Apple Airpod Max Problems: 7 Most-Common Issues

Are you planning on buying the Apple Airpod Max headphones? We’ve already looked at how durable Apple headphones are, now let’s dig deeper.

If you have your sights on the AirPods Max, here are seven of the most common problems you may encounter, which will help you gauge if it is meant for you:

1. AirPods Max May Suffer from Condensation

You might have noticed some water droplets accumulating inside the ear cups of your AirPods Max.

Many Apple AirPods Max users have observed condensation, and even those in non-humid environments found it unusual. The formation of condensation affects the ear detection feature of the AirPods Max.

The condensation can also corrode the surface of the ear cups, which are made of metal.

This will, in turn, reduce the lifespan of your AirPods Max.

– Stay Away from Humid Environments

Humid environments mean the high presence of water vapor in the air, making the temperature hotter than usual.

Subjecting the AirPods Max to humid environments will make the vapor condense on the metal surfaces of the headphones, including the ear cups and drivers.

As stated earlier, this can lead to the corrosion of your headphones.

– Avoid Sudden Changes in Temperature

Condensation also forms when temperatures hit below 35 degrees Fahrenheit during more prolonged periods.

If you notice how, sometimes, eyeglasses become foggy or misty after shifting from a cold to a warmer area.

The same thing can happen to your AirPods Max, and it can be dangerous to turn on any electronic device, not just the AirPods Max, in this situation.

You need to give it time to adjust before using it in the said environment.

Be sure to check for any condensation before turning on the device.

– Refrain from Using for Long Durations

While Apple says you can get up to 20 hours of use with the AirPods Max, it doesn’t mean you should.

Not overworking your AirPods Max will be beneficial.

You give it ample time to rest and ensure that no condensation gets trapped inside.

At the same time, you also prolong its lifespan when you let the battery take a rest from use.

– Know When to use the AirPods Max Case

The case protects your AirPods Pods Max from cold temperatures, which can mitigate condensation when you use them.

But, you need to keep the AirPods Max outside the case when in warm environments.

Keeping it outside will allow your headphones to breathe and circulate air to prevent heating.

2. The Battery of the AirPod Max Loses Charge Faster

Many users have noted that their fully charged AirPod Max loses power overnight, even when not in use.

But you don’t have to panic just yet.

Apple had released a firmware update to address this problem.

You should check your firmware version by opening the Settings of your iPhone and open the Bluetooth Menu.

Look for your AirPods in the list and tap the “i” beside it.

If the firmware version says 3C39, it means your AirPods are safe. Otherwise, it needs an update.

While you can’t update the firmware directly on your headphones, you will need to put it in the smart case while paired to your iPhone, which will then handle the firmware update.

3. AirPods Max Keeps Disconnecting from the Device

This is a common issue for any wireless headphones in the market today.

But what makes it stand out for the AirPods Max is that it lacks a power switch that makes resetting easier for typical wireless headphones.

Some attribute this problem with the updates to Big Sur and iOS 14.3.

If your AirPods Max keeps on disconnecting, here are some of the things you can do.

Reset your AirPods Max

• Before starting the Reset process, make sure that you charge your AirPods Max for a few minutes.
• Press and hold the noise control button and Digital Crown until the LED flashes amber.
• Another way to reset the AirPods Max is to unpair it from your iCloud account, press and hold the Noise control and Digital Crown for 15 seconds, or until it flashes amber, then white.
• Then re-pair your headphones to your device.

Note that resetting your AirPods Max may be used to solve other unusual problems that you may encounter with your headphones.

Disable Auto-detection function

You can disable your AirPods Max from detecting your head, which solves the disconnection problem.

• Open your device settings and go to Bluetooth settings
• Click on the “i” button beside your AirPods Max and turn off the Automatic Head Detection setting.

4. The Volume can be too Low with AirPods Max

In some cases, you might find the sound coming out of your AirPods Max as too weak.

And often, the reason the volume level would be softer is that the sound was rendered in low volumes.

Suppose you were transcribing something, but you couldn’t hear what the person said?

A good way to do this is to increase and calibrate the volume level. For Airpods Max, you can adjust the volume with the Digital Crown.

For the Airpods Pro and earlier/lower models, you will need to adjust it through the phone.

To get more volume also, you can turn off the Low Power Mode, which saves on battery life by reducing volume levels.

Make sure your AirPods Max has a lot of power. Running them on low power also means playing audio at lower levels.

You may want to turn off any equalizer settings. While many eq settings claim to be boosters, remember that these only increase a specific frequency in the mix of the song.

It might seem louder, but the reality is that you only hear an emphasis in the frequency.

There’s also a Volume Limit Feature on iPhones to prevent ear damage when sounds become too loud. You can turn this feature off if you need a little more volume to hear what you’re listening to.

This feature helps especially for those who are transcribing audio for work (e.g., podcasts, interviews).  

Look-through our article which explains about Why Do Apple Headphones Break So Easily?

5. AirPods Max Won’t Work with a Wired Connection

In case you didn’t know, the AirPods Max also works with a wired connection.

And while it may seem that you can connect the cables both ways, unfortunately, there’s only one way to connect your AirPods Max to your iPhone or iPad.

Here’s how to do it.

• Connect an Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Audio Cable (male end) to your iPhone or iPad.
• Connect an Apple Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter (female end) to the AirPods Max.
• Connect the 3.5 mm male and to the 3.5 mm female end.

6. AirPods Max Noise Cancellation not Working

The AirPods Max features a noise-canceling function that helps reduce background noises when using them.

With just a flick of a switch, you can immerse yourself into a pleasurable listening bliss.

But what if nothing is happening when you turn on the Noise Cancellation feature?

What Should You Do?

The first thing you need to do is reset your AirPods Max, which takes only a few seconds.

Take note that this will also mean re-pairing your headset with other devices you linked it to.

If the Noise Cancellation doesn’t seem to work, it means the environment you are in is too loud for it to take effect.

You’re better off moving to a less noisy environment.

7. Head Detection is not Working

One of the game-changing features of the AirPods Max is Head or Ear detection.

This feature wakes up your headphones so that you can continue listening where you left off.

But you can’t avoid it, that at times, this feature won’t work as planned.

 The first thing you should check is whether condensation had occurred in the ear cups.

As pointed out earlier, one of the effects of condensation is the inability of the AirPods Max to detect when you have the headphones on your head.

If condensation occurred, just wipe it with a dry and lint-free cloth and let it dry out for a minute or two.

But, if there is no condensation, check if the auto-detection feature is turned on in the settings of your phone.

And lastly, if it still doesn’t work, consider resetting your AirPods Max.

General Pros and Cons of the AirPods Max:

– Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency Mode

One of the main selling features of the AirPods Max is its Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency Mode.

Noise-canceling allows you to immerse yourself into the sound experience without being disturbed by other people.

If you like listening to music while reading a book in a coffee shop, this feature helps you shut yourself from the chatters in the café.

Meanwhile, the Transparency mode is another welcome feature that improves safety.

If you take public transportation, the Transparency mode allows you to hear the PA system announce the arrival of your ride. You can even use it to keep alert of an oncoming vehicle on the road while you wait for a ride.

– Earpads and Fabric Headband fit quite well

If you prefer wearing headphones for extended periods, you will enjoy wearing the AirPods Max for your sound trips.

These headphones are comfortable to wear and don’t even fold your ears to uncomfortable forms.

You can keep them on for hours, but don’t forget to give your ears a rest.

– Battery life is quite remarkable

While it’s recommended to give your ears a break every few hours, you won’t have to worry about charging the AirPods Max so often.

To give you an idea of how good the battery life is, the AirPods Max can run for as long as 20 hours, with the Noise Cancelling Feature on.

What more if you run it at lower volumes, and with noise canceling off?

– Disadvantages of the AirPods Max

• You need two (2) cables and adapters to run wired mode.
• You don’t get all the features when using a non-Apple device
• The AirPods Max is not water-resistant.

Final Thoughts:

The AirPods Max is a powerful headphone you can get on the market right now. But, you get the full benefit of the Airpod headphones when using the Apple system, including the Apple Music app.

That said, this is a good investment for those who want a seamless integration within all the Apple devices that one may own.

Sources:

How To Fix AirPods Max Noise Cancelation Not Working

How To Fix AirPods Max Condensation Issue

New AirPods Max firmware update fixes battery drain issues when in Smart Case