How to Reset Apple AirPods

AirPod trouble usually means that you’ve misplaced one (or both) of them. But sometimes both of your AirPods are present and fully charged and are just acting funny, whether it’s having trouble connecting to your phone, dropping calls, or producing static. Before you get too deep into troubleshooting, ask yourself this: Have you tried turning them off and then on again? 

No matter what generation your AirPods may be, a restart or reset can generally clear up most issues. A restart involves powering your earphones down and then back up, while a reset returns them to factory settings. Here's how to do both: 

How to Restart AirPods

To initiate a restart for AirPods and AirPods Pro, put them in the case and close the lid for at least 10 seconds. That's it. For AirPods Max, hold down the digital crown and noise control button simultaneously on the right headphone for less than 10 seconds, until the status light flashes amber, then release the buttons.

How to Factory Reset AirPods

To perform a full factory reset, which will get rid of any of your personalized settings, put the AirPods in their case, close the lid, and wait 30 seconds. Then open the lid and press and hold the setup button for 15 seconds, until the status light flashes amber and then white. For AirPods Max, hold down the digital crown and noise control button together on the right headphone for about 15 seconds until the status light flashes amber and then white. 

To reconnect your AirPods, open the charging case with the AirPods inside it and make sure they're close to the device you'd like to pair them with. Apple devices should automatically recognize the reset AirPods and initiate the pairing process. Simply follow the instructions onscreen to establish the connection.

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It's a similar process for AirPods Max headphones. To reconnect, take them out of the Smart Case and hold them next to the device you want to pair with, then follow the steps on the screen.