How to Fix AirPods Making High Pitched Noise in Less than 5 Minutes? [with Pictures]

Sometimes your AirPods making high pitched noise when there is no audio.

In addition to being exceedingly unpleasant, the high-pitched noise drastically shortens the lifespan of your earbuds' batteries. 

Even worse, all of the AirPods models currently on the market have this issue.

Let's try to resolve this problem!

How to fix AirPods high pitched noise?

Why Do My AirPods Make A High Pitched Noise?

Several things may be causing the high pitched noise AirPods.

The reason why your earbuds have been making an annoying noise is as follows.

Why are my AirPods making a high pitched noise? 

Design error

Some users report that the problem could be a design flaw.

For example, the black mesh on the earbuds could occasionally stick out more than it ought to. 

Consequently, when you try to adjust your headphones, a loud, high pitched noise from AirPods can be heard.

Multiple Bluetooth devices or interference

Don’t connect your phone to many Bluetooth devices at the same time

The whistling issue may arise if your computer or phone is simultaneously connected to several Bluetooth devices.

Having too many Bluetooth gadgets nearby might also cause interruptions. That's why you had better minimize the number of devices in close proximity.

Dirt in the speaker or microphone

The microphone locations periodically may have dirt in them, which produces Apple AirPods high pitched noise. 

Luckily, you may fix this by using a Q-tip to clean the speaker and microphone grills.

Clean your AirPods frequently

Software update required

A software update could be necessary for your AirPods. 

Therefore, charge your earbuds in their case and put them next to an Apple device to start the upgrade process.

Bad ear tip seal

Your AirPods' Active Noise Cancellation feedback loop will make an effort to be as loud as possible to cancel out the sounds from outside. 

Yet, it is a poor seal, causing loud noises.

The whistle won't be audible until noise-canceling mode is used. 

A faulty seal of the ear tips can cause a whistling sound

In this case, trying ear tips of a different size would be helpful (see YUWAKAYI Replacement Ear Tips or Pohgelan 3-Pair Replacement Ear Tips).

Connectivity issues 

The AirPods may whine if they are not connected to your devices properly.

Therefore, turn off any Bluetooth devices and see whether the issue still exists with a particular device.

Broken AirPods

Broken AirPods are also an underlying factor

A broken AirPod may be also to blame if only one AirPod making high pitched noise and you recently dropped or exposed it to moisture.

A repair at an Apple shop could be required in this situation.

Device sound system or firmware issues

The problem with the AirPod high pitched noise might occasionally be attributed to the connected device instead of the AirPods.  

The issue may be not with your AirPods

So, playing audio over another sound system or a new pair of AirPods will help you identify whether the problem is with the device or your AirPods.

If the firmware on your device isn't up to date or the Bluetooth isn't working, you could also have this problem.

Read more: How to fix water damaged AirPods?

How to Fix AirPods Making High Pitched Noise?

You are now aware of the reasons why my AirPods keep making a high pitched noise. 

Most of the time, the issue is typically resolvable and not a result of your AirPods being permanently defective.

To protect your hearing from this semi-dog whistle, we'll now look at some doable solutions you can try.

Troubleshooting AirPod making high pitched noise

Clean your AirPods

If you hear whistling, carefully clean the black microphone components using a cotton bud.

Gently rub them without using too much pressure.

Then, restart your iPhone after your AirPods have finished charging.

Cleaning AirPods can solve AirPod makes high pitched noise

Clean the silicone eartips

One potential cause of the issue is the silicone ear tips. Thus, after removing the ear tips, wash them with mild soap and water.

As silicone tips with earwax buildup from extended contact with oil and dirt may produce high-pitched noises, using foam ear tips that do not readily collect dirt will be a better choice.

The best foam ear tips for AirPods are highlighted in the list below:

Remove and adjust the ear tips

One of the reasons why is my AirPod making a high pitched noise is a poor seal. 

In most cases, changing the ear tips to better seal it can solve the problem.

Simply take the silicone ear tips off of the AirPods by gently tugging them out. After that, pull the AirPods' silicone ear tips out slowly to fix the issue.

Remove and adjust the ear tips

Disable Automatic Ear Detection and Noise Control

The high pitched noise from AirPods Pro are likely to be produced by Noise Cancellation and Automatic Ear Detection. Luckily, disabling these functionalities is rather simple. 

To turn off Automatic Ear Detection and Noise Cancellation, do the following: 

• Step 1: Select "Bluetooth" under General Settings.

• Step 2: Tap the “i” icon next to your AirPods. Your AirPods' settings menu should appear as a result. 

• Step 3: In the menu of Noise Control options, disable Noise Cancellation. You can also set it to "Transparency" to disable it.

Disable Noise Control 

• Step 4: Scroll down and turn off the "Automatic Ear Detection" feature. Most high-pitched sound issues should be solved by doing this. Before disabling Automatic Ear Detection, ensure to take the AirPods out of your ears. 

Turn off Automatic Ear Detection

Reset your AirPods

You'll need to reset your AirPods if the AirPods loud high pitched noise is a result of Bluetooth or other issues. 

Here is how to do it:

• Step 1: Navigate Settings > Bluetooth.

• Step 2: Select your AirPods > Forget the device.

Forget the device

• Step 3: Open the lid and click the setup button on the case until the LED starts to flash white

• Step 4: To pair your AirPods once more, adhere to the on-screen directions.

In fact, this troubleshooting method of how to fix AirPods works well in solving common issues with your Apple earbuds.

Update firmware

Apple releases software updates to fix faults and improve user experience. Thus, check to see if your AirPods are running the latest firmware.

The software on your AirPods can be updated manually, but it is much easier if they are synchronized with a device.

While the AirPods connect through Bluetooth, the latest updated software will download and load automatically if your device is connected to a WiFi network.

Your smartphone will automatically update the latest software

Call a professional

You should take your AirPods to professionals if the AirPod Pro high pitched noise remains after you've reset them and turned off the noise-canceling feature.

Also, you may need to get a new set of headphones unless you're still covered by Apple's regular or extended Apple Care+ warranty, or you're willing to do without the problematic feature.

You may need support from Apple

Why Is One AirPod Making a High Pitched Noise?

The operation of your AirPods' Transparency mode may be the cause of high pitched noise in one AirPod.

This function enables some external noises to slip through more discreetly, improving noise cancellation, causing the AirPods to emit loud noises if not properly sealed.

Be aware that there might not be a long-term fix for this issue.

Still, you can try removing Automated Ear Detection as a temporary solution to somewhat reduce the high-pitched noise.

Turn off the Automatic Ear Detection to fix the issue 

Why Do I Hear a High Pitched Noise While Charging My AirPods?

If you hear AirPod Pro making high pitched noise while charging, it is probably a sign of a bigger issue with the battery or charging case.

In this case, you had better contact Apple support for guidance or go to an Apple store and have the AirPods checked by a professional.

Contact Apple for support

Read more: How to fix AirPod case lid?