Unfortunately, yes. Some people have been dealing with static and crackling issues on their AirPods Pro 3, and it's been a source of frustration since launch.
What People Are Experiencing
The problems show up in a few ways:
- Static hiss when noise cancellation is on but nothing is playing
- Crackling sounds during music or podcasts
- Random whistling that comes and goes
- Little pops or audio glitches
Not everyone has these issues. It seems to affect some units and not others. Most reviews don't mention problems, but scroll through Reddit or Apple forums and you'll find plenty of people dealing with it.
Apple's Tried to Fix It
Apple has pushed firmware updates that were supposed to address the static issues. For some people, the updates helped. For others, nothing changed. A few people even say the problems came back after initially going away.
The Replacement Lottery
Here's the frustrating part: some users who got replacements from Apple say their new pair has the same issues. One person on Reddit mentioned going through four pairs. When replacement units have the same problem, it suggests this might be more than just defective individual units.
What You Can Try
If you're hearing static or crackling:
- Make sure your AirPods have the latest firmware (they update automatically when connected to your iPhone)
- Try forgetting them in Bluetooth settings and pairing again
- Clean the ear tips and speakers
- Contact Apple Support. They've been pretty good about replacements
Should You Worry Before Buying?
Honestly, most people don't have these issues. If you look at the overall reviews, sound quality gets high marks. But if you get a pair with problems, at least you know it's a known issue and Apple should help.
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How we researched this
Where this comes from: this answer draws on the product's published specifications and the reviews ShopSavvy collected for it, alongside prices from 1 retailer in ShopSavvy's price data, most recently seen Oct 16, 2026.
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