Airpods came out back in 2016, and once they arrived, they were immensely popular among all iPhone and music users and listeners. With their comfortable fit, noise cancellation and improved design, they were THE headphones to have!
But like with any kind of technology, there were some issues and malfunctions, most of which were sorted out, but some still persist today, like the Airpods suddenly pausing. Still, lucky these problems are easily fixed and happen for very common reasons.
Although it can be annoying when your Airpods just pause your favourite song or podcast, the good news is that there are simple solutions to help identify, fix and resolve this pausing issue!
The main reasons why your airpods keep pausing are due to broken auto ear detection within the airpod, proximity to your linked devices (primarily iPhone) and a very low battery. Below, I've expanded on these points and more so that you can both troubleshoot and solve the reason behind your trusted Airpods pausing all of the time. Get your song back without the pausing jitters!
The 5 Most Common Reasons Why Your Airpods Keep Pausing
AirPods are designed to automatically stop if they all of the sudden fall from your ears. This is so you don’t miss out on that catchy bit of your song, but when you start to notice your pods pausing randomly whilst still in your ears, there could be some other issues causing this malfunction.
1. Automatic Ear Detection
This automatic ear detection is designed to help the above problem, to pause your music if it falls out of your ear. But what sometimes happens is there becomes a fault in the integrated sensors that are supposed to detect your ear.
To fix this, you may need to try and turn off the Ear Detection option. You do this by going to your settings and selecting the ‘Bluetooth’ button. Then there should be an “i” icon next to your Airpod; then turn off the Ear Detection feature from that menu.
Then go back, put your Airpods in and see if it worked. Now just bear in mind that if your Airpods fall out in the future, you will miss the chorus to “We Will Rock You” as you turned off the detection.
2. Hardware Problems
Sometimes the unsuspected pausing can happen due to an issue with the actual hardware. You see, this happens a lot if your pods have experienced a significant drop or crash onto the floor, which, if that happens, can make it pretty tricky to fix. So in a more preventive stance, always get a protective case for them, so they are kept safe from most drops from a height.
Another more fixable hardware issue is that your pods are clogged, whether from debris or good old earwax this could be blocking the hardware creating the random pausing.
To stop this from happening, make sure to clean your Airpods regularly to ensure your pods’ electronic health and your personal hygiene as well.
3. Proximity to Your iPhone
This is likely another widespread issue that can cause that extremely irritating pausing. For your AirPods to run correctly, they need to be close to your device or iPhone. They are meant to work together so they can provide you with an unbeatable sound and connection.
So if you have your phone or device tucked away in a bag or left in another room, and you are too far away for the Bluetooth to connect, your pods will pause because they think you are away from your device.
To stop this from happening, make sure to not be any further than 30 – 60 feet away from your connected device and avoid any apparent obstructions that could get in the way of the signal.
4. AirPods Model Matters
You might think getting the newest AirPods is a sure way to have the best connection, but you would be wrong.
Depending on if you have the 3rd generation Airpods or Airpods Pro, you could be experiencing the pausing issue because these AirPods have features that the older models don’t, making them more particular when it comes to connecting to a device.
If you have an older model smartphone and the brand new AirPods, you might actually have trouble connecting the two, or if you do connect, the signal can be fragile.
So before getting those new flashy AirPods, check that you can connect them perfectly with the type of smartphone you have, check the compatibility and specifications on both the pods and the phone and then make your purchase!
5. Low Battery
It seems like a simple issue, but it is the most common one for unwanted pausing. When your battery level gets into the red 20% zone, you will experience your AirPods pausing every 20 seconds! Yep, this is an actual feature that has been designed into the pods, so although it’s a very annoying issue, there is a straightforward solution.
Charge it.
It’s that obvious, the quicker you can put your AirPods on a charge, the better connection you will have, and no longer will you have the dreaded pausing every few seconds.
What If Nothing Is Working?
Whether your pausing becomes a ridiculous joke or your AirPods just seem to be entirely out of whack, and nothing seems to be helping the issue, then this may mean your AirPods might need to be reset to stop any other problems arising.
How to Reset Your AirPods
- Put the AirPods into the charging case.
- Flip the case lid open and proceed to move your mobile device close to the case.
- Click the Airpod Option and then select “Forget this Device.”
- Once disconnected, hold down the device’s setup button, which is on the back of the charging case.
- Hold it for 15 seconds, and then this will reset your AirPods.
- Finally, reconnect your AirPods to your device and whilst you do this, make sure the lid for the case is kept open throughout.
Final Thoughts
These are just some of the common reasons why your AirPods keep pausing, and hopefully, one of these tips has helped you in your AirPod predicament. Remember, the issue is usually the Ear Detection Feature, so always check that out first before trying out the other tricks.