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Powerbeats by Beats is now an Apple-owned company. In fact, purchasing a pair of Beats is nearly the same as buying a pair of AirPods. You also get the same level of Apple customer support with AirPods and AppleCare, which may come into play if your Beats keep disconnecting.
Speaking of disconnecting, there are a number of things that cause Powerbeats to keep disconnecting, including firmware, they just need a reset, they need to be paired again, Bluetooth conflicts, battery, and even dirt or earwax build-up.
As far as Bluetooth has come, technology-wise, it’s still fairly finicky, just like WiFi. The problem is, like WiFi, just about everything around you is capable of disrupting the signal, including conflicting signals, brick, metal, walls, wood, glass, and more.
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Troubleshooting Powerbeats Connection Issues (7 Ways to Fix them)
Because of all of those disruptive factors, the problem is often your surroundings more than anything else. However, we all get caught up in our day-to-day lives and forget simple things, like checking the battery via the app or ensuring the firmware is upgraded. But, those aren’t the only, potential issues.
1. Earbuds are Getting Dirty
Believe it or not, this is one of the primary reasons for disconnections, and it’s not always because there’s an actual disconnection. The more you wear your Powerbeats, the more earwax and dirt, and dust that accumulates in your ears build up within the cone of the device.
Not only that, when you remove the earbuds, they’re often coated in a very thin layer of your earwax, which is like a magnet for dust and floating debris. It sounds disgusting but everyone has earwax. There’s just no getting around that.
The more the wax and dirt accumulate, pressing their way down the cone of the earbuds that funnels the sound into your ears, the more potential there is for connection issues or audio you can no longer hear. The fix for this is simple, clean your Powerbeats routinely, with a microfiber and a tiny amount of isopropyl.
2. Check Your App
Your Powerbeats will provide you with a low battery level warning in your ears to alert you to the fact they need to be charged. But it’s possible to miss.
If you have an iPhone, the battery level of every device you connect via Bluetooth is represented with an on-screen battery level, or you can check the battery level in the Control Center by swiping down from the top, right-hand corner of the screen.
On Android devices, you have to download the Beats app from the Google Play Store. The app gives you a level of control over your Powerbeats and it has a battery level indicator. A low battery is a common factor in connection issues.
3. Firmware Updates
For the most part, Powerbeats (or just about any Bluetooth devices nowadays) should check for and update their own firmware automatically. However, if you’ve been in any way alive for the past decade, you know how suspect automated technology can be.
An iPhone will treat Powerbeats like AirPods and update them automatically, something you can’t check on your own. The only thing you need to be concerned about with an Apple device is ensuring it is up to date with the latest iOS.
With an Android device, you need to go into the Beats app to ensure your Powerbeats are updated. Even firmware that’s a single day out of date is enough to cause problems with the Powerbeat’s ability to remain connected.
4. Reset Your Powerbeats
The soft reset is probably the longest going historical fix for every piece of technology under the sun. Those who remember the Atari and original Nintendo understand the efficacy of a good reset.
Most of the time, we don’t even know why resetting a device works, but it does, and Powerbeats are no exception to the rule.
- Place your Powerbeats back in their case
- Keep the lid open
- Locate the “system” button just below the earbuds cavity, centered
- Press and hold that button for fifteen to twenty seconds
- Release the button only after you see the little indicator light bling red and then white
We might call it a soft reset but it essentially sets the Powerbeats back to their original condition when you first pulled them out of the box. Be sure they are good and charged after you finish the reset. This naturally leads us to the next potential fix.
5. Pair Your Powerbeats Again
Once you reset them you have to pair your Powerbeats again. Also, you can forget the Powerbeats from your Apple device or Android and pair them again that way, which sometimes fixes disconnection issues without the need for a reset.
- Ensure your Bluetooth connection is on (iPhone/iPad or Android device)
- Keep your Powerbeats inside the case with the lid still open
- Press and hold the System button again, until the LEDs start blinking (not as long as the 15-second reset)
- You should see your Powerbeats pop up on your smartphone or tablet, under Bluetooth settings
- Select your Powerbeats
- Follow the prompts and complete the pairing
The good thing is, you can do this as often as you like, especially since its a fairly simple process. Just be sure you aren’t trying to pair the devices from clear across the room. Keep your smartphone or tablet very near the Powerbeats until they are paired.
6. Bluetooth Conflicts
As we mentioned above, there are plenty of materials in a home, office, grocery store, or any building that are capable of disrupting a Bluetooth signal. It depends on where you are and what kind of materials we’re talking about. Brick and concrete are often the worst.
Other Bluetooth signals are disruptive as well and it gets really bad if you have multiple devices paired with your Powerbeats and those devices are on and nearby. For instance, you might be surprised how often a Bluetooth connection with a vehicle outside will disrupt the smartphone connection.
When you are using your Powerbeats, be sure that every other device is either off, too far away, or you have properly unpaired the two, so they won’t battle each other over a connection with your Powerbeats. Also, if you’re Powerbeats are paired with your smartphone, don’t wander off too far.
7. Contact Apple Support in Extreme Cases
If you’ve either followed or fixed the above issues and your Powerbeats are still dropping connection, there are two things you need to do. First, you need to determine that it’s the Powerbeats and not the smartphone or tablet you have them paired with.
To do this, try connecting other Bluetooth devices and watch to see if they disconnect like your Powerbeats do. If you know it’s the Powerbeats and have tried all the troubleshooting options, it’s time to contact Apple Support.
Powerbeats are covered under Apple’s generic warranty for a period of one year. They are only covered in the case of manufacturer defects or deficiencies. After that year, you should consider purchasing AppleCare +, an extended warranty that covers a little more.
If your Powerbeats are still under warranty or you have AppleCare, you’ll need to contact Apple’s customer service and either send them in for repair or replace them. You can send them in without a warranty or AppleCare but you will have to pay full price for anything Apple does to repair them.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you’ll never reach the point where you have to contact Apple Customer Service. For the most part, the above fixes will keep your Powerbeats going until they eventually die from an exhausted battery. Even then, Apple will replace the battery for you for a fee.
The biggest thing you can do to prevent any of the above issues is to practice routine preventative maintenance on your Powerbeats. Keep them clean and always put them in the case when not in use. After all, these devices aren’t cheap and you want them to last.
