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One side has gone quiet
The most common AirPods complaint, and the most commonly fixable. In most cases the speaker mesh is clogged with earwax and debris, which muffles output progressively until one side seems dead.
A proper deep clean — mesh cleared, grilles cleaned, sensors wiped — restores full output in a good share of cases. Try the obvious first: reset the AirPods (hold the case button for 15 seconds until the light flashes amber, then re-pair), and check the volume balance in Accessibility settings, which gets knocked out of centre more often than you'd think.
If cleaning and a reset don't fix it, the bud's internal battery or driver has failed. On AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, bud-level battery replacement is possible; on standard AirPods it often isn't economic.
Battery life has collapsed
AirPods batteries are among the smallest in consumer electronics and cycle several times a day. Two to three years typically takes them from five hours to under one.
This is inherent to the design rather than a defect. Replacement is possible on some models; on others the honest answer is that a new set costs less than the repair, and we'll say so.
The case won't charge
Worth separating: is it the case battery, or the charging port? A case that charges the buds but won't take charge itself usually has a port or port-flex problem. A case that takes charge but doesn't pass it on usually has a failed case battery or dirty contacts.
Start free: clean the Lightning or USB-C port with a wooden pick, and clean the metal contacts inside the case wells with a dry cotton bud. Debris on those contacts is a genuinely common cause. Both port and case battery are replaceable, and cheaper than a new case.
They cut out or won't stay connected
Try a reset and re-pair first, and check whether it happens on a different device — that separates an AirPods fault from a phone Bluetooth fault. Persistent dropouts on one side usually indicate an antenna or board problem in that bud, which is diagnosable but not always economic to repair.
When replacement is the honest answer
Sometimes it is, and we'd rather say so than take your money. If both buds have failing batteries on a three-year-old set of standard AirPods, a replacement set is the better spend. We diagnose free, so finding out costs you nothing either way.
Frequently asked
Can AirPods actually be repaired?
Some faults, yes — clogged speaker meshes, charging case ports, case batteries, and bud batteries on some models. Others aren't economic, and we'll tell you which yours is after a free diagnosis.
Why is one AirPod quieter than the other?
Usually a speaker mesh clogged with earwax. A deep clean fixes it in many cases. Also check the volume balance slider in Accessibility settings.
How do I reset my AirPods?
Put both buds in the case, close it for 30 seconds, open it, then hold the case button for about 15 seconds until the status light flashes amber. Then re-pair with your device.
Is it worth repairing AirPods or should I replace them?
Cleaning and case repairs are usually well worth it. Bud battery replacement depends on the model and age. We diagnose free so you can decide with real numbers.
Want us to look at it?
Free diagnosis at our Margao store, a fixed quote before any work, and six months of written warranty.