switch mics or settings and compare.
- Record a clip to start comparing.
dBFS means decibels relative to full scale: 0 dBFS is the loudest level digital audio can hold, so every reading is negative. Noise floor is the level of your quietest moments over the last few seconds. Changing a processing option restarts the mic; the value on the right is what your browser reports it applied.
Put your AirPods in, connect them, and run the test above. If it hears you, the AirPods mic works and the fix is a setting: which AirPod is the mic on iPhone or Mac, or the hands-free device on a Windows PC. If it hears nothing, reset and clean them using Apple's steps below.
After you press Start, open the Mic list and choose your AirPods by name. If the test is still using your laptop's built-in mic, you are testing the wrong microphone. Record a clip and play it back to judge whether you sound muffled.
How to test your AirPods mic
Connect your AirPods to the computer or phone, start the test above, and pick the AirPods in the Mic list. Speak normally. A "Your mic is working" verdict means the AirPods microphone is fine and the problem is a setting in the app or device you use for calls.
What the other results mean for AirPods:
- Working, but the clip sounds muffled: on a PC this is usually the Bluetooth hands-free mode, explained below. It is how Bluetooth calls work, not a broken mic.
- Too quiet: check that the AirPod acting as the mic is actually in your ear (see the iPhone and Mac setting), then check the mic meshes for dirt.
- No sound or no AirPods in the list: they may be connected for audio only, or connected to another device. Reconnect them, or reset them.
Fix the AirPods mic on iPhone and iPad
Both AirPods have microphones, and by default your iPhone switches automatically between them. If the Microphone setting is fixed to one side, that AirPod stays the mic even when it is out of your ear or in the case, and callers hear nothing. Setting it back to automatic fixes that.
1. Check the Microphone setting
- With your AirPods in your ears and connected, open Settings.
- Tap your AirPods' name near the top.
- Tap Microphone. If you don't see it, tap Audio & Routing first.
- Choose Automatically Switch AirPods, or pick Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod to match the one you wear.
If you often wear just one AirPod, this is the first thing to check. With Always Left or Always Right selected, the chosen side stays the microphone even when it is sitting in the case.
2. Test the mic outside your call app
Open this page in Safari and run the test. If it works here but not in a specific app, check that app's microphone permission in Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
Fix the AirPods mic on a Mac
On a Mac, your AirPods can be connected for sound while the Mac still listens through its own built-in microphone. Select the AirPods as the input in Sound settings, then check which AirPod is used as the mic. Both settings live in System Settings.
1. Select the AirPods as the input
Choose Apple menu > System Settings > Sound, then Input, and select your AirPods from the list. Adjust the input volume slider if you sound too quiet or distorted.
2. Check which AirPod is the mic
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click your AirPods' name in the sidebar, then Microphone (click Audio & Routing first if needed). The same three options appear as on iPhone; Automatically Switch AirPods is the safe choice.
3. Check app permission
In System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone, make sure your call app and your browser are switched on.
AirPods mic not working on Windows PC
AirPods pair with a Windows PC as a normal Bluetooth headset, so you can listen and talk, but Siri isn't available. The mic works through a separate hands-free connection, and switching to it lowers the sound quality. That is why AirPods often sound muffled on PC calls even when nothing is broken.
Pair them correctly
Put the AirPods in the case and open the lid. On AirPods 1 to 3 and AirPods Pro 1 and 2, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the light flashes white. On AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case instead. Then add them from your PC's Bluetooth settings.
Why AirPods sound muffled on a PC
Bluetooth headphones play stereo music over one profile (A2DP). When an app opens the mic, the connection switches to a hands-free profile (HSP/HFP), and playback quality drops a lot. Because of this, Windows typically lists the AirPods twice: a stereo entry for listening and a separate hands-free or headset entry that has the microphone.
- In Settings > System > Sound, under Input, choose the AirPods entry in "Choose a device for speaking or recording".
- In Zoom, Teams, or Discord, pick that same hands-free AirPods entry as the microphone.
- Expect calls to sound more like a phone call than music. That is a Bluetooth limit, not a fault.
If you need clear audio on a PC, a wired or USB microphone avoids the hands-free switch entirely, and your AirPods can then stay in the high-quality listening mode.
Pairing from Apple: Use AirPods with other devices. Profile behavior from How-To Geek.
Reset and clean your AirPods
If the test hears nothing on every device, reset the AirPods, then clean the microphone meshes. A reset clears pairing problems; a clogged mesh blocks sound physically. Apple publishes exact steps for both, and following them closely matters, especially for cleaning, so you don't push debris or liquid inside.
1. Reset your AirPods
- Put both AirPods in the case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the More Info button next to your AirPods, and tap Forget This Device.
- Open the lid. On AirPods 1 to 3 and AirPods Pro 1 and 2, hold the setup button for about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber, then white.
- On AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3, double-tap the front of the case while the light is on, again when it flashes white, and a third time when it flashes faster, until it flashes amber and then white.
- Follow the prompts on your iPhone to reconnect.
2. Clean the microphone meshes
Clean only the meshes Apple shows in its guide; Apple says to avoid cleaning any other areas.
- Use a Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit, or micellar water containing PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, plus distilled water and a soft-bristled children's toothbrush.
- Dip the brush, then brush the mesh with it facing up, in small circles, for about 15 seconds.
- Blot the mesh on a paper towel. Repeat three times per mesh, then repeat the whole process with distilled water.
- Let the AirPods dry for at least 2 hours before using them or putting them in the case.
Steps from Apple: AirPods microphone settings, reset your AirPods, and clean your AirPods.
One AirPod silent for music? That is an output problem, not the mic. Play the left and right tones on the sound test to see which side is out.
A clearer mic for PC calls
If your AirPods mic works but PC calls always sound muffled, a separate USB microphone is the practical fix. Your AirPods stay in high-quality listening mode while the USB mic handles your voice. Check any new mic with the test on this page before your next call.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
A dynamic USB-C mic with tap-to-mute and an on-mic denoiser, which suits voice calls in an ordinary room. There is no physical gain knob; level is set in Shure's MOTIV Mix app or left to Auto Level.
More options are compared on best USB microphones. If you use a wired headset instead, the headset mic test covers plug types and splitters.
AirPods mic questions
Which AirPod has the microphone?
Both do. By default your iPhone or Mac switches automatically between them. You can lock the mic to one side with Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod in the AirPods Microphone setting.
Why can't callers hear me when I wear only one AirPod?
The Microphone setting is probably locked to the other side. With Always Left or Always Right selected, that AirPod stays the mic even in the case. Set it to Automatically Switch AirPods, or to the side you are wearing.
Why do my AirPods sound muffled on PC calls?
Using the mic switches Bluetooth from its stereo music profile to a hands-free profile, which sounds much worse. It is a Bluetooth limit rather than a fault. A separate USB or wired mic lets the AirPods stay in stereo mode.
Can I use AirPods as a microphone on Windows?
Yes. AirPods pair with a Windows PC as a Bluetooth headset, and you can listen and talk; only Siri is unavailable. Choose the AirPods hands-free entry as the input in Windows Sound settings and in your call app.
Why do my AirPods appear twice in Windows?
Windows usually lists a stereo entry for listening and a separate hands-free or headset entry that includes the microphone. Pick the hands-free entry as your microphone. Picking it as your speaker too lowers music quality.
How do I put AirPods 4 in pairing mode for a PC?
Put them in the case, open the lid, and double-tap the front of the case until the light flashes white. Older AirPods and AirPods Pro 1 and 2 use the setup button on the back of the case instead.
How do I reset AirPods to fix the mic?
Put them in the case for 30 seconds, forget them in iPhone Bluetooth settings, then hold the setup button for about 15 seconds until the light flashes amber then white. AirPods 4 and Pro 3 use repeated taps on the front of the case instead.
What can I use to clean the AirPods mic mesh?
Apple suggests a Belkin AirPods Cleaning Kit, or micellar water with PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, plus distilled water and a soft children's toothbrush. Clean only the meshes Apple shows, and let them dry for at least 2 hours.
How do I test AirPods mic on a Mac?
Connect the AirPods, open this page, and press Start. Pick the AirPods in the Mic list, speak, and watch the verdict. Record a clip to hear exactly how you sound to others.
Why does only one AirPod play sound?
That is a playback issue rather than a mic issue. Use the left and right tones on our sound test to confirm which side is silent, then reset or clean that AirPod using Apple's steps.