AirPods Pro 3 sound shifts to right side daily, requires reconnect

My AirPods Pro 3 will randomly shift most sound to the right side on a daily basis. The only fix is to disconnect and then re-connect them, which will re-balance the sound in both ears. I have my settings attached here, so I'm not sure what causes this.

[Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Oct 22, 2026 9:31 AM

1 reply

WheelieNick

Level 9 (74,110 points)

Oct 22, 2026 2:30 PM in response to SeanyRyder

Hi there

Please try this

Disable Head Tracking:

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your iPhone.
2. Tap the i (info) icon next to your AirPods Pro 3.
3. Scroll down to Spatial Audio and turn off Head Tracking (or switch Spatial Audio to Off or Fixed) to test if the drift stops.

Check Audio Balance Settings:

1. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual.
2. Ensure the Balance slider is set dead-center (0) and Mono Audio is turned off.

Turn Off Automatic Ear Detection (Temporarily):

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, tap the i next to your AirPods, and toggle off Automatic Ear Detection to see if a skin-contact or sensor misread is shifting the channel.