AirPods use a low-bandwidth voice profile when their microphone is active, which makes music sound dull the moment a call starts. That is expected behaviour, not a fault.
Microphone Test AirPods: step by step
- Connect and confirm the input
Once paired, select the AirPods in the device dropdown above. They appear as a separate input from the device's own microphone.
- Start the test and speak
Levels should be healthy — AirPods use beamforming to focus on your voice. Very low levels usually mean the wrong input is selected.
- Notice the audio quality change
The moment the microphone becomes active, playback quality drops. This is the Bluetooth voice profile at work and it affects every device, not just Apple's.
- Test each bud separately
Remove one bud and repeat, then swap. AirPods switch which bud carries the microphone, so a fault can appear intermittently.
- Record and play it back
Play the recording through speakers rather than the AirPods, so you hear the recording rather than the live profile.
- Clean the mic mesh
The microphone openings on the stems collect debris. A dry soft brush restores levels more often than any setting change.
AirPods microphone fixes
- Nothing helpsForget the device and pair again, and reset the AirPods by holding the case button until the light flashes amber.
- Muffled or distantDebris in the microphone mesh on the stem, or a low battery in the bud carrying the mic. Charge both and clean before troubleshooting further.
- Only one bud has a working micIn iOS, Settings, Bluetooth, tap the info button beside your AirPods, and set Microphone to Always Left or Always Right to isolate the fault.
- Not listed as an inputReconnect from the system Bluetooth settings. On Windows, the hands-free device must be enabled in Sound settings before the mic appears.
- Music sounds terrible during a callExpected. The narrowband voice profile applies to both directions. It clears the moment the microphone stops being used.
Which bud is your microphone right now
AirPods decide between themselves which earbud carries the microphone, and they can switch during a call based on battery level, fit and which bud is in your ear. The change is invisible on screen, which is why a fault can seem to come and go for no reason.
Forcing the choice makes the problem reproducible. In Bluetooth settings, setting Microphone to Always Left and testing, then Always Right and testing, isolates a failing bud in under a minute — far more reliable than repeating a call and hoping the fault reappears.
Questions people ask
Can I use AirPods as a mic on Windows?
Yes, through the hands-free device entry in Sound settings, with the same quality limitation.
How do I stop them switching between devices?
In iOS Bluetooth settings, set Connect to This iPhone to When Last Connected to This iPhone.
Are AirPods good enough for calls?
Yes for calls and meetings. For recording anything you will publish, a wired microphone is substantially better.
Why does music sound worse when I unmute?
Bluetooth cannot carry high-quality stereo and microphone audio at the same time on standard profiles, so it switches to a narrowband mode.
Related tests
Where to go next: the headphone channel test, checking both headphone drivers, or a left and right channel check.
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