In this short guide, we go over a couple of steps you can take if the newest AirPods Pro 3 don’t sit well in your ears, cause ear pain, or repeatedly fall out.
Apple has made changes to the AirPods Pro 3 design compared to the AirPods Pro 2. The new pods are slightly narrower (less width) and deeper (more depth), so they stay properly in your ears. But even after rigorous testing on different ear types, it’s a fact that not everyone’s ear canal has the same size and structure. As a result, it’s possible that what fits most people may not fit you well.
I used the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C version) from the day it was made available, and it served me very well. Then, I ordered AirPods Pro 3 the day pre-orders opened, and I have been using them ever since.
I feel that, for some reason, the AirPods Pro 2 fit me better than the AirPods Pro 3. Now, I don’t have ear fatigue or discomfort, but some people do. Here are a couple of things that can help.
Try all ear tips to find the right fit
The newest AirPods Pro 3 come with five silicone ear tip sizes (XXS, XS, S, M, L). This is the most for any AirPods Pro model, as the AirPods Pro 2 came with four ear tip sizes (XS, S, M, L), while the first AirPods Pro came with just three (S, M, and L).
Out of the box, the medium size is attached to the AirPods, and extra tips are included in the box.
If your AirPods Pro 3 don’t feel comfortable, do yourself a favor and try the small (S), extra small (XS), or extra extra small (XXS) ear tip sizes, and stay with the one that feels most comfy.
Alternatively, if AirPods easily fall out of your ears or if you don’t get the best noise cancellation, you may want to try the large (L) ear tip size.
Apple also provides an easy AirPods ear tip fit test you can take on your iPhone or iPad to find the size that works best for you. But I don’t recommend relying solely on this artificial test. Instead, try all ear tip sizes and stay with the one that feels most comfortable and snug to you. In fact, use a particular ear tip size for a day or two, and then decide which one is most suitable for you.
Try other AirPods or wireless earphones
If AirPods Pro 3 don’t fit your ears, try AirPods Pro 2. Aside from the new heart rate sensor and a bit better active noise cancellation, you won’t miss anything else. Not to forget, you’ll also get a USB-C cable in the box (AirPods 4 and Pro 3 no longer include one).
If Pro models with silicone tips aren’t your thing (I, too, was skeptical at first), try the non-Pro AirPods 4 or the AirPods 4 with ANC. You can also find AirPods 3 or AirPods 2 (renewed) at great discounts on third-party retailers like Amazon.
If you want to move away from AirPods, check out Beats headphones. Since Apple owns Beats, all recent Beats headphones, earphones, and neckbands pair and work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, very much similar to AirPods.
And finally, you can also explore Amazon or offline stores for third-party Bluetooth earphones. I have a few inexpensive Bluetooth earphones and neckbands, and they work great with my iPhone and Mac, though they sound nowhere near as good as my AirPods Pro. Going with high-end third-party wireless earphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro or Google Pixel Buds 2a, may tell a different story.