AirPods losing Bluetooth connection during calls

My AirPods are working just fine with my iPhone 6S during music playback, but I routinely lose my BT connection during phone calls. I have to manually reconnect in the BT settings screen to continue. This happens even when the phone is less than two feet from my AirPods. I've reset the AirPods several times, I've restarted my phone several times, no change. In one case I lost the connection three times in a 10 minute call.


My assumption is that the cell radio is causing interference with the BT radio somehow. I'm on Verizon in case that matters.


I know others have reported this problem. Has anyone found a solution?


David Fry

null-OTHER, iOS 10.2, AirPods

Posted on Jan 6, 2017 10:48 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 23, 2017 2:29 PM

I was PLAGUED with airpods not working on calls...until I deleted TILE.


My story:


I was having frequent problems getting my airpods to work for a daily morning conference call for my job.


I finally went to apple store and they replaced the airpods with a new pair. It continued happening.


Then I got the new iPhone 8. It *still* continued happening. New airpods, new iPhone, same problem.


Then I deleted the TILE app from my phone (which had been connected to six or so tiles).


The AirPods haven't failed since. It was TILE.

70 replies

Jan 25, 2017 6:27 AM in response to Christopher Kemper

I did repair my watch, and unfortunately the issue did persist.


Ironically, I was able to get through a 10 minute phone call last night on Airpods at the end of my run when my phone was in my pants pocket and my watch was on my wrist... I'll see if I can recreate this scenario.


But any time I take a call with the phone on my desk, within 1 minute, I lose the bluetooth connection (including this morning!).

Jan 27, 2017 10:11 AM in response to Snark1234

Talked to Apple Support again yesterday morning, they were no help what-so-ever. They told me to return/exchange my AirPods. I got hung up on twice during the process and it was nothing but frustrating. It's very obvious that their first line call handlers are just reading from knowledge bases and don't know anything technical. They had no idea of any known problems and could only offer generic try this and that options, etc. I decided to give up on my 6s and bought an iPhone 7 yesterday. So far my AirPods have been working perfect with the new iPhone 7. Not one dropped connection during a phone call. My only hiccup since getting the 7 was one time where the left ear-piece lost audio while the right one kept streaming. After about 10 seconds the left one reconnected and starting working again. It's very apparent to me that Apple has technical problems with AirPods in general and much bigger issues with 6s compatibility. Too bad us early buyers have to be their beta testers. I'm pretty confident these issues will get ironed out eventually especially when more and more of the AirPods get in the hands of new customers because the volume of complaints will only increase.

Jan 27, 2017 2:31 PM in response to 369takedowns

I was hoping the 10.2.1 and 3.1.3 would help. 3 calls since installing, within a few minutes each of them dropped and came back and then dropped again. Always had to switch to speaker or iPhone which sometimes did not work. Seems it gets confused when the AirPods drop. The check mark is still on AirPods even when in dropped state. I remain frustrated...

Jan 28, 2017 8:29 AM in response to Kmurt

I am now wondering if when using the airpods for calls, that when talking the airpod sensors react as if you took the airpod out of your ears so it reverts to the phone. Talking can change the configuration of how the airpods set in the ears.


Still having these problems - disconnections from calls and occasional skips or disconnects from music or podcasts.


Running iOS 10.2.1 on an iPhone 6S and Apple Watch 3.1.2

Feb 1, 2017 9:33 PM in response to Snark1234

I have an iPhone 6s Plus running iOS 10.2.1 and an Apple Watch (1st gen) running watchOS 3.1.3. Saw this afternoon that my AirPods received the 3.5.1 firmware update. I had a 2-minute phone call, a 5-minute phone call, and a 67-minute phone call today and was able to keep both AirPods in!


Previously, it would only (mostly) work with one AirPod in, and with two AirPods, they would disconnect what seemed like every 10 seconds. Today, no connection dropping issues even with both AirPods in. Keeping my fingers tentatively crossed that the issue is resolved. Hopefully other people find the 3.5.1 firmware update fixes the issue for them too (and that it stays fixed for me).

Feb 6, 2017 12:42 PM in response to Snark1234

Still having issues with Airpods - thought it was isolated but it is not. Upgraded to 3.5.1 Airpods also have iOS 10.2.1 on my 6S. Thought it might be my car bluetooth but the other day, dropped Airpods [only had one in] while I was on phone in a grocery store and had to pick up the phone. Airpods [dual] also dropped a Podcast I was listening to as if I had removed one from my ear. Not real stable so not a recommended go-to product for use as a bluetooth headset.


No real solution in sight.

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AirPods losing Bluetooth connection during calls

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