AirPods Pro Keep Falling Out? Try These Workarounds

Apple’s AirPods Pro integrates a shorter “stem” and looks more compact than the AirPods. Moreover, it comes with silicone ear tips in three sizes. But even with its improved design, it does not guarantee that it will not slip off when worn. The AirPods Pro may keep falling out of your ear, especially when you are using it while running or even when you are just chewing food.

If your AirPods Pro that keeps falling out is already a big hassle for you, worry no more. Here, we share the workarounds to fix the said problem and why they are important.

Also read: Apple AirPods vs AirPods Pro: Which One Should You Get?

Why Keep Your AirPods Pro from Falling Out?

For some users who have so much patience, putting back the AirPods Pro on their ears when it falls is fine. Yes, it’s sometimes only a matter of patience. But if you are like them, you are not making the most of your audio accessory’s capabilities and service life. To elaborate, here are reasons why you should keep your AirPods Pro from falling out:

1. To Get the Best Listening Experience

Present-day audio accessories like the AirPods Pro are great because they can isolate what you need to hear from unnecessary sounds such as noise. In short, they are more immersive to listen to. But your AirPods Pro will not be like that if it is poor-fitting or has a tendency to fall often. It will only let your music leak and ambient sounds interfere or interrupt your streaming. So, find a way to keep your AirPods Pro from falling out to get the best listening experience. That is what you bought them for anyway, right?

2. To Avoid Damages to the Wireless Earbuds

You can play catch every time your AirPods Pro falls out of your ear, but reflexes are not perfect all the time. Also, another fall might already damage your audio accessory. For example, your AirPods Pro hitting a very rough or hard surface can lead to it being scratched or broken. If you do not want your AirPods Pro to bid you goodbye early, care for it by securing it when on your ear.

3. To Not Lose Your Audio Accessory

It is common to lose your wireless earbuds. They are portable but small enough to fit tight spaces – from grills on the road or the underside of your couch. In many cases, they are retrievable, but what if they never turn up? You’ve just lost an expensive mobile accessory. To avoid that, you need the workarounds in the succeeding section.

If Your AirPods Pro Keep Falling Out, Try These

There are different workarounds when your AirPods Pro earbuds keep falling out of your ear. Most of the solutions are applicable even for your other wireless earphones that do not match your ear size or slide easily for unknown reasons. Try any of these now:

1. Reinsert AirPods Pro Properly

Sometimes, the fault is not on the accessories, but on the wearer. If you are unfamiliar with the correct way to wear your AirPods Pro, then that is most likely why it keeps falling out.

The solution is nowhere but in your hands. You have to put your AirPods Pro into your ear properly. For that, gently reinsert the accessory into the opening of your ear. Then, press it a bit to secure its placement. Its orientation should not be vertical, but a bit tilted. The stem should be pointing slightly to the front (refer to the image below).

Given that no ears are alike, the placement might still not be apt for the ear shape. Thus, it helps to have a way to verify whether you’ve got the placement right. For that, try what Apple calls the Ear Tip Fit Test. That feature assesses how sealed the positioning of the ear tips is. It is available on iOS 13 and later versions. Here’s how to use it:

1. Keep your AirPods Pro inside your ear.
2. On your paired iPhone, head to Settings.
3. From the menu, navigate to Bluetooth.
4. Search for your AirPods Pro’s name, then hit its “i” icon.
5. Press the Ear Tip Fit Test option, then tap Continue.

6. Hit the Play button afterward.
7. Wait for the onscreen results.
*If your iPhone says your earbud tips are positioned well, you’re all good. Otherwise, readjust the AirPods Pro’s angle or try the next workarounds.

2. Invert the AirPods Pro You’re Wearing

There are wireless earbuds designed to be worn in an inverted position, such as those for sports. But the AirPods Pro units aren’t like those, and they look a bit weird if inverted. Still, some users prefer wearing the audio accessories that way for a better fit to the ear. Whether that orientation will work on your end depends on your ear shape. It’s a hit or miss but worth trying. Who knows? Your AirPods Pro that keeps falling out might just lock into place once inverted.

3. Get Replacement Tips for Your AirPods Pro

Long-time users know that silicone AirPods Pro ear tips, the default ones, are comfortable to the ear but have a tradeoff: they’re slippery when moist. Thus, they can be the culprits to why your AirPods Pro keeps falling out of your ear.

You cannot change what your original ear tips are made of, so in this case, the only workaround is to buy replacements. But of what material, though? Many experts recommend memory foam. It is nonslip, unlike silicone, and can isolate audio from noise more effectively. Just a reminder: check compatibility thoroughly. Even if some memory foam ear tips seem to be the same size as your silicone AirPods Pro tips, they might not fit the audio device. If you are unsure about the size postings, it is safer to purchase different sizes at once.

Size-wise, a better solution is to ask a manufacturer to customize AirPods Pro ear tips for you. Those ear tips will perfectly fit your earbuds, although they will cost more than a few pairs of ready-made ones.

Once you’ve bought new ear tips, replacement is a breeze. All you need to do is pull the silicone tips from your earbuds to detach them. Afterward, push the new ones into the oval connectors where you’ve detached the original ones from. The new ear tips are already securely connected if you hear the clicking sound.

4. Add Ear Hooks to Your AirPods Pro

If changing the ear tips did not do the trick, then try adding ear hooks to your AirPods Pro that keep falling out. They are as affordable as your regular ear tip options and great for when you are listening to music while working out.

Ear hook-style covers feature protruded tips for the inner ear or come as full coils you can hang from the top of your ears. They are less likely to slide out of your ears even if you are jogging. Furthermore, they can be put on or pulled out from your wireless earbuds hassle-free. Thus, you can switch from sporty to casual AirPods Pro or vice versa in a jiffy.

5. Attach Neckbands to Your AirPods Pro

Neckbands are not comfortable to wear regularly. They make your AirPods Pro resemble wireless earphones, and their cords may get tangled at times. Nonetheless, they are the best solution if you want to keep your AirPods Pro from falling out of your ears and hitting the ground.

Like ear hooks, neckbands are suitable for sports and other outdoor activities. With the said accessories, your AirPods Pro will not drop to the ground; they will often hang from your neck when they get loose or are accidentally hit by your hand.

What’s also good with neckbands nowadays is that they are sold in various hues and forms. You can opt for the white or black ones that match the original colors of your AirPods Pro or some hues that are bold if you want your audio accessory to stand out. Some variants are entirely a flexible cord or a plastic neckband with cords on both ends.

6. Clean Your AirPods Pro

Sometimes, it is the buildup of moisture, sweat, or lint that makes your AirPods Pro slide out of your ears easily. If that is the underlying problem, then all you might need to do is clean your AirPods Pro that keeps falling out.

The way to clean the AirPods Pro is almost the same as that of the AirPods. You can wipe it with a neat cloth if you want. The only difference with the Pro version is that you have to clean the ear tips separately using Q-tips and water with or without soap. For the exact procedure, you may refer to our walkthrough on how to clean the AirPods. There, we discuss the proper ways of cleaning the different versions of the audio accessory.

7. Apply Tape on the AirPods Pro’s Head

What if you do not have the budget to buy new accessories? You do not have to bear with your AirPods Pro that keeps falling out. There are low-cost solutions that might just be hiding inside one of your toolboxes at home. One of those is the grip tape. It is a type of tape with an adhesive side and a non-adhesive side that has a felt-like texture. The latter is not too rough for your skin but enough to improve grip.

Funny as it sounds, we will not advise you to tape your AirPods Pro to your ears. All you need to do is cut out tiny pieces of that grip tape and attach them to the head of your AirPods Pro. Grip tape that is in light brown or white is better for it will not be too noticeable when your AirPods Pro is not on your ears. Once the tape is attached to the parts of the earbuds that need friction, your AirPods Pro will have a tighter fit inside your ear and will not fall out easily.

8. Seek AirPods Pro Alternatives

If all the previous workarounds did not work on your end, then there are a few things left to do. One of those is to purchase separate wireless earbuds intended for working out or switch to a different brand for good.

If you have the extra cash, it is good to invest in Bluetooth earphones designed for workouts or the best AirPods alternatives that are known to not fall out easily from the ear. That does not mean you have to leave your AirPods Pro in the dust. You can still use them when you are not too active or just at home.

9. Send Your AirPods Pro Back to Apple

The last resort is to return or send back your AirPods Pro to Apple and get a refund or replacement for it, subject to Apple’s terms. In general, you are permitted to return items within 14 days of purchase as long as you have the package complete with no damages caused on your end. For the specific conditions, visit Apple’s Returns and Refunds page.

However, before you push through with this, here is a reminder: think about the possible costs and amount of effort you have to undertake to send the item back. If the entire process is too tedious, maybe giving your AirPods Pro some patience whenever it keeps falling out is still better.

Takeaway

No matter how advanced wireless earbuds like the AirPods Pro get, there will always be issues regarding the size and fit. That is unavoidable because people’s ears vary in shape and size. On the bright side, you already have some workarounds through this guide. Also, those are easy to try or obtain on your end. Hopefully, your AirPods Pro won’t keep falling out anymore after this.