It is shown that over 70% of all teens own and use Apple AirPods, whether it’s at the gym, library, elevator, or work. They truly give you a personal sound system to listen to without disturbing the people around you. Or do they? The question always comes up: Can people hear my AirPods?
As a general rule, AirPods can be heard by people sitting close by if the volume is turned way up or they do not fit into the ear to form a proper seal. This may vary depending on the amount of surrounding noise, the AirPods model, and how well they fit into a user’s ear canal.
Keep reading as I share additional details on how AirPods can possibly leak sound while being worn and how we can make it less likely that others will hear them.
Why Can People Hear My AirPods?
There are many different reasons why people sitting or standing next to you would hear the music you have playing through your AirPods. Unless you ask, you will never know if people are hearing you. But a dead giveaway is when you are being stared at by people close to you. Here are a few possible reasons why people can hear your AirPods:
- Fit – Every ear is different, which means that an AirPods you obtain straight from the seller may not fit into your ear correctly. When purchasing a new one, in the box will come various sizes of earpieces, so you can make them fit better. Unfortunately, not many people make an effort to do so.
- Volume – If you like to drown out the world around you, the volume will be turned up as high as you can handle. People around you may hear the music, especially if the surroundings are quiet. They will not usually be able to listen to the song’s words, but the beat will leak out.
- Space – You may not have control over how close people sit to you, but if on a bus or plane, the person next to you will be right next to you. They can hear the noise leaking out of your ears unless you have the volume turned way down.
The three main reasons that your AirPods can be heard by the people around you may be obvious. It may also be annoying for the people who have to sit by and listen to your taste in tunes. But, there is a solution to this problem, and that is where the AirPods Pro comes into play.
Can People Hear My AirPods?
The way Apple designed the AirPods unless the volume is above a certain threshold (about 75% of max using the iPhone or Mac as the audio device) or the earbuds are not fully inserted into the ear canal, it is very unlikely that people can hear the AirPods of somebody else.
The AirPods Pro are even less likely to be heard by others since they feature dedicated silicone ear tips that encapsulate the sound and direct it straight into the ear canal without leaking sound the other way.
Related Content: Can You Connect AirPods With One Missing?
Final Thoughts
It quickly becomes apparent when you have a pair of AirPods that the people sitting close to you can hear the beat of your music. It is also obvious when walking down the road; that people glance up from their phones to see where the beat is coming from. But to you, withdrawn into your own little bubble, it does not seem to be that big of a problem.
For the most part, it is not that big of a deal. People may not be happy that they can hear your music, but they will simply ignore you and go on with their days. If you are worried about your sound escaping from your ear, invest in some AirPods Pros, turn down the volume, or try to replace the earpieces. Hence, it fits into your ear correctly.