How to Fix AirPods Pro Only Playing in One Ear

Is your AirPods Pro only playing in one ear?

AirPods Pro is one of the best true wireless earbuds on the market. However, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with its own issues. 

If you are reading this, we can assume that your AirPods Pro is only playing in one ear. 

There are several reasons why this happens. Mostly, it’s caused by connectivity problems and improper configurations. However, it is also possible that there’s something blocking the speaker grills. 

In this guide, we’re going to show you how to fix an AirPods Pro if it’s only playing in one ear. 

Let’s jump right in!

1. Restart Your Device. 

Try restarting the device you are connecting your AirPods Pro to if it’s not working properly. This should rule out any temporary errors or issues that may have occurred on your device during use. 

For iPhones:

1. First, press and hold the Side + Volume Up buttons on your iPhone. 
2. Once the ‘Slide to Power Off’ option appears, release both buttons. 
3. Drag the slider to the right until your display turns black. 

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For iPads:

1. On your iPad, press and hold either of the Volume buttons together with the Top button until the ‘Slide to Power Off’ page shows up. 
2. Now, drag the power slider to the right to turn off your device. 
3. Wait for your iPad’s display to shut off. 

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For Macs: 

1. Click on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of your screen to access the Apple Menu. 
2. After that, click on Restart. 
3. Wait for the prompt to appear and hit Restart again. 

Once done, try using your AirPods Pro to check if the problem is solved. 

2. Check Your AirPods Pro. 

Usually, your AirPods Pro is only playing in one ear because the battery on the other pair is low or drained. If this is the case, leave your AirPods Pro in the charging case for a few minutes and try again. 

Here’s how you can check your AirPods Pro’s battery percentage: 

1. Remove your AirPods Pro and put it in the charging case. 
2. Now, close the lid. 
3. Put the charging case near your device and open the lid. 

A pop-up window should appear on your device showing how much juice you have on your AirPods Pro and the charging case. 

3. Clean Your AirPods. 

As we’ve mentioned earlier, there might be something blocking your AirPods Pro’s grills. To confirm this, try cleaning your AirPods Pro to ensure that sound can pass through the speaker grills. 

Grab a Q-Tip and dampen it in alcohol. Gently rub the Q-Tip on the speaker grills to remove dirt and debris. 

Once done, try using them again and see if both of your AirPods are working. 

Another way to clean your AirPods Pro is by sucking the speaker grills to remove debris from the inside. Put a cloth or tissue paper between the speaker grills and your mouth, and start sucking. 

4. Check Sound Balance. 

Most devices allow you to change your audio balance, allowing you to make the left or right channel sound louder. It’s possible that your device’s audio balance is set on one channel, explaining why your other AirPods Pro is not working. 

For iPhones and iPads: 

1. Go to your home screen and launch the Settings app. 
2. After that, go to Accessibility > Audio/Visual. 
3. Finally, look for Audio Balance and ensure that the slider is set to the middle/center. 

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For Macs: 

1. First, access the Apple Menu on the upper left corner of your display and choose System Preferences. 
2. Now, click on Sound on the sidebar. 
3. Choose Output on the right side and select the device you are using. 
4. Ensure that the Balance slider is set to the middle. 

Try using your AirPods Pro again to check if the problem is solved. 

5. Restart Bluetooth. 

Your AirPods Pro connects to your device through Bluetooth. Due to this, we recommend restarting your Bluetooth if only one of your AirPods Pro is working. This should refresh the connection between your device and your AirPods. 

For iPhones and iPads, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth and tap on the toggle switch to turn it off and then on. 

If you’re using a Mac, access the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth. From there, click the Turn Bluetooth Off button and turn it back on after 5 to 10 seconds. 

Try connecting your AirPods Pro afterward to confirm if this solution worked. 

6. Update Your Device. 

There might be an underlying issue with your device’s operating system that causes your AirPods Pro to only play in one ear. To rule this out, update your device’s software to the latest version possible.

For iOS and iPad OS: 

1. On your device, access the app drawer and tap on Settings. 
2. Next, go to General and open the Software Updates tab. 
3. Finally, tap on Download and Install if there’s an available update. 

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For macOS: 

1. First, access the Apple Menu on the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. After that, go to System Preferences > Software Update. 
3. Hit the Upgrade Now or Update Now button if there’s an available update. 

Reconnect your AirPods Pro after the update and see if both of them work. 

7. Reset Your Settings (iPhone). 

You can try resetting your iPhone’s settings if you still encounter problems using your AirPods Pro. This should ensure that your configurations are set correctly, and there are no conflicts that cause your AirPods Pro to only play in one ear. 

See the steps below to reset your settings: 

1. First, go to your home screen and launch the Settings app. 
2. After that, tap on General and access the Transfer or Reset iPhone tab. 
3. Now, choose Reset and tap on Reset All Settings. 

Connect your AirPods and see if it works properly. 

8. Update Your Applications. 

If you encounter the issue on specific applications, the problem could lie in the app itself. You can try updating your applications to patch bugs and errors. 

Here’s how you can update your apps: 

1. First, go to your app drawer and launch the App Store. 
2. After that, tap on your Profile. 
3. Scroll down and look for the application you want to update. 
4. Tap the Update button to start updating the app. 

Try playing music or watching videos with your AirPods Pro connected to check if the problem is solved. 

9. Reset Your AirPods. 

At this point, you can try resetting your AirPods Pro if none of the solutions above worked. Apple suggests users reset their AirPods when it doesn’t connect to their device, they are not charging, or something is not working correctly. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

1. Put your AirPods Pro in the charging case and close the lid. 
2. Now, wait for 30 seconds. 
3. After that, put your AirPods on your ears. 
4. Go to your device and navigate to Settings > Bluetooth. 
5. Tap on More Info beside your AirPods and choose Forget This Device. 
6. Put your AirPods back in the charging case and close the lid. 
7. Press and hold the Setup button for 15 seconds or until the status light on the case turn to amber and then white. 

Reconnect your device afterward and see if the problem is solved. 

10. Contact Apple Support. 

If your AirPods Pro is still only playing in one ear after performing the solutions above, report the problem to Apple. 

Visit their support page and submit a ticket regarding the problem you’re experiencing with your AirPods. Provide the exact model of your AirPods, the device you are connecting it to, and other information that can help speed up the process. 

If you want faster actions, we recommend bringing your AirPods to the nearest Apple Store and having them checked by a professional. 

That ends our guide on how to fix your AirPods Pro if it’s only playing in one ear. If you have questions, please drop a comment below, and we’ll do our best to respond. 

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