my Airpods 3 scratch my ears!

Hey Jelenagonsarova,

Hmm, judging on the picture that you provided, I believe that these are not genuine Apple AirPods. The crease down the middle is very pronounced which normally is seamless. Here is a picture of what they are suppose to look like:

You can see on the seam on each AirPod does not protrude at all as yours do in the photo, and would not cause your ears to be rubbed raw.

You can go to this Apple Support webpage that talks about how to identify whether or not your AirPods are real or counterfeit: Identify your AirPods - Apple Support

You can also check your serial number here: Find the serial number of your AirPods - Apple Support (IE)

Unfortunately there are a lot of fake AirPods out there, and I myself have been scammed buying 3rd generation AirPods thinking they were real until I used the "Identify your AirPods" support document to make sure, as I didn't buy them from Apple. I hope this helps! :D I am sorry that your earbuds are causing this problem. :( If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask. :)

Stop using them.

If you bought them less than 14 days ago from Apple, return them for a refund.

Hi Jelenagontsarova

welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community.

Re: My Airpods 3 scratch my ears. What to do?

Apple support's article (link below) may be helpful:

Information about getting a good fit and potential skin sensitivities:

Wearing your AirPods, EarPods, or Beats devices - Apple Support

How to clean your AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and EarPods - Apple Support

Resource:

AirPods User Guide – Apple Support 

If you need to visit an Apple Store, 

a Genius Bar reservation is recommended:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

More support (online chat, phone. eMail etc)

Find all the topics, resources, and contact options you need for your AirPods....

AirPods Support - Official Apple Support

All the best :-)

Hmm, that's really odd then. Unfortunately you might have to go into your closest Apple Store and have them take a look at them, or pruchase a different pair of AirPods. I know the AirPods 2nd Gen are still available, and the AirPods Pro 2 are available with the silicon tips. It must be a design flaw then on your AirPods.

Sorry!

Thank you for your replies, Jelenagontsarova, and for letting us know more about this troublesome situation. Sorry nothing helped from that initial reply, yet am grateful others have now joined the discussion adding their relevant info. All the best :-)