Apple extends AirPods Pro repair program for crackling or ANC issues

Apple has quietly extended a repair program for the AirPods Pro that offers free repairs or replacements for earbuds that have issues with noise cancellation or static. Reddit users (via MacRumors) were first to spot the change to Apple’s support page for the repair program, which now notes that the program covers affected AirPods Pro for three years after their first retail sale, rather than two. The page appears to have been updated at the beginning of October.

The support program was originally introduced in October 2020, one year after the original release of the AirPods Pro in 2019. It meant that Apple’s repair program was introduced at the exact point that the warranty on launch units was set to expire. With the extension of the repair program to three years, AirPods Pro bought at launch should now be covered right up until October 2022.

As a reminder, Apple says it will fix the following issues with the AirPods Pro:

Crackling or static sounds that increase in loud environments, with exercise or while talking on the phone

Active Noise Cancellation not working as expected, such as a loss of bass sound, or an increase in background sounds, such as street or airplane noise

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you now have a whole extra year to get off your butt and get a free fix as part of the repair program, which, in our experience, often means Apple giving you an on-the-spot replacement pair to take home. To do so, Apple says you should contact its support team or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, or else make an appointment at an Apple Store.