Audio Routing Fails on Apple Watch (Cellular) + AirPods Pro During Phone Use

Hi everyone,

I wanted to raise a long‑standing issue that’s really affecting the standalone Apple Watch experience.

Setup:

• Apple Watch with cellular

• AirPods Pro connected

• Apple Music playing directly from the Watch

to

Problem: When I open the Phone app on the Watch (or take a call), the music just quietens—but the call audio never comes through. Basically, I can’t hear anything in my AirPods, even though they’re properly connected.

This is a repeatable bug, and I’ve even paused music before calling—but the Watch seems stuck in media mode and never switches over to call audio. There’s no visible way to redirect sound outside of fumbling through Control Center.

Why it matters:

• Watch (cellular) is meant to be usable on its own—no iPhone around.

• These are premium devices—this basic audio transition should just work.

I’ve kept everything updated (watchOS, AirPods firmware), but the issue persists.

Has anyone found a workaround or better yet, has Apple acknowledged a fix is in the pipeline? Would appreciate any insight or confirmation that this ongoing bug is being addressed.

—Thanks,

JawharH