How To Fix AirPods Max Active Noise Cancellation Bug

Are you eager to know how to fix the AirPods Max Active Noise Cancellation bug?

Apple has been boasting its newest AirPods Pro and AirPods Max due to its noise-control modes: ‘Active Noise Cancellation’ and ‘Transparency Mode’. Each mode has a different purpose, and you can switch between different modes, depending on how much you want to hear from your surroundings.

‘Active Noise Cancellation’ (ANC) is one of the noise-control modes that is very useful whenever you are having meetings or just plainly talking with your friends, but what happens if it only works on one earcup? Do you know how to fix the AirPods Max Active noise cancellation bug?

 

 

Many users have been reporting that the ANC only works on one earcup, which is both an issue with AirPods Pro and AirPods Max. Apparently, this issue is triggered when the user switches between the ANC and Transparency modes (by clicking the ‘Noise Control’ button).

In some cases, only one earcup switches to ANC while the other one remains in Transparency mode, which causes annoyance and contributes to a poor listening experience to the users.

If you are one of them, do not worry because we have the solution for you! If you are interested, continue reading so you can check out how to fix the AirPods Max Active noise cancellation bug.

Let’s get started.

 

1. Reboot AirPods Max.

One of the easiest methods that you can do is to reboot your AirPods Max. Whenever you are experiencing issues with your AirPods Max, you should try to reboot them to see if it will fix the issue.

Here’s how you can reboot your AirPods Max:

  1. First, you should charge them for a few minutes.
  2. Then, press and hold the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown simultaneously, until the LED (which is at the bottom of the right earcup) flashes amber.

 

Once you have done this, check if your AirPods Max will get the ANC mode in both earcups. However, if the problem occurs again, you can repeat the same steps above.

 

 

2. Put Them Back In The Case.

There were some instances that the issue was only being triggered by the AirPods Max’s battery. When this happens, a quick fix is to put back the AirPods Max into their case and let it charge for a few minutes before enabling the ANC feature.

 

 

It may or may not work for you, but it is worth a shot since it worked for some users. We’re crossing our fingers, so try it out and let us know if it worked for you and fixed the AirPods Max Active noise cancellation bug.

 

 

3. Clean Them Regularly.

It is very important that you clean your AirPods Max regularly. One of the most common issues that may happen with your AirPods Max is dirt getting stuck inside the drivers.

To prevent this from happening, wipe the earcups inside with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth or a microfiber cleaning cloth. Disinfecting wipes may also do, but you should not use them on the meshed part of the headband or ear cushions.

 

 

You can do these steps before and after using them. Remember, cleaning your AirPods Max is a must if you want to enjoy using them for a long time.

 

 

4. Update the Paired Device To The Latest Version.

To ensure that this is not an issue with your iOS or MacOS, you should always update your OS to the latest version. Doing this will eliminate any bugs that might be causing the issue.

Before you begin to update, make sure your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network and has at least 50% battery life. Downloading an update may take some time depending on your network.

Here’s how you can update your iPhone to the latest version:

  1. First, open up your iPhone’s Settings app.
  2. After that, select Software Update and check if an update is available.

 

  1. Then if an update is available, select Install Now to begin updating your operating system. It can take a few minutes to an hour for this to finish.
  2. Lastly, your iPhone will restart once the update has been finished.

 


 

Here’s how you can update your Mac to the latest version:

  1. Start by opening the Apple menu and click on System Preferences.
  2. After that, select Software Update and check if an update is available.

 

  1. Then if an update is available, select Upgrade Now to begin updating your operating system. This can take a few minutes to an hour to finish.
  2. Finally, your Mac will restart once the update has been finished.

With that out of the way, try synchronizing your AirPods Max with your devices to see if ANC is now working. We’re hoping that an update will resolve the issue, but if not, let’s head over to our next suggestion to fix the AirPods Max Active noise cancellation bug.

 

 

5. Reset AirPods Max.

This next step may not be to your liking, but if none of the steps we mentioned worked for you, unfortunately, you will have to reset your AirPods Max. This is always the ‘go-to’ method in case you are having issues which cannot be resolved after trying to reboot them.

Although one thing to note is that resetting your AirPods Max will cause them to return to the factory settings. This means that you have to pair them again with your devices, which is an inconvenience, but is still worth a try.

Here’s how you can reset your AirPods Max:

  1. Begin by charging them for a few minutes.
  2. Then, simultaneously press and hold the Noise Control button and the Digital Crown for 15 seconds, or until the LED (which is at the bottom of the right-earcup) flashes amber, then white.

 

Once you’re done, you can reconnect them to your iPhone or Mac. Hopefully, your AirPods Max will finally get the ANC mode in both earcups.

 

 

6. Get A Replacement.

Apple will most likely fix this bug in their next software update, but if this is too much for you, you can always reach out to an Apple Support and go to your nearest Apple Store.

 

 

If you notice that your AirPods Max still has the issue even after trying the previous methods in our list, it’s best to bring it back to an Apple store to have them replaced. Fortunately, the same issue will not happen with the replacement version, but just in case it does, you can try doing the methods we recommended.

 

 

Our article has come to an end, but if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment them down below. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • John Sixto

    John is a staff writer at Saint and comes from a SAP ABAP development background. He has a Bachelors in IT and has been writing since 2018, with over 500 posts published. He loves to build PCs and has a deep curiosity in understanding how different components and configurations work. John spends hundreds of hours at a time, researching and testing the software and apps, before he proceeds to write about it. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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