AirPods are known for their premium audio quality, perfect for enjoying videos or music. However, sometimes you may experience muffled or glitchy sound when you connect AirPods to your computer. This may be due to your Bluetooth settings or connection problems. Luckily, there are a few simple fixes you can try.
Before diving into detailed troubleshooting, always start with these quick and easy checks as they may often resolve the issue.
1. Clean Your AirPods
Check for any visible dust or earwax in the speakers. Use a soft, dry brush to gently clean the mesh inside. Avoid using liquids or poking objects into the speakers.
2. Make Sure Your AirPods Are Fully Charged
Place the AirPods in their charging case and check the battery. A low battery can result in poor connection or bad sound.
3. Reconnect the AirPods
Head to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Devices on your computer. Remove your AirPods from the list of paired devices, then pair them again.
Fix 1: Set AirPods to Stereo Mode
When your AirPods are connected to a computer, Windows will sometimes default to using ‘Hands-free’ audio. This is ideal for microphone input but can cause low-quality sound on your AirPods.
Step 1: Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar. It should look like a small speaker.
Step 2: Select ‘Sound Settings’ and open it.
Step 3: Navigate to ‘More sound settings,’ then open the Playback tab.
Step 4: Click on ‘AirPods Stereo.’
Step 5: Click ‘Set Default,’ then ‘Apply,’ and finally ‘OK.’ This sets stereo mode to the automatic setting.
Fix 2: Disable the AirPods Microphone
When the computer uses the AirPods microphone, it forces the audio into ‘Hands-Free’ mode. This reduces sound quality significantly.
Step 1: Right-click the sound icon in the taskbar.
Step 2: Select ‘Sound Settings’, then ‘More sound settings’ and head to the ‘Recording’ tab.
Step 3: Find the device labeled ‘AirPods Hands-Free AG Audio.’
Step 4: Right-click the device and select the ‘Disable’ option.
This prevents Windows from using the AirPods mic, instead prompting you to use your computer’s built-in mic or an external mic if needed.
Fix 3: Update or Reinstall Bluetooth Drivers
Outdated Bluetooth drivers can cause compatibility problems or limit audio profiles.
To update drivers:
Step 1: Press Windows + X and choose Device Manager.
Step 2: Expand the Bluetooth section.
Step 3: Right-click your Bluetooth adapter.
Step 4: Click ‘Update Driver.’
Step 5: Choose ‘Search automatically for drivers.’
To reinstall drivers:
Step 1: In Device Manager, right-click the Bluetooth adapter.
Step 2: Select ‘Uninstall device.’
Step 3: Restart your Computer. Windows will now automatically reinstall the Bluetooth driver.
As an avid gamer, I’ve run into my fair share of error codes and weird faults that have forced me to find fixes to problems I never anticipated. That gave me a passion for sharing those fixes with others so we can all game without feeling like our hardware is rebelling against us.
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