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How to change AirPods Pro tips
There comes a time when you need to change your AirPods Pro ear tips. It’s important to clean your AirPods once in a while, and you might need a different ear tip size—maybe you even lost or broke one of the tips. AirPods Pro ear tips are different from the standard silicone ear tips on most true wireless earbuds, so if you need some help taking them out and putting them in, this is the guide for you.
Editor’s note: this how-to article was updated on July 24, 2024, to mention third-party alternatives, answer frequently asked questions, and ensure proper formatting.
How AirPods Pro ear tips work
An AirPods Pro ear tip differs from the standard silicone ear tip because of how it fits into the earbuds around the driver, where it will slot into place securely and click in.
Apple provides three sizes of ear tips in the box, small, medium, and large. To find the best earbud tips, it’s a good idea to try out all three sizes to see what fits you best. A good seal and proper fit with your ear tips will ensure that your music sounds as good as possible and that you can wear your AirPods Pro without discomfort over longer periods of time.
You can also try out some third-party ear tips. In particular, foam ear tips may get you a more secure fit. A popular seller of foam ear tips is Comply Foam, $19 at Amazon. There are a number of other good AirPods accessories out there to help you get a good fit, such as wing tips, $10.99 at Amazon.
You can buy new ear tips, in sizes small, medium, and large, directly from Apple, or you can find third-party ear tips from retailers such as Amazon.
Cleaning your AirPods Pro ear tips is a simple affair. You can remove the ear tips from the earbuds, and then place the ear tips inside warm water with dish soap. Dry them with a paper towel or cloth, and remove any visible grime. This should have your ear tips looking clean and wax-free in no time.
How to change AirPods Pro ear tips
To remove the ear tips from this slot, pinch the ear tip from the bottom and pull until it comes out. You shouldn’t need to pull too hard—a gentle tug should get it out no problem.
With your new ear tip, place the ear tip into the same slot around the driver on each AirPod. Make sure it clicks into place and stays securely in, and you’re good to go with your new ear tips.
Finding the right fit for your ear tips
If you feel like you’re not getting the best seal possible from your AirPods Pro tips, there are a few things you can do to get a better fit.
First, try out all the ear tips that come with your AirPods Pro. If it’s too small, your AirPods will fall out of your ears or feel loose. If it’s too big, you’ll feel pressure, stretching, and pain inside your ear canal. The right fit will be snug and won’t budge when you move your head around. Getting this fit ensures music won’t escape from your ear and outside sounds won’t come in.
For some extra help getting your right fit, you can do Apple’s ear tip fit test. In your iPhone’s Settings app, go to the Bluetooth menu and press the “i” button on the AirPods Pro that is connected to your phone. Here, you’ll see the “Ear tip fit test” option, which will play music to test how much leakage you’re getting from your AirPods Pro. It will let you know if your fit is good, and you can adjust according to your results.
If you’ve tried all three ear tip sizes, and the earbuds are still falling out of your ears, you should take a look at third-party accessories such as replacement ear tips or wing hooks. If you recently purchased your AirPods and are encountering fit issues, you should just return them and check out other earbud options.
There exist a number of earbuds that offer ear tip fit tests through their respective mobile apps. Here’s a list of some of our favorites:
Frequently asked questions about AirPods Pro tips
No, the way the ear tips slot in around the driver is specific to AirPods Pro. Silicone ear tips for other true wireless earbuds won’t fit on AirPods Pro.
Apple’s one-year warranty on AirPods Pro doesn’t cover accidental damage, only manufacturing defects. So if your AirPods Pro arrive with faulty ear tips, you could contact Apple about it for a replacement. But if it just gets damaged from normal use, you won’t be covered. Ear tip replacement isn’t covered by AppleCare+.
There’s a possibility there’s some user error happening if none of your ear tips are passing the fit test. Make sure you’re putting the tips adequately into your ear and not letting them hang out too far, or you may need to adjust the angle the earbuds are sitting in your ears at. If this doesn’t help and you personally feel like you’re not getting a good fit, you can check to see if the manufacturer sells more ear tip sizes, or if you can use proprietary ones to get a good fit. It could also be a software issue that can be fixed with a software update.
There are a number of ways to fix broken AirPods depending on what your problem is. A good first step is to reset the AirPods, or try pairing them to a different device.
If you need to replace your AirPods, there are a number of options. You can exchange broken AirPods if the damage is covered by the one-year warranty. If you have AppleCare+ you can get them serviced for $29. You can also buy a single replacement earbud if needed.