AirPods Pro 2 no sound on MBP after a few minutes

[Big_D]

I use my AirPods Pro 2 with my iPhone 16 Pro, iPad Air M2 and MacBook Pro M4 Pro. With the iPhone and iPad I can listen to audio for hours on end.

The last few days, when connected to my MBP (Tahoe 26.2), after a few minutes the video or audio will continue to play in the app (Safari, Podcasts, Brave etc.) but the AirPods stop playing the audio (MBP says battery 99% on the APs and the case is 100%), everything just goes silent. If I pause the audio, stick the AirPods back in their case, count to 10 and then put them back on again, the audio plays again for a few minutes, then the AirPods stop again, although the Mac doesn't seem to have noticed that the AirPods are't working.

If I use my Sony over-ear BT headphones I can listen to the audio for hours.

If I use the AirPods with my iPhone or iPad I can listen to audio for hours.

 

[gymrat2k]

I have had the same with APP2 and my Mac on atleast macOS 26.2 and 26.3. I can "fix it" in seconds with switching to Mac speakers, then back to APP2. Then it takes a while for it to happen again.

 

[jgba]

I ve had this issue since the day Tahoe came out. I can't tell if it's Tahoe or the AirPods firmware update that came out the same day. It only happens a few times a week, once a day max.

It starts with something that sounds like interference, where the audio starts cutting out, then it quickly cuts out completely and I have to switch to speakers and switch back.

I listen to all my audio through Chrome, so it's always been involved. I'll try Safari and see if it persists.

edit: still happens with Safari. It also has nothing to do with green memory pressure and low swap.