If you have a problem with your AirPods, you can easily reset it by putting it in the charging case and pressing and holding the settings button.
However, even if you put it in the charging case and try to reset the AirPods, there are cases where the status lamp does not blink orange or orange to white and cannot be reset.
This article will explain what to do when AirPods cannot be reset normally, even if you press the setting button.
AirPods light meaning
LED lights on the AirPods charging case indicate the status of the AirPods and AirPod casing. Each color produced by this LED lighting has a different meaning. Let’s take a look at each.
Inside the casing
- Green: Indicates that the AirPod casing is fully charged
- Solid Amber / Orange: Indicates that the AirPod case is not fully charged.
- Blinking amber/orange —Indicates that your AirPods haven’t been successfully paired with your iPhone or other devices. (What we investigate)
- Blinking white indicates that your AirPods are ready to set up on your iPhone or other devices.
Outside the casing
- Green: This indicates one full AirPods charge left in the casing.
- Solid amber/orange: Your AirPods will be fully charged less than once.
Now that you understand all the colors produced by the LED lights in your AirPods casing let’s dive in and see how to fix the flashing orange/amber lights. Let’s look at some methods. Try each of them, and don’t forget to share with us in the comments that worked for you.
Method 1: Press the button with the case lid open
Even if you press the setting button with the lid of the AirPods case closed, you cannot reset the AirPods.
To reset the AirPods, you need to press the “setting button” on the back of the case for at least 15 seconds with the case lid open. Therefore, if you have closed the case lid, try resetting your AirPods with the lid open.
If you can’t reset your AirPods by pressing the Settings button with the case lid open, try the next solution.
Method 2: Disconnect AirPods from iPhone
If the AirPods are connected to the iPhone via Bluetooth, the status light will not turn orange even if you press and hold the setting button, and you will not be able to reset the AirPods.
So, disconnect your AirPods from your iPhone and then try resetting them. To disconnect your AirPods from your iPhone, follow the steps below.
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Tap “Bluetooth“.
- In the list of your devices, tap the “i icon” of “Connected AirPods“.
- Tap “Forget This Device“.
- When the confirmation pop-up appears, tap “Forget This Device“.
With the above steps, you can disconnect your AirPods from your iPhone. If you can disconnect your AirPods, try resetting your AirPods as you normally would.
Method 3: Disconnect AirPods from all devices
In addition to iPhone, AirPods can be connected to devices such as iPad, Mac, Android, and Windows. If your AirPods are connected to other devices besides your iPhone, you can’t reset your AirPods as well.
Therefore, if you have AirPods connected to multiple devices, you can reset them normally by disconnecting from all the devices.
Follow the steps below to disconnect your AirPods on devices other than your iPhone.
For iPad :
You can disconnect using the same procedure as for iPhone. For detailed steps, please refer to Method 2: Disconnect AirPods from iPhone.
For Mac :
- Click the Apple Mark and select System Preferences.
- Click “Bluetooth“.
- Select “Connected AirPods” in the list of devices and click the “x icon“.
- Tap Delete when the confirmation pop-up appears.
For Android :
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Tap “Wireless & networks” >> “Bluetooth“.
- In the list of pairing devices, tap the “Menu Icon” to the right of “AirPods“.
- Tap “Disconnect”.
For Windows :
- Right-click on “Windows Mark” and select “Settings“.
- Click “Bluetooth and Devices“.
- Click “Devices“.
- In the list of devices, tap the “Menu Icon” to the right of “AirPods“.
- Click Remove Device.
- Click Yes when the confirmation pop-up appears.
If you can disconnect the AirPods from all your devices, put the AirPods in the case again and press and hold the setting button to see if you can reset it.
Method 4: Charge your AirPods
It is possible that your AirPods may not reset properly due to the low battery level of your AirPods.
Therefore, fully charge your AirPods before trying to reset your AirPods.
To charge the AirPods, put the AirPods in the case, close the lid, and wait for about 20 minutes. Charging is complete when the status lamp turns green.
Once you’ve charged your AirPods, make sure your AirPods can be reset successfully.
Method 5: Charge the charging case
If the battery in your AirPods charging case is low, it can also cause your AirPods to not reset.
Therefore, connect the Lightning cable to the AirPods charging case to fully charge it, and then try resetting. Follow the steps below to charge your AirPods charging case.
- Put the AirPods in the case and close the lid.
- Connect the Lightning cable to the case and charge it with the charger or the USB port of your PC.
- Wait for about 1 hour until charging is completed.
Charging is complete when the status lamp on the case turns green.
Once you’ve charged your AirPods charging case, open the case lid and try resetting your AirPods.
Some users have reported that resetting the case with the Lightning cable charged will result in a successful reset.
Method 6: Clean your AirPods and case
There may be cases where the AirPods cannot be reset normally due to dust or dirt on the AirPods or the case.
Therefore, check the AirPods and the case, and remove any dust or dirt.
Once you’ve cleaned your AirPods and the case, try resetting your AirPods properly.
Method 7: Reset the network settings
There may be a case where the AirPods are not properly disconnected and cannot be reset due to a problem with the network settings of the device such as the iPhone to which the AirPods were connected.
Therefore, resetting the network settings of the device to which your AirPods were connected may resolve the issue. However, keep in mind that resetting the network settings will restore all network settings such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and APN.
To reset the network settings on your iPhone, follow the steps below.
- Open “Settings” from the home screen.
- Tap “General“.
- Tap “Transfer or reset iPhone“.
- Tap “Reset” >> “Reset network settings“.
- Enter your passcode when prompted.
- Tap Reset network settings to perform a reset.
Once you’ve reset your device’s network settings, disconnect your AirPods from your device and see if you can reset it successfully.
Method 8: Update the system of the connected device
There may be a case where the AirPods are not disconnected and cannot be reset due to a system malfunction of the device to which the AirPods were connected.
Therefore, updating the system of the device to which your AirPods were connected to the latest version may resolve the issue. Follow the steps below to update your system.
For iPhone / iPad:
- Open “Settings” from the home screen.
- Tap “General“.
- Tap “Transfer or reset iPhone / iPad“.
- Select Erase All Content and Settings.
- A confirmation screen will be displayed, so tap “Erase iPhone / iPad” to initialize.
- After the initialization is completed, proceed with the initial settings.
- When the “Apps and Data” screen appears, restore the data from the backup you made if necessary.
For Mac:
- Click the Apple Mark and select About This Mac.
- Click Software Update.
- When the message “There is an update” is displayed, click “Update Now” to execute the update.
If “Latest” is displayed, no update is required.
For Android:
- Open the “Settings” app.
- Tap “System“.
- Tap “Detailed settings“.
- Tap “System Update“.
- If “Update is available” is displayed, tap “Download” to execute the update.
- Follow the displayed procedure to proceed.
For Windows:
- Right-click on “Windows Mark” and select “Settings“.
- Click Update & Security >> Windows Update.
- Click Check for Updates in the right pane.
- If new updates are found, they will be installed automatically. If you see a “Restart” or “Download” button, click it to apply the update.
- After the installation is complete, make sure Windows is up to date.
Once you’ve updated your device’s system to the latest version, make sure you disconnect your AirPods and have a successful reset.
If not resolved
If you’ve tried all of the above solutions and you still can’t reset your AirPods, you may have a problem with your AirPods hardware.
Hardware failure is suspected, especially if you drop your AirPods or case to the ground or if you can’t reset it after it’s submerged. Also, if the battery of the case is deteriorated, it will not be possible to reset it unless the charging cable is connected to the case.
If you suspect a hardware failure , contact Apple Support for diagnosis and repair.
- Pair your AirPods with your iPhone again.
- The procedure for re-pairing your AirPods is the same as Method 1: Reset your AirPods connection and re-pair.
- Put the AirPods in the case and close the lid.
- Connect the Lightning cable to the case and charge it with the charger or the USB port of your PC.
- Make sure your iPhone is connected to the internet and “Low Power Mode” is “Off”.
- “Low power mode” can be switched to “Off” from the switch of “Settings” >> “Battery” >> “Low power mode“.
- Place your iPhone near the case that holds your AirPods.
- Wait for about an hour until charging and updating are completed.
- AirPods firmware updates are automatic internally.
