How I solved my AirPods Max Problems

After a frustrating few months with my out of warranty AirPods Max (Audio stopping on the right earphone before disconnecting and resetting; attempting factory resets to no avail; buttons not working; etc.), I think I've finally got them in good working order again and wanted to share the steps I used to do so.

AirPods Max Reset

• In the Bluetooth settings on your device, forget the AirPods Max. Do not reconnect them if prompted.
• Shutdown all devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.) that are signed into the iCloud account the AirPods Max were associated with.
• Factory Reset the AirPods Max by holding down both the Noise Control and Digital Crown buttons for 15 seconds.
• Remove the headband from the drivers and clean the left and right terminal connectors on the headband with isopropyl alcohol.
  • Use Google to find a guide if you're unsure how to perform this.
• Restart devices signed into iCloud account.
• Perform a hard reset on the AirPods Max by holding down both the Noise Control and Digital Crown buttons for 5 seconds.
• You should now be prompted to connect the AirPods Max on your device.
  • I had mine plugged into my iPad Pro via a Lightning to USB-C cable. Unsure if that matters.
• Your headphones should now be connected and visible across all devices. Try playing audio from a connected device. 

If AirPods Max buttons aren’t working:

• In the AirPods Max settings on your device, turn off Automatic Head Detection.
• Begin playing audio from this device (Music, YouTube, etc.) if you haven’t already, then return to the AirPods Max settings menu.

To restore functionality of the Digital Crown:

• Go to the Digital Crown menu and select your preferred scroll direction.
• Manually increase or decrease the volume on the device using the software or hardware buttons.
• The Digital Crown functionality should now be restored.

To restore functionality of the Noise Control button:

• Manually select a different setting from the Noise Control options and change the selected options in Button Cycles Between.
• The Noise Control button should now cycle between the selected options.

After confirming audio playback and button functionality, you can turn Automatic Head Detection back on if you prefer it. If audio playback pauses after enabling head detection, take the AirPods off your head and then put them back on.

Hope all of this helps!