Why does my AirPods Pro Transparency Mode keep turning off?

"Custom transparency mode continues to turn off randomly. I have to go into “audio visual” in settings, then “Headphone Accommodations” then scroll to the bottom and turn on “transparency mode”. In this menu are the settings for adjusting external sounds. The transparency mode toggle button here keeps turning off! I’ve reset the AirPods, reset the settings several times but nothing seems to work. Please advise. "


This is a post from when iOS 17 was out. We now have iOS 18 and many AirPods Pro software updates ever since. Apple did not listen. The problem persists. Maybe because we're a minority. I don't know. But I am so dissatisfied with Apple. Not only because of this issue. Anyways, is there anybody having an idea how to fix this? Away from "Remove AirPods and pair them again"?


Thanks you.


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Sep 20, 2024 1:44 AM

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Posted on Dec 3, 2024 9:03 PM

Guys for me became clear.

custom transparency modes turns off when the Apple Watch connects to the AirPods.

turn off the Apple Watch for couple of days (using it stand alone with BT on the watch off) then Transparency mode is on all the time and it comes one whenever I put the AirPod in my ear.

i turned on the BT on Apple Watch after that and the issue came back.



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Dec 3, 2024 9:03 PM in response to Zoulhh

Guys for me became clear.

custom transparency modes turns off when the Apple Watch connects to the AirPods.

turn off the Apple Watch for couple of days (using it stand alone with BT on the watch off) then Transparency mode is on all the time and it comes one whenever I put the AirPod in my ear.

i turned on the BT on Apple Watch after that and the issue came back.



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Dec 26, 2024 11:30 AM in response to Bassel80

I think you’re right, Bassel80. I turned off Bluetooth on my watch and it solved the problem.


I shouldn’t have to choose between the hearing aid functionality and connecting my watch. I guess I’ll start looking at Samsung’s watch.


Crazy this hasn’t been fixed yet.

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Jan 17, 2025 1:08 AM in response to Zoulhh

I was able to fix the issue, and here's how I did it. Hopefully, it works for you as well.

The problem seems to be caused by the Apple Watch. When it connects to the AirPods Pro, it resets the custom transparency mode. Here's what I did:

  1. Backed up my iPhone using "Apple Devices" on my PC.
  2. Reset the iPhone.
  3. Reset the Airpods.
  4. Restored the iPhone backup from my PC.
  5. Reconnected the Airpods.

After the restore, the Apple Watch reconnected to the iPhone, but this time, the Airpods didn't appear in the watch's settings. Since then, I haven't faced the issue again. However, I can no longer use the Airpods with the Apple Watch (for music or podcasts), as they now only connect to the iPhone.

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Apr 6, 2025 5:33 AM in response to Rob354

The issue with the constant disconnection of transparency mode is related to the Apple Watch; the AirPods keep connecting to it, and there's no way to fix this. If you turn off Bluetooth on the Apple Watch, the transparency problem disappears. Now, to have transparency mode work properly, I have to forget about the Apple Watch. Thank you, Apple. All the problems with transparency mode started after the 18.2 update, where they added hearing aids for the US, but it seems they forgot to test it in countries where it is not available.

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May 15, 2025 4:03 PM in response to kevosmin

Folks will, of course, want to say that correlation is not causality. That said, I'll admit that my latest issues did seem to correspond with the advent of iOS 18.


However, I'm not entirely convinced that the OS directly affects the behavior of the AirPods. I can (or could) use AirPods Pro 2 while fully disconnected from the phone and still swap successfully between Noise Canceling modes using the long press. Unless the OS updates firmware in the AirPods, I suspect they are not related.


Also, I've had Apple replace my AirPods Pro 2 twice already over the last 30 months for this type of issue. Each time they claimed the microphones were malfunctioning and replaced the pods. Each time, they worked well for 9-12 months before crapping out again.

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Sep 20, 2024 5:40 PM in response to Zoulhh

I literally have this same problem ! An agent suggested me to have my AirPods Pro (Gen 2) serviced an Apple Store or authorized retailer, but I’m like… this issues didn’t happen until I updated to iOS 18. What’s more my AirPods keep disconnecting a lot every few minutes for no reason.

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Sep 22, 2024 10:21 PM in response to Zoulhh

the Same is happening to me now with Pro2, and it used to happen with the Pro1 a year ago and then out of nowhere it worked fine on the Pro1..

i guess its IOS related, two airpods and two iphones (iphone 15 pro now and iphone 13 pro back then) and still the issue managed to be replicated.


Resetting the Airpods did not help ..

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Sep 24, 2024 10:11 AM in response to kevosmin

Just updated to IOS 18 hoping some of the transparency drop-out problems would go away and to take advantage of the advertised hearing aid enhancements. Transparency seemed to have worked at first after the update for a few minutes but then turned off and nothing I do can seem to get it to work again. I am very dissatisfied with Apple with regard to transparency mode. It seems to get no support from Apple at all yet they have made a big deal about hearing aid enhancements in IOS 18. The developers should be forced to have a set of AirPod Pro 2's glued into their ears and set to transparency mode all day long until these problems get fixed.


WHY IS NOBODY AT APPLE LISTENING TO THESE PROBLEMS? Oh..., I guess they can't hear because transparency isn't working in their customer feedback and bug reporting systems or they plainly just don't care.

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Oct 2, 2024 11:29 AM in response to Zoulhh

Count me in, too. The specific problem I’m seeing after updating to IOS 18 on my 15 ProMax is the Headphone Accommodations turn off spontaneously for transparency mode. I’m using my AirPods Pro 2’s that worked flawlessly with the same phone under IOS 17. The fastest way to turn it back on is using the audio shortcut in control center (the little ear icon), rather than navigating into it from the settings app.


[Edited by Moderator]

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Oct 4, 2024 7:57 AM in response to kevosmin

Same issue!! They do not seem to care. Went to Apple Store, in the past, replacing them has worked—they were not going to do it this time, but since they were so condescending and rude—which made me upset, they gave me a new tech, who replaced them. Unfortunately, it has not worked, they do it less, but still shut off:( the next step is to go through support again and the the issue be sent to an engineer or something like that. If I have time for that nonsense, I’ll update.

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Oct 7, 2024 3:24 AM in response to Zoulhh

I have been using Airpods Pro 2 as hearing assistive devices for over a year and this became a problem months ago. Transparency Mode is essential for these to be worn as hearing assistive devices because when it turns off I effectively become deaf! (It makes more sense not to wear Airpods!)


With the new FDA approval for Airpods Pro 2 to be used as hearing aids this problem needs to be fixed.


I'm on iOS 18.0.1 and every time there is an update to iOS (or the firmware version) I always hope that this problem will be fixed, but nothing ever seems to happen.


Transparency Mode turns off randomly several times a day, often within a couple of minutes of me turning it back on from my iPhone.

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Oct 19, 2024 5:19 AM in response to Cynthia Hull

Yes! After a year of this ongoing problem I’m thinking that it’s something to do with the connection to my Apple Watch too. Possibly a problem with handoff, but turning handoff off on the Apple Watch renders it pretty useless.

Apple really need to sort out how their devices work together - it doesn’t “just work”

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Why does my AirPods Pro Transparency Mode keep turning off?

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