Why do my AirPods keep pausing?
Wondering what could be the answer to the question – Why do my AirPods keep pausing? Then keep on reading.
AirPods were launched back in 2016 by Apple Inc. to deliver a wireless and exceptional headphones experience. These Apple earbuds were announced along with the iPhone 7 and over a period of time became Apple’s most popular accessory.
The unique setup of these wireless headphones also has a microphone that cancels out background noise. Further, there are also built-in accelerometers and optical sensors to detect things like double-tap or pinch to pause audio. Meanwhile, there’s another feature that automatically pauses the audio when you remove headphones from the ear.
“AirPods nothing less than a cultural phenomenon” - CEO Tim Cook
From becoming a viral sensation following their launch the AirPods are looked at as something of a status symbol. The design also triggered a wave of wireless earbuds from other top mobile companies.
When AirPods function smoothly it makes for a great experience but similar to other electronic devices it can malfunction as well and that’s when we ask the “Why do my AirPods keep pausing?” question. A couple of reasons have been discussed below, along with how to fix such issues.
Why do my AirPods keep pausing?
TL;DR
- Out-of-range AirPods
- Automatic ear detection
- Double-tap feature
- Draining battery
- Connectivity issues
Table of Contents
- Out-of-range AirPods
- Automatic ear detection
- Double-tap feature
- Draining battery
- Connectivity issues
- Other reasons why your AirPods keep pausing
If your AirPods keep pausing, try these troubleshooting fixes to resolve the problem.
1. Out-of-range AirPods
AirPods need to be in proximity to your iPhone for them to work. Now, this does not mean right next to your mobile. Interestingly, you can walk up to a certain distance and still have them work just fine. However, if there are a lot of elements in between, like the walls and doors when you’re moving around the house, then AirPods may pause. You can fix this issue by coming within the range of your iPhone.
2. Automatic ear detection
Given that they are wireless devices AirPods need to be fully charged to enjoy a longer and better experience without any interruptions. However, there can be instances where you’ve removed the AirPods but they still continue to play causing the battery to drain out.
To resolve this issue, Apple developed an automatic ear detection feature. What does this do? It is to sense when you take out the AirPods from your ears. For instance, you remove the AirPods while listening to music will cause them to pause and when you put them back in, the music will resume.
Although a very interesting feature, this may get a little bit glitchy. Because you might be facing issues with your AirPods constantly pausing. In this case, turn off the automatic ear detection feature.
To turn off automatic ear detection on your AirPods:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone
- Click on Bluetooth
- In the list of devices, find My AirPods and click the Information icon on the right
- Toggle to turn the Automatic Ear Detection off
After doing this, check if the problem still persists and if it does not then turn this feature back on.
3. Double-tap feature
You can also control your AirPods with the double-tap action. It allows you to control your music with this amazing feature. From pausing the music to playing the next track on Spotify or YouTube. This action also allows you to launch Siri. At the same time, the double-tap action can be the reason why your AirPods are pausing out of the blue. However, to be sure whether this is what is causing the issue, you play around with the settings to find out.
To set the double-tap option on your AirPods:
- Go to Settings on your iPhone
- Click on Bluetooth
- In the list of devices, click My AirPods and click the Information icon on the right
- Under Double-Tap on AirPod there are two options Left, Right. It refers to the left AirPod and the right AirPod
- Click on either to open a list of actions and select the required
If your AirPods still keep pausing, you now know it isn’t because of the double-tap feature and therefore you can reset your settings.
4. Draining battery
Even though AirPods can function for several hours, they still need to be recharged. When you get the indication that your battery is drying, there will be an alert sent regarding the same. It will usually happen when you have 10% battery left and before AirPods turn off.
One way to check how much battery you have left is by putting these wireless headphones in the charging case. Keep the lid open and hold the case close to your iPhone.
Another thing to note is that if your battery is low, your AirPods will face connectivity issues. And this can also cause your audio to pause. Therefore, it is best to keep your AirPods charged to ensure there is no pausing.
5. Connectivity issues
One of the most obvious reasons why your AirPods are pausing is a connectivity error. To resolve the issue, you can try resetting your AirPods.
To reset your AirPods:
- Place your AirPods into the charging case and close the lid for at least 30 seconds
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Click on Bluetooth
- In the list of devices, click My AirPods and click the Information icon on the right
- Click Forget Device and confirm your decision by choosing this option again. It will remove your AirPods from all devices signed in to the same iCloud account
- Next, keeping the lid of the charging case open, tap and hold the pairing button on the back of the case until the status light is white.
- Keep your AirPods close to your iPhone
- Click Connect and follow the on-screen directions to pair your AirPods to your iPhone again
6. Other reasons why your AirPods keep pausing
To continue to answer your question – Why do my AirPods keep pausing? Listed below are some of the other reasons:
- Video player updates – New updates for the video player can cause issues in the smooth functioning of your AirPods. You can try to fix it by deleting the new updates and running the video player in the older version.
- Smart Pause – By creating a particular gesture you can operate apps on Android devices. Similarly, by making a particular gesture, you can pause anything on iPhone devices. Click Settings to check whether such a feature is enabled.
- A temporary technical glitch between the video player and your AirPods can also cause your AirPods to pause.
Following the release of 1st generation AirPods, 2nd generation and 3rd generation were released in 2019 and 2021 respectively.
While the 2nd generation follows the same design as the 1st generation, the updated features help it to stand out. It includes an H1 processor and comes with Bluetooth 5 connectivity.
Further, Apple also alleged that it allows 50% more talk time and connects with other devices faster.
Meanwhile, 3rd generation AirPods underwent a redesign with shorter stems and feature force touch controls. They support spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, IPX4 water resistance, skin detection, and MagSafe charging. The company also stated that the battery life was increased, with wireless headphones lasting six hours and the charging case providing up to 30 hours.
Because of its popularity, AirPods became one of the most successful accessories sold by Apple and analysts estimate that the company sold over 120 million pairs in 2021.