How to Fix AirPods Mic Not Working

Over time, earwax, lint, and dust can accumulate inside the tiny microphone grilles located at the stem of your AirPods. Even a thin layer of debris can muffle your voice entirely or prevent the microphone from registering any sound at all. Take a close look at the mesh openings at the bottom of each stem under a bright light.

To clean them safely, use a clean, dry, soft-bristled toothbrush to gently brush away any visible buildup. Never insert sharp metal objects, paperclips, or toothpicks into the mesh, as this can permanently puncture and destroy the delicate internal components. If you notice stubborn residue, lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with water and wipe the exterior housing, ensuring no liquid enters the openings.

By default, your AirPods are designed to automatically switch which microphone is active so that one earbud can act as the mic while the other charges or stays docked. However, this automatic switching feature can sometimes fail or stick to the wrong earbud, causing your voice to sound muffled or completely silent to other callers.

You can force your device to use a specific microphone by opening Settings > Bluetooth, tapping the information icon next to your AirPods in the list of connected devices, and selecting Microphone. From there, you can manually choose either Always Left or Always Right depending on which earbud you prefer to use for calls and voice commands.

Temporary software glitches between your iPhone and your AirPods can cause audio routing failures that affect the microphone. Forgetting the device and pairing it fresh clears out corrupted connection caches and re-establishes a clean wireless handshake between the hardware.

Go to Settings > Bluetooth, find your AirPods, tap the information button, and select Forget This Device. Place both AirPods back inside their charging case, close the lid for about thirty seconds, and then open the lid near your iPhone. Press and hold the setup button on the back of the case until the status light flashes amber and then white, then follow the onscreen prompts to reconnect them.

If basic reconnection steps do not resolve the issue, performing a complete factory reset on your AirPods clears all internal firmware states and fixes persistent sensor bugs. This process takes less than a minute and gives your hardware a completely fresh slate.

Place your AirPods in their charging case and close the lid for 30 seconds. Open the lid, press and hold the setup button on the back of the case for about 15 seconds until the status light flashes amber continuously and then turns white. Once the reset is complete, reconnect your AirPods to your iPhone by holding the case close to your screen and following the setup wizard.

Sometimes your AirPods microphone works perfectly fine during standard phone calls, but fails when you use third-party communication applications like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Discord. These applications often maintain their own independent audio input settings that may override your system defaults.

Open the audio or settings menu within the specific app you are using and verify that your AirPods are selected explicitly as the input device rather than your iPhone internal microphone or a disconnected headset. If the setting is correct, try toggling the input source to your phone speaker and back to your AirPods to force the application to refresh its connection.

Running outdated software on your iPhone can introduce compatibility bugs that interfere with Bluetooth audio accessories. Ensuring your operating system is up to date prevents these communication breakdowns between your phone and your wireless earbuds.

Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update to check for and install any pending iOS updates. AirPods firmware updates install automatically in the background when your AirPods are connected to your iPhone, placed inside their charging case, and plugged into a power source, so make sure to leave them charging near your phone for a brief period if an update is pending.