AirPod Pro Microphone Call Quality

Since using the Airpod Pros this week and on calls people have been commenting on how they are having a hard time hearing me. This is something that never happened with my regular AirPods. From what I can gather it sounds like the external noise cancellation or noise reduction algorithm is getting confused with the noise outside and my voice and effectively cutting out or reducing my voice and boosting the background noise.  

Are others running into this problem? The common complaint I’m getting when talking on the phone with the Airpod Pro is that the background noise is too loud.

Posted on Nov 2, 2019 5:58 AM

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Posted on Nov 4, 2019 9:04 AM

I’ve managed to solve my own issue by forgetting the AirPods and re-pairing. There is more than one way to pair them and I don’t think the noise cancelling works properly unless they are correctly paired as per the manual. Worth trying. Hope it works for you.

782 replies

Nov 4, 2019 2:16 PM in response to Syrcle

Hi,


Quite simply, I went into Settings, Bluetooth, selected AirPods Pro and clicked “Forget This Device”.


I then re-paired the AirPods with the iPhone X carefully following the correct instructions that came with the AirPods.


For clarity, I didn’t follow the instructions properly when I originally paired with my iPhone. Given that re-pairing has completely solved my problem, I suspect that the way you pair affects the correct operation of the noise cancelling function during telephone calls. On the calls I’ve made since re-pairing, the people I called have reported that I’m coming across very clearly with little background noise.

Nov 11, 2019 11:47 AM in response to macdonut

It's possible this is a more systemic problem. I've been having this issue with my gen 1 AirPods. Not sure if it's since iOS 13 or the iPhone 11 Pro since I got them around the same time. My AirPods worked great for calls previously and now I can't make it though a single call without having an issue. I've had a ticket open with support for over a week now. They're actively working on it, but the engineers haven't come up with anything concrete yet. I had asked if it could be a gen 1 problem but the support tech came back saying "I have seen this issue effecting both" which I took as gen 1 and gen 2. Could be effecting the AirPod Pros as well.

Nov 20, 2019 12:34 AM in response to Syrcle

Oh man! I thought I was the only one facing this issue.


Everyone that I call using AirPods Pro complaints that they can’t hear me properly and my voice is muffled.


I am going to try the above advice of forgetting and re pairing to see if it works. If not, I am going to go back to Apple store for help.


I’ll message again on how I go.


Cheers.

Nov 27, 2019 5:30 AM in response to Syrcle

firsr I will say, Sound quality and noise cancelling on the new airpods pro is very good. but after only 5 days I must sau the microphone quality is next level cr*p. People keep telling me that I sound far away, or too much noise, cant hear me, and thats on normal calls, on whatsapp, fb messages, on viber. Everywhere, it is like it doesnt know the diffrence between my voice and outside noise, first I thought it was just because I was in traffic, but even in the gym or airport with a little bit of background music the mic is completely unusable. This is unacceptable, I regret this purchase so much, and paying equivalent of 300 usd for them. Ive tried to reconnect them 10 times, installing new version

of my iphone max software, tried to select only mic on left and on right ear. still same result. I think apple needs to give back the money for this, or make a solution or change them and give us some airpods which work.

Now I have to send them in which will take 2 weeks to check if everything is correct. so far I will say to people definitely not worth the money.

Dec 26, 2019 8:05 PM in response to jutah76

Dear Apple, Apple AirPods Pro are, in fact, faulty for anything voice related. This includes calls, Siri, voice recording, etc. 


The microphone does not work properly and this has been confirmed by hundreds of users and actual tests.


My software and firmware are both up to date.


I’ve tried switching from Noise cancellation on, off, and transparency mode - all 3 are extremely bad. 


Here are my tests on a moderately quiet airplane:


https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uhbhtxu7le71can/AAB-F6NkTy4Pcf97RX15lT1ja?dl=0


My suggestion to fix this is that Apple should:

  1. Make a public announcement quickly that the AirPods are only good for listening to music and not making calls
  2. Give the option to the customers that have purchased to get 100% refund and receive a $50 gift card for their troubles or B. Get a $50 gift card and wait for AirPod Pro 2 that works correctly.


If Apple, with its hundred billion dollars of surplus cash, doesn’t do what’s right quickly, customers should team up with lawyers and file class action lawsuit asap. 


Having said this, I am a loyal and faithful Apple fan, but Apple should do the right thing.


$250 is a lot of money for some folks and they trust that Apple products will “just work.” Well, these don’t!


Having said that, AirPods Pro are fantastic for listening to music and noise cancellation. Apple, please just do the right thing.


Mike Krilivsky

May 6, 2020 3:59 PM in response to BreeZee_17

Thank you for your reply but it has nothing to do with the noise cancellation, something has changed with the AirPods when using for phone calls, it’s people on the other end of the phone call cannot hear you at all if there is any background noise, it was the same with my AirPods 2, I thought that the AirPods 2 weee faulty so I got the pro and they do the same, there is an issue with the microphone picking up any background noise, this was not a problem with the version ones, read through this discussion and it is a massive common problem and needs to be rectified as I cannot use them for phone calls if there is any small amount of background noise

Jul 9, 2021 11:07 AM in response to N0T0DAY

So I figured out how to fix muffled microphone of apple airpods pro.

solution:

1- go to settings app

2- scroll down to accessibility

3- select Audio/Visual

4- untick (turn OFF) Phone Noise Cancellation.


ever since I done that, people on the other end of the phone call commented on how much better my voice was compared to how it was before.


this way solved my microphone issue during phone calls using my airpods pro, but it didn't solve the problem in voice memo recording (or voice notes on whatsapp)


please try the above solution and let me know if it works too


good luck

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AirPod Pro Microphone Call Quality

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