Preventing Your AirPods Pro From Leaking Sound
There’s nothing worse than wearing earphones to listen to music or audio privately only to find out that your AirPods are leaking sound and people around you can hear what you’re listening to. But does the AirPods Pro leak sound? And how can you prevent it?
The AirPods Pro don’t leak much audio, especially if the Noise Cancelation feature is switched on. However, if the volume is too high or they don’t fit properly, they may leak more sound. You can prevent this by using bigger silicone tips, by adding earbud covers, or by reducing the volume.
The AirPods Pro has noise canceling settings that prevent sound from leaking and give you high-quality audio. Let’s look at why your AirPods Pro may be leaking sound, what you can do to stop it and how to maintain your AirPods Pro properly.
Do AirPods Pro Leak Sound?
AirPods Pro does leak sound but not as much as other AirPods. 1st and 2nd Generation AirPods are known for leaking more sound since they don’t fit perfectly in your ears or have the same noise cancellation technology as AirPods Pro. However, the AirPods Pro will still leak sound if it doesn’t fit snugly in your ears.
The AirPods Pro leaks much less sound than older models because of the silicone tips that come in different sizes. If you have AirPods Pro, you’ll get three different-sized silicone tips that help the AirPods fit perfectly in your ears.
Another reason AirPods Pro leaks less sound is they have Active Noise Cancellation that will block out external sounds and give a more focused sound effect. The Active Noise Cancellation also means you are less likely to play music at higher volumes with your AirPods Pro since there’s less external interference.
However, while your AirPods Pro shouldn’t leak sound, it may if it isn’t placed perfectly in your ears or the volume is too high. In addition, software problems may cause audio to leak, but this is rare.
What Causes AirPods Pro to Leak Sound?
While the Airpods Pros are great at keeping sound in, for the most part, they’ll not immune to sound leakage now and then. So here are some reasons why.
Volume Too High
The AirPods Pro may leak sound if you keep the volume too high. Playing music too loudly can numb your hearing, and you may get used to keeping the AirPods volume higher than 80%.
However, this can damage your hearing and cause more sound to leak. If you have the habit of playing audio too loudly, try gradually reducing the volume until you get used to listening to music at no more than 50% of the maximum volume.
Improper Placement
Another reason your AirPods may be leaking sound is that they aren’t placed perfectly in your ears. If you aren’t using the right-sized silicone tip for your AirPods, the speaker part will protrude outwards, and people will be able to hear the audio.
Noise Canceling Switched Off
If the noise canceling feature on your AirPods is switched off, it may also cause the AirPods to leak sound. This is because the noise canceling feature allows you to listen to sounds at a lower volume since external sounds are reduced. However, if this feature is off, you’ll likely keep the volume higher, resulting in audio leaking.
Apple has also designed the AirPods to allow users to hear some background noise since blocking sound off altogether increases the risks of accidents.
This is why an AirPods Pro will leak sound even when the noise cancellation feature is on. However, usually minimal sound is leaked, and no one should be able to hear what you’re listening to.
How to Prevent AirPods Pro From Leaking Sound
If your AirPods Pro is leaking more sound than usual, it’s likely because the AirPods aren’t placed snugly in your ears. However, it could also be caused by software problems or dirty AirPods.
Here are some ways to prevent AirPods from leaking sound:
Use Silicone or Foam Earbud Covers
The best way to prevent AirPods from leaking sound is to use foam or silicone covers like these (on Amazon). While Apple’s AirPods fit most ears, you may need silicone covers to adjust it slightly.
Foam earbuds are also a great way to block all sound from escaping. They fit the shape of your ear and are also helpful for noise cancellation. However, avoid using foam earbuds to block out sound when you’re hiking, walking, or traveling, as you should be able to hear some sound from your environment.
Switch on Active Noise Cancelling
AirPods Pro has an Active Noise Cancellation feature that allows you to listen to quality audio without interference from external sounds. If this feature is turned off, your AirPods may leak sound. Follow these steps to turn on Active Noise Canceling:
- First, open the General Settings on your phone.
- Make sure the AirPods are paired and go to Bluetooth.
- Next, select your AirPods and switch on Noise Cancellation.
- When you want to turn it off, simply switch to Transparency Mode in the same settings.
While the noise cancellation effect will prevent external noise from bothering you and stop sound leakage, it’s not recommended when you’re in a busy area or driving.
Lower the Volume
If you’re used to listening to music at high volume, some sound will leak. Apart from the concern that others will be able to listen to your audio, keeping the book of your AirPods too high can also damage your hearing.
The optimal volume that your AirPods should be at is around 50%. If you’re listening to music with the volume over 80%, you should start lowering the volume gradually.
Go to 75% and lower the volume gradually until you’re used to keeping it at no more than 50%. If you have the noise cancellation feature turned on, you won’t have to increase the volume significantly when you’re in a loud environment.
Do AirPods Pro Leak Sound at a Certain Volume?
The AirPods Pro doesn’t usually leak sound if you’re wearing it properly. However, if you’re listening to sound at a higher volume, more sound will leak.
An easy way to know when the volume is too high is if someone standing a few feet away can hear the audio. This can be a problem if you’re traveling in public transport, on an Airplane, or using your AirPods at work.
It’s important to note that you’ll have to adjust your AirPods volume according to the external environment constantly. For example, if you’re used to listening to music at a specific volume at home, you may not even hear it at the same volume when you’re in a mall or outside.
While your ears will become accustomed to louder audio, if you feel that the volume is too high, it probably is.
How to Reset Your AirPods Pro
If you’ve adjusted the volume on your AirPods Pro, used tight-fitting earbud covers, and switched on the AirPods noise cancellation feature, but the AirPods are still leaking sound, there could be a software problem with your AirPods.
If this is the case, resetting the AirPods Pro will usually solve the problem. So follow these steps to reset your AirPods Pro:
- Place both AirPods in the charging case.
- Wait 30 seconds and open the case’s lid.
- Open the general settings on your phone and select Bluetooth.
- Select your AirPods and click Forget.
- Hold the startup button on the charging case for 10-15 seconds until you see a white light flash.
- The AirPods should be reset, and you’ll have to pair them again with your devices.
Resetting the AirPods will resolve most audio and software problems. If this doesn’t work, there may be something wrong with the AirPods’ hardware.
How to Care for Your AirPods Pro
The AirPods Pro is designed to be durable and shouldn’t give you problems if you take proper care of it. This includes cleaning them regularly, using them carefully, and storing them properly. Follow these tips to care for your AirPods Pro properly:
Clean Them Regularly
AirPods have many tiny openings that can get filled with dirt and dust, which may affect the audio quality. When cleaning your AirPods, take special care not to use metal clips or chemicals that may damage the hardware components.
A damp cloth should be enough to clean your AirPods, or you can use earbuds or a toothpick to remove dirt.
Use the AirPods Carefully
While AirPods will work perfectly fine on full volume, it’s best to use them at lower volumes. Avoid using them when hiking or where they are more likely to get dirty.
Also, update your AirPods whenever Apple releases an update and reset them once in a while if you’re struggling with software glitches.
Store Your AirPods Properly
While AirPods are small and easy to carry in your pocket, avoid doing so as they may get dirty or damaged this way. The best place to store your AirPods when you’re not using them is in their charging case. You can also get special storage cases to keep them safe.
If you use AirPods carefully, they should easily last more than five years without needing replacement.