Some AirPods Pro 3 owners have been experiencing a problem with a static-like sound when Active Noise Cancellation is on but no media is playing, according to complaints on Reddit and the MacRumors forums.Those who are affected have described the noise as static, an audible hiss, white noise, rain, and an ocean-like sound similar to holding a seashell up to the ear.There have been reports of users hearing the static sound in ANC, Adaptive, and Transparency modes.
From reader ugh: From xJohnyxx: From rolan2q: Some users say the static is worse in one AirPod than the other, and others suggest that high frequencies also seem to be oddly amplified.Music mitigates the problem for some users, but not others.From EdRecde on Reddit: Not all AirPods Pro 3 units seem to be affected, and there are people who appear to be experiencing no issue at all.
Some users may also be less sensitive to any kind of ambient static sound.One user who reported the issue to Apple received replacement AirPods, and other people have exchanged the AirPods Pro 3 but experienced the same issue with the replacement pair.One user said that Apple is directing store employees to exchange the AirPods Pro 3 for users who report static issues.
It's not clear if the static that people are hearing is related to hardware or software, but if it is a software issue, Apple could address it in future firmware updates.The only option for eliminating the static entirely appears to be turning ANC and Transparency off, which can be done in the Settings app when wearing the AirPods.
