How to Turn Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods?

Not Every Feature Is a Hit!

How to turn off automatic ear detection on Airpods

Does it frustrate you when your music automatically switches off as soon as you remove one AirPod? Do you prefer listening to music with only one AirPod in your ear and want to turn off Automatic Ear Detection?

While Apple has incorporated the Automatic Ear Detection feature in the AirPods and AirPods Pro, and Automatic Head Detection feature in the AirPods Max for users’ convenience and to preserve the battery life of your AirPods, these features can be a little annoying at times. 

However, you can turn off these features per your convenience in a few steps. We’ll tell you how in this post. Let’s go!

What Is the Automatic Ear Detection Feature in AirPods and AirPods Pro?

The Automatic Ear Detection feature of AirPods and AirPods Pro enables them to sense when you are wearing them and play audio accordingly. 

Automatic Ear Detection Feature in AirPods and AirPods Pro
Automatic Ear Detection Feature in AirPods and AirPods Pro

If this feature is switched on:

  • Audio playback will automatically pause if you remove one of your AirPods and resume when you wear it back
  • Audio playback will stop if you remove both your AirPods and will play using your device’s speaker

What Is the Automatic Head Detection Feature in the AirPods Max?

In the case of AirPods Max, the Automatic Ear Detection feature is called Automatic Head Detection. 

Automatic Head Detection Feature in the AirPods Max
Automatic Head Detection Feature in the AirPods Max

The functionality of this feature is pretty simple in comparison to the Automatic Ear Detection feature of the other AirPods. Your AirPods Max will automatically pause audio when you remove them and play it when you wear them back.

What Happens When You Switch Off Automatic Ear/Head Detection on AirPods?

If you switch off the Automatic Ear/Head Detection feature on your AirPods AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max, your AirPods will continue to play audio irrespective of whether you are wearing or removing them. 

Why You May Need to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on Your AirPods

Here are 4 reasons why switching off the automatic ear/head detection feature on your AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max may help:

Your AirPods Keep Disconnecting

We’ve personally faced this issue quite a few times with our AirPods Pro. Our AirPods Pro kept disconnecting and we were struggling to fix the issue. We tried different methods and among them was switching off the Automatic Ear Detection feature and it worked!

Sometimes, even when you wear your AirPods after removing them, their sensors may face signal lag, or signal interruption. This leads to frequent disconnection which you can resolve by switching off the Automatic Ear/Head Detection feature. 

Your AirPods’ Battery Is Draining Quickly

If you switch on the Automatic Ear Detection or Automatic Head Detection feature, your AirPods’ battery drains faster than you expect. 

When your AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max are using the Automatic Ear/Head Detection feature, their sensors are constantly detecting whether you are wearing them in/on your ears or not. This can lead to rapid battery drainage. 

So the next time you see your AirPods blinking red, consider disabling the Automatic Ear/Head Detection feature. 

You Prefer Using a Single AirPod

If you are not a fan of blocking both your ears with your AirPods and are content with the audio performance of only one AirPods, you may want to switch off the Automatic Ear Detection feature. 

You Want to Share Your AirPods

If you are sharing your AirPods with someone, the Automatic Ear Detection feature can be annoying. For example, if the other person removes their AirPod, your audio will also get paused. 

Therefore, if you believe in “sharing is caring” when it comes to your AirPods, we recommend turning off the Automatic Ear Detection feature. 

How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods and AirPods Pro Using Apple Device?

Now, coming to the main part of this article. Here’s how you can switch off Automatic Ear Detection on your AirPods and AirPods Pro.

How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods (1st and 2nd Generation) Using iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?

  • Wear your AirPods and connect them to your source Apple device.
  • Open “Settings.”
  • Click the name of your AirPods. 
  • Toggle off Automatic Ear Detection. 
How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods (1st and 2nd Generation) Using iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?
Toggle off Automatic Ear Detection on iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods (1st and 2nd Generation) Using Mac?

  • Wear your AirPods and connect them to your Mac.
  • Open the Apple Menu, and click “System Settings.”
  • Click the name of your AirPods in the sidebar. 
  • Toggle off Automatic Ear Detection. 
How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods (1st and 2nd Generation) Using Mac?
Toggle off Automatic Ear Detection on Mac

How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods and AirPods Pro Using Android?

You can use an Android app called AirBattery to disable the Automatic Ear Detection feature on your Android device. You can also use this app to check the battery levels of your AirPods and AirPods Pro. 

Follow these steps after you download the AirBattery app from the Google Play store. 

  • Launch the AirBattery app on your Android device. 
  • Click the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
  • Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
  • Scroll down to find the “In-ear detection” option and turn it off.
How to Switch Off Automatic Ear Detection on AirPods and AirPods Pro Using Android
Turn Off the “In-Ear Detection”

How to Switch Off Automatic Head Detection on AirPods Max Using Apple Devices?

How to Switch Off Automatic Head Detection on AirPods Max Using iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch?

  • Wear your AirPods and connect them to your source Apple device.
  • Open “Settings.”
  • Click the name of your AirPods. 
  • Toggle off Automatic Head Detection. 
How to Switch Off Automatic Head Detection on AirPods Max
Toggle Off “Automatic Head Detection”

How to Switch Off Automatic Head Detection on AirPods Max Using Mac?

  • Wear your AirPods and connect them to your Mac.
  • Open the Apple Menu, and click “System Settings.”
  • Click the name of your AirPods in the sidebar. 
  • Toggle off Automatic Head Detection. 

Final Words

So the next time you want to use only one of your AirPods or share your AirPods with a friend, we recommend disabling the Automatic Ear Detection feature. While this feature can be useful when it comes to saving your AirPods’ battery, it can also become an inconvenience. As it is said, there are two sides to every coin!

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