Left earbud of AirPods Pro 2 hissing only when Transparency or Noise Cancellation activated

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Left earbud of AirPods Pro 2 hissing only when Transparency or Noise Cancellation activated

I'm experiencing a hissing sound like heavy static only on my left earbud of the AirPods Pro 2 and only when Transparency or Noise Cancellation is activated. It is loudest on Transparency mode and softer on Noise Cancellation but is entirely absent if the Listening mode is set to Off. When the Listening mode is set to Off, the left earbud works without problems--I can play music and other sounds through it fine (no hissing at all). But when the Listening mode is set to Transparency, the hissing is so loud, it almost entirely drowns out any sounds (e.g., music) going through it (the music is still somewhat audible) whereas when the Listening mode is set to Noise Cancellation, the hissing is much softer but still audible. The hissing occurs regardless of whether there is any sound going through the AirPods Pro 2 or not.

When I try using the Ear Tip Fit Test, it insists the the left earbud doesn't have a good seal regardless of what size ear tips I use from the Apple-included S, M or L sizes. I have even tried third-party ear tips (Comply Foam Ear Tips). All to no avail.

I've tried resetting AirPods Pro 2 by following the instructions found here: How to reset your AirPods and AirPods Pro - Apple Support

I've tried disconnecting and then forgetting the AirPods Pro 2 and then reconnecting from a M3 MacBook Pro, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, an iPad Pro 12.9" and an Apple Vision Pro. But regardless of what device I connect to, that left earbud keeps hissing only when the Listening mode is set to either Transparency (worst) or Noise Cancelling (better). That hissing is only absent if Listening mode is set to Off.

This only started in August 2025 and these AirPods Pro 2 worked fine when I bought them brand new directly from Apple (of course, warranty has since expired). Why is this happening and how can I fix that irritating hissing sound in the left earbud of the AirPods Pro 2? In all cases explored above, the right earbud doesn't seem to be affected at all (i.e., no hissing, all audio is perfectly fine).

AirPods Pro (2nd generation)

Posted on Nov 9, 2025 11:18 AM

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Answer 1

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Tesserax

Level 10

157,824 points

Nov 9, 2025 1:34 PM in response to TanMan

Short answer: That hissing you’re describing from the left AirPod Pro (2nd gen) when Transparency or ANC is enabled is a strong indicator that the microphone array or internal pressure sensor on that earbud has malfunctioned.

A bit longer answer: hose modes depend heavily on the external and internal microphones to analyze ambient sound and counter or amplify it in real time. When one of those mics starts producing electronic noise—due to moisture ingress, debris, or hardware degradation—you’ll get exactly what you’re hearing: a loud static hiss in Transparency and a reduced, but still audible, hiss in Noise Cancellation. The “Off” mode bypasses all that DSP processing, which is why the audio playback sounds fine there.

The failed Ear Tip Fit Test further supports that the left earbud’s microphones aren’t correctly detecting the sound feedback loop they expect. Since you’ve already tried resetting, re-pairing across multiple Apple devices, and even swapping ear tips, it’s safe to rule out software or seal-related issues. At this point, the only real fix is hardware-based.

Ok, with that said, is there anything else you can still try to resolve this? Potentially, yes. Simply try cleaning the tiny external mic ports on the top and outer side of the left earbud with a dry, soft-bristled brush or a microfiber cloth to remove any earwax or dust.

Finally, you can confirm it’s a hardware fault by running a quick test: while in Transparency mode, gently cover the top mic on the left earbud (the small pinhole near the top edge). If the hiss changes pitch or disappears when covered, that mic is the culprit ... and, if that is the case, contact Apple Support and mention “constant hissing in Transparency mode on one earbud.” They’ve dealt with similar failures before, and Apple often replaces that single earbud rather than the entire set.

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