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Some AirPods Pro 3 Owners Complain About Static Noise
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Try this: go into Bluetooth settings in iOS and make it "forget" every device paired earlier to Bluetooth. Start a brand new pairing of the AirPods Pro 3 in a place that has no nearby active Bluetooth devices and see if a "clean" pairing of the iPhone and the AirPods Pro 3 eliminates the problem.
Give us some funked up AirPods we’ll pay the price , feed us the event koolaid well buy it thrice , we just don’t seem to care what’s on as long as the colours white , no static at all ………. 😉 Steely Dan brought me here .
I don't have the AirPods Pro. But I had problems at times trying to pair my Beats Studio Buds+ and Beats Flex with my iPhone 16 Plus not seeing the earbuds until I got the Bluetooth setting to "forget" the devices. With a brand new pairing, it worked perfectly.
ok, this make sense for connectivity issues, not for the problem we're talking about
yeah unfortunately seeing the same issue with just my right earpiece for the AirPods Pro 3rd gen. Did a replacement swap but still hearing the problem such as whistling air noise and bad feedback moving my jaw trying to drink for example.
I see a lot of comments regarding the static noise, but what I am missing is mentioning actual firmware versions, maybe that could help narrow it down? I see hopes of a fix via firmware, but I am wondering if the latest firmware (8A358) did not actually introduce it?
I am still on 8A353, and I use my APP3 a lot just to block out noise and isolate my thoughts from the outside world. (without listening to music or podcasts).
Of course you cannot revert upgrades, but if you are still not on OS 26, you can avoid the upgrade to 8A358. (provided that helps anything).
Are there any people here with ANC noise complants and that have the 8A353 firmware?
I am still on 8A353, and I use my APP3 a lot just to block out noise and isolate my thoughts from the outside world. (without listening to music or podcasts).
Of course you cannot revert upgrades, but if you are still not on OS 26, you can avoid the upgrade to 8A358. (provided that helps anything).
Are there any people here with ANC noise complants and that have the 8A353 firmware?
It’s not that. It’s not the ANC. I have the static in one airpod. They will replace, but it’s both inconvenient and worrying to have faults so serious it renders them unusable in such a new product.
AirPods 4 with ANC: I get static when ANC is on and no media is playing.
Turn off ANC and the static goes away.
Turn it on, and static returns immediately.
Clearly an ANC thing. Whether an issue or just how ANC works, I have no clue. Annoying for sure.
Turn off ANC and the static goes away.
Turn it on, and static returns immediately.
Clearly an ANC thing. Whether an issue or just how ANC works, I have no clue. Annoying for sure.
I just got my AirPod Pro 3’s replaced. They were purchased right after the launch. I had terrible feedback issues in the right AirPod in tbd first two weeks of use!
I went into the Apple Store and they “reset” them. The feedback issue stopped however after three weeks, multiple calls to Apple Support and trying various procedures, they would not automatically install / update to the new firmware.
I went to the Apple Store yesterday and they gladly replaced them. The new pair came with the new firmware installed. After 24 hours I am already noticing a slight screeching sound in the right pod particularly when I put it in my ear. The sound is very faint so I’m not going to do anything yet. Hopefully this problem can be fixed with a firmware update.
I went into the Apple Store and they “reset” them. The feedback issue stopped however after three weeks, multiple calls to Apple Support and trying various procedures, they would not automatically install / update to the new firmware.
I went to the Apple Store yesterday and they gladly replaced them. The new pair came with the new firmware installed. After 24 hours I am already noticing a slight screeching sound in the right pod particularly when I put it in my ear. The sound is very faint so I’m not going to do anything yet. Hopefully this problem can be fixed with a firmware update.
This just started happening for me yesterday. Sounded weird in the right ear and then started getting a weird ear piercing squelch every couple of minutes. Loud enough that it’s painful when it happens.
Apple support was a little bit of a pain but they’re sending a replacement.
Apple support was a little bit of a pain but they’re sending a replacement.
This same thing happened to me too on my first set of APP3’s I bought that had the prior firmware. “Resetting” them caused issue to stop. Per my other post in this thread, I was unable to load the new firmware. We tried everything over a few weeks.
I now have a replacement set that Apple gave me which came with the newest firmware already loaded. I have a very slight intermittent hiss in the right ear bud.
I now have a replacement set that Apple gave me which came with the newest firmware already loaded. I have a very slight intermittent hiss in the right ear bud.
I've very closely followed every thread about the white noise / static / wooshing sound under ANC. I have 3 launch-purchase APP3s and each has the same behavior. I have yet to attempt to ask apple store to swap out each for a replacement set of buds. I'm really interested to know if anybody has had success (i.e., hardware batch issues), as I've seen 80% of people saying that it did nothing after multiple replacement attempts... and only a very slim subset saying it made an appreciable difference. I'm surprised that we still don't have any sort of markers around whether this is truly a hardware / supplier issue that has been rectified or if it's just the ANC software behavior.
This is a real unsolved issue, confirmed by Apple support. They claim it is not a hardware issue, but this is probably to avoid mass-returns from customers, and rather let them wait for "software update".
Keep in mind, this does not apply to all of the new Air Pods Pro 3, so people not having this issue should refrain from giving advices and explaining why "this is normal". Once you experience this issue, you will understand that this far away from normal. Once you hear it you can't unhear it and it ruins every listening experience.
I'm on my second pair of Air Pods Pro 3. The first one had problems from start on, in both ears. It was first week of the launch, and I had to spend some time on it, before Apple finally admited it was an issue and sent me a replacement for free.
The replacement worked fine in approx. 3 weeks, then suddenly the left bud got the exact same issue. It looks like there is software problem with the ANC that may be triggered at any time. I also can clearly compare the faulty bud with a healthy one.
Description of issue: Seems like the ANC is overcompensating or amplifying certain fequencies. The experience is a constant high pitch "echo". It may react to surrounding noises as well as sounds of you swallowing or cheewing. In high noise surroundings, (like on a plane), it may build up an feedback-loop, resulting in very loud whistling noise. It may stop when swallowing or opening mouth, so it seems to be sensitive for pressure differencies.
How to test it:
A. Put your finger on top of the reference mic and apply some pressure (the largest black spot on the side), hold for 3-5 seconds and release quickly - you will hear a whistle or "chirp".
B. Locate the top mic (small black spot on top) try to slowly approach and gently increase the pressure on the mic with your finger, while the bud is in your ear. You will hear a short loud whistle.
If you plan to buy Air Pods Pro 3, I advice you to wait until this is solved. If you have one already and experiencing issues, don't waste you time on replacement as it will not solve anything. Claim your money back or (if you can) wait for oficial statement or fix form Apple.
Keep in mind, this does not apply to all of the new Air Pods Pro 3, so people not having this issue should refrain from giving advices and explaining why "this is normal". Once you experience this issue, you will understand that this far away from normal. Once you hear it you can't unhear it and it ruins every listening experience.
I'm on my second pair of Air Pods Pro 3. The first one had problems from start on, in both ears. It was first week of the launch, and I had to spend some time on it, before Apple finally admited it was an issue and sent me a replacement for free.
The replacement worked fine in approx. 3 weeks, then suddenly the left bud got the exact same issue. It looks like there is software problem with the ANC that may be triggered at any time. I also can clearly compare the faulty bud with a healthy one.
Description of issue: Seems like the ANC is overcompensating or amplifying certain fequencies. The experience is a constant high pitch "echo". It may react to surrounding noises as well as sounds of you swallowing or cheewing. In high noise surroundings, (like on a plane), it may build up an feedback-loop, resulting in very loud whistling noise. It may stop when swallowing or opening mouth, so it seems to be sensitive for pressure differencies.
How to test it:
A. Put your finger on top of the reference mic and apply some pressure (the largest black spot on the side), hold for 3-5 seconds and release quickly - you will hear a whistle or "chirp".
B. Locate the top mic (small black spot on top) try to slowly approach and gently increase the pressure on the mic with your finger, while the bud is in your ear. You will hear a short loud whistle.
If you plan to buy Air Pods Pro 3, I advice you to wait until this is solved. If you have one already and experiencing issues, don't waste you time on replacement as it will not solve anything. Claim your money back or (if you can) wait for oficial statement or fix form Apple.
With ANC, Transparency or Adaptive mode enabled, I can hear a very slight white noise/hiss in completely silent environments. As soon as I switch all modes off, the noise disappears entirely. I’ve already replaced my AirPods Pro 3 three times and all units behaved exactly the same, with no improvement at all.
What’s interesting is that this effect is more noticeable on the AirPods Pro 3 compared to previous models, probably because the ANC is stronger and more “aggressive.”
Is this normal?
From what I’ve learned, yes — this seems to be expected behavior for earbuds with powerful ANC. When ANC/Transparency are active, the internal microphones and the DSP are constantly working, and that processing introduces a very low noise floor that you can only hear in total silence. When you turn all modes off, the microphones and the whole ANC pipeline shut down, so the hiss drops to zero.
What’s interesting is that this effect is more noticeable on the AirPods Pro 3 compared to previous models, probably because the ANC is stronger and more “aggressive.”
Is this normal?
From what I’ve learned, yes — this seems to be expected behavior for earbuds with powerful ANC. When ANC/Transparency are active, the internal microphones and the DSP are constantly working, and that processing introduces a very low noise floor that you can only hear in total silence. When you turn all modes off, the microphones and the whole ANC pipeline shut down, so the hiss drops to zero.
I received new AirPods Pro 3 this week directly from Apple; they're my first Pros, having only used regular ones before. I was immediately impressed by the ANC, but as soon as I switch to Transparency or Adaptive mode, I get a strange hissing sound, especially in my right ear, and slightly in my left. However, the hissing is pretty much identical in both AirPods (see my Testing below).
I'm not talking about the minimal background noise, like a distant fan. The fan noise is present in all modes, except when the headphones are in the mode "Off", which is normal as far as I can tell for ANC headphones(?). What I mean is this: in Transparency and Adaptive modes, there's an additional, slightly higher-frequency hissing sound. I can hear it noticeably in quiet environments, even when listening to quiet music, and especially when listening to quiet podcasts.
What I tested and tried:
- Accessibility -> Audio & Visuals -> Turn on and off
- Reset and reconnected the AirPods
- Left AirPod in my right ear, right AirPod in my left ear. Result: Both AirPods hiss, but only in my right ear (I'm probably more sensitive there), and a bit in my left ear
- Called Apple Support, response: a certain amount of background hiss is normal in the modes, but it shouldn't be too bothersome. If it bothers me too much, I should exchange them
- Unfortunately, I don't have an Apple Store nearby and didn't want to send them back immediately because I've read online that many people have some problems in this way with the APP3 and that an exchange didn't help. However, I do have an official Apple reseller here, and I went there. They tested my AirPods. Result: Everything is fine. I was told to go directly to the Apple Store if it bothers me; they can supposedly test it further (I'm also wondering what more they could possibly test if you're an official reseller with a repair shop and test unit?).
- I was out in the city with relatively loud ambient noise and tried all the modes, with and without a podcast. It's okay in all cases -> as long as there's ambient noise.
- As soon as it gets quieter, I start to hear the additional noise.
- Even when a podcast or music is playing quietly, the noise remains audible up to about 20-30% volume for music and 30-40% volume for podcasts. (Note: when it's quiet, as I said, with ambient noise, the noise is almost imperceptible or even completely unnoticeable, like in the city.)
I have the latest iOS and firmware versions installed. I'm not really sure what to do now. In ANC mode it's fine, but at home I usually listen in Transparent mode, without ambient noise, and that's when I hear the hissing (at least in my right ear). If I know this is "normal" and all Pro 3s have it, then I can at least live with it or decide to return them completely. But if it's a defect, I'd like to know so I can take the step of exchanging them. What bothers me most is that none of the experts could say anything to help me. Obviously, phone support for a problem like this is almost impossible, but even in person, people aren't going to put the headphones in their own ears - thats okay, because that would be subjective - but to be told that the test says everything is fine, but if it bothers me, I should go directly to Apple... well, what am I supposed to do now? What are your experiences? Did you get a new pair and is it solved now?
Another piece of information: I tested a friend's AirPods Pro 2 connected to his iPhone, and I also heard a similar hissing sound, but only about 20-30% as loud as with my Pro 3. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been paying attention.
I'm not talking about the minimal background noise, like a distant fan. The fan noise is present in all modes, except when the headphones are in the mode "Off", which is normal as far as I can tell for ANC headphones(?). What I mean is this: in Transparency and Adaptive modes, there's an additional, slightly higher-frequency hissing sound. I can hear it noticeably in quiet environments, even when listening to quiet music, and especially when listening to quiet podcasts.
What I tested and tried:
- Accessibility -> Audio & Visuals -> Turn on and off
- Reset and reconnected the AirPods
- Left AirPod in my right ear, right AirPod in my left ear. Result: Both AirPods hiss, but only in my right ear (I'm probably more sensitive there), and a bit in my left ear
- Called Apple Support, response: a certain amount of background hiss is normal in the modes, but it shouldn't be too bothersome. If it bothers me too much, I should exchange them
- Unfortunately, I don't have an Apple Store nearby and didn't want to send them back immediately because I've read online that many people have some problems in this way with the APP3 and that an exchange didn't help. However, I do have an official Apple reseller here, and I went there. They tested my AirPods. Result: Everything is fine. I was told to go directly to the Apple Store if it bothers me; they can supposedly test it further (I'm also wondering what more they could possibly test if you're an official reseller with a repair shop and test unit?).
- I was out in the city with relatively loud ambient noise and tried all the modes, with and without a podcast. It's okay in all cases -> as long as there's ambient noise.
- As soon as it gets quieter, I start to hear the additional noise.
- Even when a podcast or music is playing quietly, the noise remains audible up to about 20-30% volume for music and 30-40% volume for podcasts. (Note: when it's quiet, as I said, with ambient noise, the noise is almost imperceptible or even completely unnoticeable, like in the city.)
I have the latest iOS and firmware versions installed. I'm not really sure what to do now. In ANC mode it's fine, but at home I usually listen in Transparent mode, without ambient noise, and that's when I hear the hissing (at least in my right ear). If I know this is "normal" and all Pro 3s have it, then I can at least live with it or decide to return them completely. But if it's a defect, I'd like to know so I can take the step of exchanging them. What bothers me most is that none of the experts could say anything to help me. Obviously, phone support for a problem like this is almost impossible, but even in person, people aren't going to put the headphones in their own ears - thats okay, because that would be subjective - but to be told that the test says everything is fine, but if it bothers me, I should go directly to Apple... well, what am I supposed to do now? What are your experiences? Did you get a new pair and is it solved now?
Another piece of information: I tested a friend's AirPods Pro 2 connected to his iPhone, and I also heard a similar hissing sound, but only about 20-30% as loud as with my Pro 3. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been paying attention.