Do AirPods Have A Mic Built-In?

Traditionally, earbuds were mainly designed for listening to music, but nowadays, one can use their earbuds to make and answer calls comfortably. 

Tech companies have, over time, been able to fix mics in the earbuds, which help in the making of calls and allow hands-free communication.

Do AirPods Have A Mic Built-In?

AirPods go a step further than traditional earbuds by including a built-in microphone. This built-in microphone allows music listeners to receive calls and make voice commands without necessarily disconnecting the AirPods from their devices.

With the AirPods, the built-in mics help you access the virtual assistant on Apple devices, “Siri,” make and receive calls.

AirPods are connected to sensors and motion accelerometers that detect when in your ears regardless of whether you are using both AirPods or just one. 

The chip will automatically route the audio and engage the mics. 

When on-call or talking to Siri, a speech detecting accelerometer works hand in hand with the mics to filter out external noises and focus on the internal voice.

This combination ensures that the AirPods deliver a robust audio performance quality.

Where Is The Mic On The AirPods?

Apple’s Airpods are designed to position the mics on each side at the end of the stem. 

They have two small microphones which are located on the inside and the outside. 

When answering phone calls via the AirPods, the mics pick up the wearer’s voice and help you communicate comfortably.

AirPods consists of three different listening modes, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and Off. 

When in Active Noise Cancellation mode. 

The external noise is blocked by a single external and a single internal microphone. 

The external microphone usually blocks background noise from reaching your ears.

The other benefit of Active Noise Cancellation mode is canceling outside noise for your microphone eliminating background noise to appear when you speak, allowing the person on the other side of the call to only hear your voice by minimizing external background noise.

The internal microphone blocks any other noise that is remaining. 

In Transparency mode, you will both hear what your AirPods are playing and the external sounds. 

AirPods use a unique system that allows external noise and internal sounds to be heard simultaneously.

The Off option means neither Active Noise Cancellation nor transparency is functioning.

The location of the mics in the AirPods is very strategic. 

The stem, which is the long and projected part of the AirPods, is closer to the mouth, therefore, making it easy for the mics to pick up the wearer’s voice.

The second-generation AirPods, the AirPods Pro, are more expensive than the first-generation AirPods. 

This is because they come with built-in microphones that drastically increase the quality of sound. 

Furthermore, the mics help reduce the background noise. This makes AirPods ideal for calls.

Is The Bottom Of An Airpod A Mic?

AirPods have two built-in mics at the bottom and rear end, the bottom, of the AirPods. 

In the wired version of Apple’s headphones, the mic was built-in the wire. 

Therefore, the wireless nature of the AirPods meant the mics had to be fixed in a different position.

There are two holes in the AirPods, which mark the position of the microphones. 

One of these holes is found at the bottom of the AirPod, and the other is located at the back of the AirPods. 

The holes are designated sound receptors for your mics, and they ensure convenient and effective communication.

How Do I Test My AirPods Mic?

Whenever you purchase new AirPods, it is vital to test them to ensure that they are working. 

However, if the holes where the mics are situated are clogged, they may not function properly.

To run a test on your AirPods, you can consider the following procedure:

1. Navigate to Utilities and tap Voice Memos from your Home screen.
2. Press the record icon to start recording.
3. Speak into the microphone.
4. To listen to the recording, connect to your AirPods and tap the Play icon.

You can also run this test using Siri, the virtual assistant.

If your voice is not clear, ensure that you clean the microphone holes of your AirPods. 

Do this using a small piece of cotton and alcohol to remove the dirt on the mics and then gently remove the remaining particles with a toothpick or tweezers. 

Make sure no liquid enters inside.

Be careful not to tamper with the mesh covering on the mics.

However, if your AirPods do not pick your sound, put them back in the charging case and try to reconnect.

You can also check active microphone settings. 

If you can only use one AirPod, consider checking your settings to determine if you have both AirPods configured.

How Do I Maintain AirPods?

AirPods’ maintenance is essential. 

To ensure that AirPods last long, you should consider the following practices.

These practices include:

• AirPods and AirPods Pro should not be submerged in water. This is because they are not water-resistant.
• Use a lint-free, gentle, dry cloth or cotton swabs.
• If your AirPods or AirPods Pro come into contact with anything that could cause stains or other damage, such as soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, perfumes, solvents, detergent, acids or acidic foods, insect repellent, etc., clean them with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth.
• Before putting them in the charging case, make sure they’re fully dry. Ensure you do not use them until they have dried.
• Make sure no liquid gets into the apertures.
• Using a dry cotton swab, clean the microphone and speaker meshes off all the dirt that might have stuck on the mesh.
• To clean your AirPods or AirPods Pro, avoid using sharp items or abrasive materials.

Water-resistant, but not waterproof, are your AirPods Pro. 

Because the Wireless Charging Case for AirPods Pro is neither waterproof nor water-resistant, it keeps moisture out of any openings. 

If your case comes into touch with liquid, turn it upside down and open the lid to dry it.

What Are Some Of The Problems Facing The AirPod’s Built-in Mics?

Some users of AirPods Pro have complained of poor sound quality from the devices. 

In addition, some have complained that when they use them for calls, people complain they can’t hear them.

However, some research carried out shows that the poor sound quality of the AirPod’s mics is caused by the AirPods active 8 to 16 kHz SCO.

The SCO Codec plays an essential function in ensuring the audio transmission using your AirPods mics take place. 

It is the default codec used across iOS devices.

The codec that produces the high-quality audio, which AirPods are known for is the AAC Codec. 

Still, whenever there are limitations of the Bluetooth bandwidth, the AirPods end up producing SCO Codec.

To correct this problem, you need to switch from using AirPods built-in mics to the mic on your Apple device that you are using. To do this switching, all you need to do is:

• First, go to Settings on your device.
• Next, tap on the Sound icon.
• Then tap on the input tab.
• Click on the devices’ Built-in mic and give it a few seconds to change the code, and you can enjoy high-quality audio once again.

Closing Thoughts

The more technological improvements made on the earbuds, the more expensive they are. 

The built-in mics in the AirPods have made these devices more of a luxury. 

The devices are becoming more costly due to their portability and efficiency.

Remember that, although your AirPods’ will work with your Android phone and the mics will work perfectly well, you will not be able to access some features like Siri, the virtual assistant, via the mics.

It’s not easy to get an excellent earbud with an excellent built-in microphone. 

Fortunately, there are many options available from which to choose, and some of them will undoubtedly meet your requirements; even more than your headphones, you might fall in love with a fantastic pair of AirPods.

The AirPods have received excellent feedback from customers, with some of their benefits including extremely smooth connectivity, better sound quality, and long battery life. 

However, the comparatively high price of the AirPods appears in most of their reviews as one of the device’s sole negative qualities.

Mics in the AirPods are set to function automatically so that either of the AirPod will be the microphone. 

However, whenever you have a single AirPod, that Airpod becomes the microphone. 

You can set your microphone on your left or the right Airpod, but you can change this whenever you want the other AirPod to act as the microphone.