AirPods disconnecting and reconnecting bluetooth connection in a loop on calls only

Several iPhone and AirPods users, including myself, have been experiencing a persistent and extremely frustrating bug where AirPods continuously disconnect and reconnect in a loop—but only during phone or VoIP calls. Playback for music, podcasts, and audiobooks remains completely unaffected.

This issue has persisted for over two years, spanning multiple iPhone and AirPods upgrades. Despite contacting Apple Support multiple times and following all recommended troubleshooting steps, the problem remains unresolved.

We’ve noticed the issue tends to occur more frequently at home, which has led us to suspect possible interference—perhaps from other Apple devices, CarPlay, or call routing features.

Importantly, the bug affects all types of calls—whether via cellular, WhatsApp, or FaceTime.

We’ve explored numerous potential causes, including interference, iCloud syncing issues, and Bluetooth profile conflicts. Some of us have even performed full factory resets and manually reinstalled apps one by one—without success.

A detailed discussion of our shared experiences, attempted fixes, and theories is available on this MacRumors thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/airpods-unusable-connecting-disconnecting.2368899/page-3?post=33897498#post-33897498

I've summarised the thread below:

🔧 Summary of User-Reported Issues​

Users across multiple generations of AirPods (Pro, Max, etc.) and iPhones (13, 14, 16 Pro Max) have been experiencing:

• Frequent disconnecting and reconnecting of AirPods during usage.
• The issue primarily affects voice calls, both cellular and apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime.
• No problems with music or Siri playback—only during calls.
• Problem persists across devices and OS versions, including the latest iOS and macOS.
• Standard troubleshooting methods (resets, re-pairing, iOS/macOS updates, full iPhone resets) do not resolve the issue.
• New devices and new AirPods show the same symptoms, ruling out faulty hardware.
• Some users noted the issue does not affect them, even with similar hardware/software, implying a selective trigger or user-specific cause.

🧪 Theories and Patterns Identified by Users​

• Bluetooth Call Profile (HFP) Suspected: Since the problem occurs during calls but not with media playback, it may be tied to how iOS handles Bluetooth call audio (e.g. Hands-Free Profile).
• Device Migration Issues: Some users think data transferred from old devices may be carrying over corrupted or incompatible settings.
• iCloud/User Profile Corruption: Since full device resets don’t help, the issue may be tied to iCloud or user account data that syncs across devices.
• Interference from Other Apple Devices: One theory is that nearby Apple devices (like AirTags, Apple TV, etc.) may be interfering or trying to hijack the audio session.

📌 Key Areas for Apple Support to Investigate​

• Bluetooth HFP/Call Audio Handling: Look into how iOS manages Bluetooth call audio protocols, particularly the Hands-Free Profile (HFP), during both VoIP and cellular calls.
• Cross-Device Data Transfer & Migration Bugs: Investigate whether data migration between iPhones carries over problematic settings or corrupted configurations affecting Bluetooth behavior.
• iCloud/User Profile Sync Issues: Examine whether iCloud-synced settings or profiles might contain problematic configurations that persist across device resets.
• Device Interference & Multi-Device Pairing Behaviour: Explore whether AirPods are being disrupted by background attempts to connect by other Apple devices like Apple TV, Macs, AirTags, etc.
• Inconsistency Across Users: Since not all users are affected, Apple may need to investigate environmental, regional, or usage pattern differences contributing to this issue.

Any advice that leads to a solution would have my undying gratitude as I am a daily user of Airpods and have owned a set