AirPods causing tinnitus?

Replying to this thread to say I am having the same issue. In disbelief finding this thread.

I have never had tinnitus (at least that I’ve noticed) until I started using AirPods Pro.

I got the Pros approx 2 months ago, using them on and off. I am very conscientious of my volume levels, using the accessibility feature on my phone to monitor dB levels. I wear high end earplugs when I go to concerts.

Roughly two weeks ago, I started using my Pros as earplugs at night for loud footfalls in the apartment above me. I found them most effective with white noise playing at a low volume (50-60dB) and ANC on.

Several days ago I noticed the ringing. Predominately as a pitch so high that it almost registered as a sensation and not so much a sound. Sounds like roughly 13.5 kHz. Left ear has a much more predominant, lower ring, probably around 5kHz.

I spent the past weekend miserable, trying to block out the sound and distract myself. I did not use headphones because I was worried about making it worse, and tried to avoid loud sounds. It seemed to improve over the course of 72 hours or so.

A couple days ago I worked out with my AirPods Pro and sure enough, later that night the ringing was back louder than ever. Almost oppressively, deafeningly loud while trying to sleep, it kept me up almost all night, only getting a couple hours of sleep. Absolutely terrible - incredibly distressing. That is when I made the connection.

I googled and that is what brought me here. I am shocked to see so many people with the same issue.

It sounds crazy but I do think it’s related to the AirPod Pros. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD1 over ear headphones that I have never had an issue with, as well as other headphones I’ve used in the past.

Never a problem until the Pros.

I am now 48 hours out from

last using the AirPod Pros and things are quiet today. The ringing is still there, but seems to be fading. It’s a good day today!

Can’t explain it, and it sounds bizarre, but the Pros are to blame IMO.

I am experiencing the same issue now and I am really afraid that the ringing will persist even after i stop using my AirPod pro 😢 i will monitor and update this thread after stopping for sometime.

i bought the AirPods in Aug 2020 and did not realise that the ringing in my ears actually started then. Recently the ringing worsened and I experienced sudden hearing loss in either ears that lasts for up to 10s. I got really worried and started googling for ENT doctors on tinnitus, and somehow stumbled upon this thread. After reading through all the similar encounters, i then realised that my ear ringing actually started late last year, after using the AirPods for a few months. I am careful with volume on my AirPods and typically do not exceed 50% of max volume.

i sure hope this does not happen to anyone else. Apple needs to address this.

Update: My tinnitus started soon after I purchased the Airpods and it became noticeable and more disturbing to me back in July 2020. I reduced the amount of use and in 2021 have not used my Airpods at all. My tinnitus is still VERY disturbing and intrusive. It seems to be getting progressively worse. I am extremely concerned this is not a condition that will dissipate and resolve itself, and rather just continue to get worse despite my no longer using the pods at all. I also have visited two ENTs who said I have no visible damage nor other kinds of ear issues. I am convinced that the Airpods caused the tinnitus.

Have permanent tinnitus after using AirPods for 6 weeks. Never used at high volume. Only for phone calls and music at low levels. Occasionally AirPods would screech and make random loud noises. I’m certain they damaged my hearing and caused this permanent affliction.

Just updating on this:

Over the last couple weeks I have dialed back my AirPods Pro usage a great deal and my tinnitus has subsided GREATLY. I don't even notice it most days now.

I tested turning on and off several modes while working out at the gym (noise cancelling, transparency etc) and the culprit is definitely the Noise Cancelling.

I do not have any ringing if I don't use noise canceling. Transparency doesn't seem to affect it.

When I do use noise canceling, I'll lay down to sleep that night and will notice it if it is too quiet.

I've stopped using noise canceling and I am now happily using my Pros with no issues.

Just saw an ad last night for the new generation of Air Pods offering "Spatial Audio". So here is the question... if Noise Cancellation in the earlier pods gives you tinnitus, does Spatial Audio jump to full-on hearing loss?

In my research lately I have come across a lot of conversation on the internet, chat rooms etc. about tinnitus resulting from Covid infections. I have also spoken with a few friends who newly mention tinnitus affecting them after they were diagnosed with Covid. All along I thought my tinnitus was from the Airpods but the timing I cannot deny. Meaning, I was affected in April 2020 with Covid and within several weeks is when I noticed the severe tinnitus ringing for the first time. Having stopped using the Airpods now for months the ringing has not dissipated so I am now seriously wondering of Covid was the cause - and not the pods. Just some food for thought here.

About 1 year ago, I'd started to experience a low frequency hum in my ears noticeable at night when going to sleep. I thought it must be a motor or perhaps some nearby neighbours pool filter running at a certain frequency.

Then a few months ago, the noise started to follow me around during the day and was a permanent condition.

I tried to pinpoint what may have been the beginning of the condition and thought it may be the iPod pros. I knew that since buying them, they were being used up to 4 hours a day for both phone calls and podcasts.

The hope was that in stopping using them, maybe the hum would go away. I still can't believe it but after only a week of stopping to use them, the hum has completely gone away. Its been about a month now.

Im sure this is rare and does not effect most 99.99% of users. I would never put those iPods pros in my ear again in the case that they trigger that hum again and that it becomes an irreversible condition for me.

Airpods 3 are plagued with this issue.

Just received my third replacement pair yesterday and same problem.

I've lost all faith in these headphones ever working as expected and am running out of options.

Response on 8 Jan 2022 : I was given the latest version of Airpods Pro as a birthday present on 21 Dec 2021. I only used it for about 2 to 3 hours on that day at a fairly low to moderate level as I am fully conscious of the harm of music played loudly through head-phones. Immediately after taking them off I noticed a loud ringing in my right ear - I am guessing a frequency around 4 to 6 Khz. I stopped using the head-phones, hoping the ring would go away and have not used them since. It has now been almost 3 weeks and the loud ringing does not seem to be getting any softer. I am now worried that this tinnitus is permanent. It is a very loud and constant, and I hear it at every waking moment. It is driving me bonkers. I did report the issue as a complaint to Apple and tried to return the head-phones but as they was bought from JB HiFi, Apple refused to accept it unless I had a medical statement from an ENT specialist. Not quite sure how an ENT specialist can hear my tinnitus. I have other Noise-cancelling head-phones (Sony wh-1000xm3 and Bose QC-15) and I have not had issues with them. Anyone have any success in making the tinnitus stop.

[Edited by Moderator]

Heys guys, I've been experiencing vertigo and tinnitus all this January 22. By reading this article, seems it is not a casuality, that I got these symptoms right after receiving my Airpods Pro as a Christmas's Gift (Dec 25).

I'm getting freak out for real !!! because is all over internet that there is no treatment for Tinnitus, and that eventually will cause hearing lost. WTF :(

I started noticing a ringing in both ears ever since I got the AirPods pro. I already had some ringing prior to owning the AirPods pro. However, it's gotten so much worse. I'm most likely going to stop using them because the ringing is slowly getting worse. Which is unfortunate, because I really love the headphones. I hope Apple addresses this issue.

Conflictofinterestmuch wrote:

Why was this “edited” by the “moderator”? Can we have reasons?

The person who's post was edited will receive an email explaining why. No one else will. And discussion of the specifics of a post being moderated will be removed.

Has Apple provided any answers or help for this? I just upgraded my phone and had to get the Air Pods in mid December 2021. Only five weeks in, and the ringing/Tinnitus is so bad, I have spent all morning looking up possible lawsuits and other fixes. I finally bought an adapter on Amazon to use my old ear phones (don't have it yet). This is definitely directly related to the Air Pods. I have custom ear plugs for shooting and loud work location and have never had this so bad!!

I have the same experience as many here with Airpods Pro. Purchased a set in late 2020, and after the second or third session of moderate volume use, experienced a weird discomfort in both ears. Initially thought it was some skin allergy to the silicone tips. Woke up early the next morning and the ringing was terrible in both ears. No previous ear issues, had perfect hearing.

Have been through the Audiologist approach (hearing is otherwise normal, pain threshold normal, no physical factors (hairs, wax), they cannot directly test for tinnitus). Tone amplitude varies, made worse by loud environmental noises (ambulance with siren passing, for example). Have tried a few medication and meditative treatments, pink noise etc. It is now over one year, and it will be permanent for me.

I have read this thread about 100 times, and weirdly it is a source of comfort. I would suggest that anyone commenting can be specific about the exact model to which they are referring (regular Airpods (1, 2 or 3), Airpods Pro or Airpods Max). This may be useful as we seek to find a way out of this sometimes dark place.