Here's Why Your AirPods May Be Chirping, and How to Fix It
Chirping may be caused by Apple's anti-stalking feature.
Published Nov. 21 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET
It can be unsettling when you're watching a show or listening to a podcast on your phone when you're suddenly interrupted by a chirp from your AirPods or their charging case. But don't fret — the issue is likely a quick fix.
AirPods can chirp for a couple of reasons, from Apple's anti-stalking feature to connectivity, firmware, or battery issues. Here's what may be going on.
Your AirPods may be chirping due to Apple's anti-stalking feature.
Products like AirPods and AirTags will chirp if they're separated from their owner for a period of time. This is intended to prevent bad actors from dropping an AirTag or other trackable product in someone's bag, for example, in order to track their movements. It tells you when an unidentified Find My device is nearby, per BGR.
However, this feature can also be activated if your own phone's Bluetooth has been turned off, as the device thinks it's away from its owner. Simply turn your phone's Bluetooth back on to see if this fixes the issue.
The AirPods or case could have low battery.
A tone will sound when the battery for an AirPod hits 10 percent, and then again when it's at zero. For the AirPods 2 and the AirPods 4, the Charging Case will emit a tone when the battery is low or charging. You can disable this by adjusting "Charging Case Sounds" in the AirPod settings on your phone.
There could be a firmware or connectivity issue.
The issue could be with your phone or the application you're using. Try updating your device and any apps you were listening to at the time you heard the chirp.
The chirp may also be caused by Transparency Mode, the setting that allows you to listen to media while still being tuned in to the world around you. Per Apple Community, chirping while using this mode may be caused by the earbuds fitting poorly. Users suggested using a different ear tip that better fits your ear.
While in Transparency Mode, AirPods can sometimes chirp when they touch each other accidentally, since the external microphones in the AirPods are amplifying the sound caused by the earbuds tapping together.
AirPods and Charging Cases chirp when the "Find My" app is being used to locate them.
If you're not using your "Find My" app, but you're part of a Family Sharing group, it could be the case that another member of the group has accidentally selected "Play Sound" for your device.
The AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C uses the chirp noise as a normal function of some features.