Apple Music randomly plays when I remove AirPods

This has been driving me insane- about every other time I put my Airpods away, Apple Music starts playing "Fireflies" by Owl City out loud on my phone. First of all, I don't even use Apple Music and secondly, I hate this song! I have an iPhone 14 Pro and the new AirPods 3. What the heck is going on?

Good thing I found a solution: I deleted Apple Music. I hope and pray that everyone who has this problem does the same.

Josh

@joshyea I respectfully suggest that what you were seeing was the frustrating world of Bluetooth, and the proprietary Bluetooth-like wireless communications between Apple AirPods and other Apple devices. I have also adopted the policy of turning off Bluetooth for my iPhone before turning it on for my MacBook. And vice versa.

Instead, I believe most of the reports in this thread are about the uncommanded activation of AirPods controls aka force sensors. Putting away AirPods sometimes triggers the loudspeaker media playback on my iPhone X of different apps: Apple Music, Overcast, Dropbox, Evermusic, Spotify. Very similar to the response that would have happened if I had kept my AirPods in my ears and squeezed the AirPods button once.

Add me to this club with the AirPod Pros.

I remove my Airpod(s) after making a phone call and Apple Music starts playing.

I remove one of my Airpods (in noise cancellation mode) while on a plane so I can hear the flight attendant, and Apple Music starts blaring in the other ear.

If it's a bug, fix it Apple. If there is a setting that could be changed, let us know. I suspect it's the former, however. It's incredibly annoying as it is.

I'm having the exact same issue. I was watching Netflix on my iPad, with my Airpod pros. When I took them out, Apple music started just blaring out a random song--waking up my poor husband! I had not been listening to Apple Music and had turned off Netflix. I certainly don't want music that I wasn't even listening to to start playing when I take out my AirPods. It's literally disturbing!

Same. Just happened a moment ago. That twice is a couple of days and a little embarrassing when it happened in a group setting.

I’m with you. I don’t want anything to automatically play. I have disabled every possible setting and still Apple Music insists on inserting itself. It’s like a computer virus that Apple insists on inserting into my experience.

I have the exact same issue -- i can't replicate it perfectly every time, but it only happens when coming off a call or teams mtg, put my airpods (not pro) back in the case, then random apple music starts playing ... and i mean rAnDOm. glad some of the songs that have played haven't been heard by others!

Any response from Apple on this? How can we make sure this bug is noticed and addressed? it's going to be really bad some time for me...

To be clear, at least for me, this is not just limited to the spontaneous appearance of Apple Music through my iPod Pros. I do not have an Apple Music account. But I do have a large amount of music downloaded into my iTunes Library which, likewise, begins to play when I remove the iPod Pros from my ears and return them to their charging case. I believe the bug is more generic than one which involves the relationship between one's Apple Music account and their iPod Pros.

It is extremely annoying and, on more than rare occasion, disruptive to others. Please look into it Apple.

Happens with my AirPods 3rd generation and iPhone X.

Also as @Spec13 mentioned, it happens with AirPods 3rd generation and a 2016 MacBook Pro with macOS 12.6.

My theory is a bug in Apple Music misinterprets some handling of the AirPods as a play-now gesture.

Also as @Spek1 said, this bug only plays Apple Music no matter what had been playing (Outcast, Evercast, Dropbox, etc.)

FYI, I texted with Apple support about the issue and got nowhere. They asked for all the specifics about my phone and AirPod model, serial numbers, iOS version etc. They said to reset my AirPods and they would stand by to see if that helped. This was after I told them several times that I can’t replicate the issue on demand. They wanted me to escalate the issue and speak to someone, but honestly I have not taken that step because I am sure it would be another waste of my time. I verified with them that they do monitor these forums, so they definitely know about the issue but are choosing not to address it for whatever reason. I’m guessing they have no idea how to solve the issue and are too embarrassed to admit that, and they think it would affect their bottom line. A little communication would go a long way! Just say you’re aware of the flaw and are working toward a resolution!

I will say the guy I was texting with was extremely polite, but there’s no reason he needed serial numbers, etc. It was a massive waste of my time. Needless to say it happened again the other night, and thankfully it didn’t wake up my wife that time!

I might be able to shed a little light on this. For years I've had another issue with my AirPods- I would be talking on my iPhone, but if my MacBook Pro made some sound (like in a chat app), my AirPods would automatically re-connect to my MacBook at that moment. Obviously this was extremely frustrating while working- I would have to fumble with my phone, try to reconnect to the AirPods (rarely worked correctly), and I'd end up finishing the call holding my phone to my ear like some 1700's pilgrim. I finally got smart and got a wireless bluetooth + keyboard that connected to a wireless USB dongle, and shut off Bluetooth on my laptop. Problem still exists, but avoided.

Now every time I called Apple Support they were shocked, SHOCKED that this was happening. And yet, it's happened for years, across multiple MacBooks & multiple AirPods. Moral of the story? Apple Support will play dumb and chew up hours and hours of your valuable time. Don't fall for it! Turn off your laptop's bluetooth, delete Apple Music, switch to Spotify if you have to, and leave this all behind. Peace!

Carlos,

Although I appreciate and understand the issue you are raising, I believe it is different than what this thread is about: your problem arises out of connectivity with the previously paired device and not when you put your airpods back in their case - this should probably be in a different thread no? This thread is really about the fact that when we put our airpods back in their case, music starts playing randomly.

I believe you can fix your issue by removing automatic connection to the last device - although I might be wrong.

Here’s a little hack. It’s the only one I can come up with. When you’re in a situation where music blaring out of your phone will land you in the doghouse, like when laying in bed next to your sleeping wife, don’t put the pods in their case; just put them loose on the bedside table.

I haven’t personally had the issue for a couple weeks, but it’s obviously still a problem if people are commenting on this thread. Out of fairness, I’ll comment again if I don’t have the issue for a few more weeks, but I feel like that’s being overly generous, as they have not admitted there’s an issue, not even by a hair. That irks more than anything. A little communication goes a long way. Lack of communication causes resentment.

OK this was helpful and might point us to a more basic, underlying problem: Even with 

• a freshly re-started phone
• NO app open
• AirPods in my ears

a press on the bottom stem of the AirPods WILL start the last song that I had once played on the music app!

Of course this should never happen (music playing without any app open). 

It seems likely that this obvious basic bug is also triggered in the more complex case of closing the AirPod case and switching the audio to speaker that we have been discussing in this thread.

Hmm it seems that you don’t use Apple Music you said, you could delete Apple Music and remove that from your Apple one subscription. As for anyone using Apple Music intentionally I can’t really come up with a solution for you.