AirPods are the replacement for wired earpieces and they do everything a regular earpiece would do and even more.
It can get tiring if you are making an hour-long or more phone call and you have to keep the phone to your ear .
Therefore, it becomes quite annoying when your AirPods function normally except when you have to make or receive a phone call. This can cause you to think there is something wrong with your AirPods even when there aren’t.
In this article, you will learn why your AirPods are not working for your phone calls and what can be done to fix it.
Why Don’t My AirPods Work For Phone Calls?
Damaged
The obvious reason behind your AirPods not working during phone calls is that they are damaged.
This damage might be caused by a lot of factors; water may have entered, it may have fallen, or there is an electrical problem.
All these will make your Airpods faulty and cause them not to work during phone calls.
Connected to the wrong device
AirPods require a Bluetooth connection with your mobile device to function.
Your AirPods not working during phone calls mean you can neither hear the person speak nor can they hear you speak.
This may be because your AirPods are connected to the wrong device. For a Bluetooth connection to hold, both devices need not be far away from each other.
Far from your device
Your AirPods might not work during phone calls because it is far away from your phone and this, has been disconnected.
Low battery
Your AirPods might run out of battery and die during a phone call. To you, it might appear that the AirPods are not working but they have simply run low.
Dirt
Check the speaker and microphone area for dirt. Dust and dirt can clog your microphone and speaker, blocking out all incoming and outgoing sounds.
When this happens, you might think that your AirPods don’t work during phone calls.
Fake AirPods
Fake AirPods will not work as planned and they are bound to glitch and not work properly since they are the cheap and knock-off version of the original. This includes not working during phone calls.
Audio on speaker
If you’re not able to hear the person, this may be because the call is going through your phone speaker. You can easily change this while on call via the Audio option.
Wrong microphone
If you’re not able to use AirPods while on a phone call, this may be that the microphone is on the wrong AirPods or probably the inactive one.
Both AirPods have a microphone on the left and right, if you have set it up on the right and the battery is down while you’re using the left you’ll not be able to use it on call, except your change the settings.
How To Fix “AirPods Not Working For Phone Calls”
There are fixes that you can use to solve the problem when you’re not able to use your AirPods to make phone calls.
Fix 1: Clean your Airpods
Since your AirPods are malfunctioning due to the dirt obstruction both outgoing and incoming sounds, we advise that you clean your AirPods with care.
Do not use any sharp objects as to do the cleaning as it might damage your Airpods
Fix 2: Select the AirPods option on a phone call
When you are on a phone call, you are given the option of selecting your audio output. Whether handheld, speaker, or other peripheral device.
Connect the AirPods and when you receive or make a call, select Audio, select the AirPods option, and use it to make your phone calls.
Fix 3: Change Call Audio Routing Settings
On your iPhone, there’s a feature that allows you to change the “Call Audio Routing” settings. This setting allows you to use choose the default audio for your phone calls.
Since you want to be using your AirPods to receive and make calls, you can move the Settings from Automatic to Bluetooth Headset.
To select the Call Audio Routing Settings; Go to Settings > Tap on Accessibility > Tap on Touch > And then tap on Call Audio Routing and select Bluetooth Headset.
If you want it to change but by itself when you’re not connected to a Bluetooth you can set it as Automatic, or manually do the changes when you are on call. Just tap on Audio while on a call and select AirPods or Speaker.
Fix 4: Change AirPods microphone Settings
If you’re making a call and you can hear the person, but the person can’t hear you, it means your Microphone is configured to one of the AirPods.
To fix this, you’ll need to change the microphone Settings to Automatic. This will allow it to switch between AirPods when one of them is down on battery or inactive.
Go to your iPhone Settings > Tap on Bluetooth > And tap the i icon next to your AirPods > Tap Microphone in the AirPods settings and select Automatic Switch AirPods.
Fix 5: Stay in proximity
Your AirPods would disconnect from your phone if you are far away from the mobile device.
This is because a Bluetooth connection is used to pair the two devices and for the connection to work, there is a certain range both devices have to be in.
Fix 6: Charge Airpods
Charge your AirPods regularly to prevent them from dying or running out when you’re using them. We recommend that you charge your AirPods anytime it is around 20%.
To check for the battery percentage of your AirPods, Open the Settings app on your mobile device > Select the Bluetooth option > On the list of devices, scan for the connected AirPods, and check the displayed percentage.
Fix 7: Reset AirPods
Resetting your AirPods will refresh the AirPods and fix all software issues affecting the AirPods.
To reset your AirPods means to wipe any history of connection it has with other devices. You will have to reconnect to all previously known devices.
Put the AirPods in the charging case and close the lid > Wait while and king press the button behind the AirPods > Wait for the color signal to turn white and go off > Press the button again to turn on the AirPods.
Fix 8: Reset All Settings
We again recommend that you reset all Settings if you cannot identify why your AirPods do not work during phone calls. When all your settings are reset, they are restored to default.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone > Scroll and select General > Select Transfer or Reset iPhone > Choose Reset > On the pop-up menu that appears, select Reset All Settings.
Enter your iPhone passcode when prompted, and confirm your decision by tapping Reset All Settings. Your iPhone will restart once the reset is complete.
Fix 9: Repair or get a new one
Once you’ve tried all the solutions above and they do not work, visit a certified Apple repairer to diagnose the problem.
There are very few that do this, but to avoid delays and finding a person to fix it, you should get a new one.
Conclusion
Although Airpods were made by Apple Inc., it is not just for use by Apple products. Any other a device with a Bluetooth feature can be paired with Airpods.
This article has detailed the reasons why your AirPods may fail to work during phone calls and how to fix such problems.
FAQs on How To Fix “AirPods Not Working For Phone Calls”
Why don't my AirPods work in a phone call?
You can try increasing the volume in case your volume is low or the Airpods are on mute. Once the AirPods are connected to the phone, adjust the volume by using the volume buttons on your phone.
Why can't people hear me when I call using AirPods?
Clean your AirPods because dirt might be blocking the microphone part of the Airpods and preventing people from hearing you when you speak.
How do I get my AirPods to work when I call someone?
When you call someone, select the speaker option on the phone and switch it to the Airpods for the AirPods to work when you are making a phone call.
Further Reading
- How To Fix “AirPods Won’t Flash White”
- How To Fix “AirPods Only Playing In One Ear”
- How To Fix “AirPod Case Flashing Red”
- How To Fix “AirPods Die So Fast”
- How To Fix “One AirPod Louder Than The Other”