Apple AirPods tips and tricks: How to get the most out of Apple's wireless earphones

(Pocket-lint) - Apple's AirPods are similar Marmite: you'll either emotion the unconventional designs - whether the original, Airpods 3 oregon AirPods Pro, oregon you'll hatred them. Chances are if you're speechmaking this feature, you beryllium successful the erstwhile campy with america though. Yes, they look a small odd, but they are besides great.

We privation to assistance you get the astir retired of your Apple AirPods, whether you person the archetypal generation, the 2nd generation, 3rd generation, the AirPod Pros or the AirPods Max.

Here are our apical tips and tricks to guarantee you maestro your Apple wireless earphones successful nary time.

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Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max pairing tips and tricks

How to link AirPods to your iPhone oregon iPad

All generations of Apple AirPods person a peculiar spot (the W1 oregon H1) successful them which allows for precise casual transportation to your iPhone or iPad.

Open the lid connected the AirPods case, property and clasp the tiny fastener connected the backmost and spot the AirPods lawsuit adjacent to your iPhone oregon iPad. The AirPods volition look astatine the bottommost of your iPhone oregon iPad screen. Unlock your iPhone oregon iPad and property the Connect button. That's it for the first, 2nd procreation and 3rd procreation models.

For the AirPods Pro, determination is an further measurement successful the Ear Tip Fit Test. The trial takes astir 5 seconds and volition find if you person a bully fit. If not, the results mightiness urge you effort 1 of the different silicone tips included. There's a prime of small, mean and large.

For the AirPods Max, instrumentality them retired of their Smart Case and clasp them adjacent your iPhone oregon iPad wrong 60 seconds until the setup animation appears. If it doesn't, you tin bash it manually done the Bluetooth settings. Press and clasp the sound power fastener connected your headphones until it flashes achromatic to pair.

How to link AirPods to your Apple Watch

All AirPods link automatically to immoderate iOS devices registered to your Apple ID erstwhile connected to your iPhone truthful you don't request to spell done the pairing process much than once.

As soon arsenic you instrumentality 1 AirPod retired of its case, oregon the AirPods Max retired of their Smart Case, they volition amusement arsenic Connected successful the Bluetooth settings of your Apple Watch.

How to link AirPods to your MacBook

Any connected AirPods volition already beryllium disposable successful the Bluetooth paper of your MacBook. To connect, unfastened the Bluetooth settings > Find your AirPods successful the database > Press Connect.

If you person the diagnostic setup, AirPods volition automatically power betwixt your Apple devices excessively truthful erstwhile connected, they volition swap betwixt your iPhone, iPad and MacBook arsenic necessary.

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How to link AirPods to an Android device

Open the Bluetooth settings connected your Android device > Select Pair a New Device > Open AirPods lawsuit to alteration pairing oregon instrumentality the AirPods Max retired of the Smart Case > Confirm pairing.

If the Apple AirPods don't look successful the disposable devices list, propulsion and clasp the fastener connected the rear of the AirPods lawsuit until the LED airy betwixt the AirPods flashes, placing the AirPods successful pairing mode. For AirPods Max, you property and clasp the sound power button. You'll past request to prime them from the database and corroborate pairing.

• How to usage AirPods with an Android phone

How to link AirPods to a PC

Open the Bluetooth settings connected your PC > Press and clasp the fastener the backmost of your AirPods lawsuit oregon the sound power fastener connected AirPods Max > Tap connected the AirPods erstwhile they look arsenic an disposable device. They mightiness look nether headphones, alternatively than AirPods.

Once you pat connect, the AirPods volition beryllium connected to your PC for audio.

How to link 2 AirPods to an iPhone

You tin link 2 sets of AirPods to an iPhone truthful you could person the archetypal and 2nd procreation paired, oregon the 3rd procreation and AirPods Max, for example. To bash this, travel the aforesaid pairing process for the 2nd brace arsenic you did the first.

When you link different brace of AirPods, the sanction of the archetypal brace volition spot a "1" added to it and the 2nd brace you link volition person a "2" aft its name. Both volition look connected immoderate different iOS devices linked to your Apple ID. We person a separate diagnostic connected connecting 2 sets of AirPods and sharing audio. 

• AirPods 3 vs Pro vs AirPods 2: Should you upgrade?

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Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro artillery tips and tricks

How to cheque artillery connected AirPods

Checking the artillery of your AirPods is precise elemental connected iPhone. Make definite your iPhone is adjacent to your AirPods lawsuit and unfastened the AirPods case. For AirPods Max, bring them adjacent to your iPhone and property and clasp the sound power button.

The artillery percent of some your AirPods and the AirPods lawsuit volition look side-by-side connected the bottommost of your iPhone display. You tin besides inquire Siri what your AirPods artillery is like.

How to complaint AirPods

To complaint Apple AirPods, simply spot them backmost successful their case. They volition complaint portion they are successful the case, arsenic agelong arsenic the lawsuit has battery.

For the 2nd procreation of AirPods oregon the AirPods Pro, the charging lawsuit tin present up to 2 hours of speech clip and 3 hours of listening clip successful 15 minutes of charge. The 3rd procreation offers up to 1 hr speech clip oregon listening clip successful 5 minutes of charge.

For AirPods Max, you'll request the Lightning to USB-C cablegram that is included successful the container to complaint them. 

How to complaint the AirPods case

To complaint the AirPods case, plug the Lightning connector into the bottommost of the case, arsenic you would your iPhone.

If you person the wireless charging lawsuit for the AirPods 2, AirPods 3 oregon the AirPods Pro, you tin besides spot it connected a Qi-compatible wireless charging mat to apical up the juice. It's besides imaginable to usage the Apple Watch charger to complaint the AirPods wireless charging lawsuit - you conscionable person to get the placement right. The AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro cases are besides compatible with the MagSafe charger.

For AirPod Max, plug the Lightning to USB-C connector successful the bottommost of the close earcup to charge.

Use 1 AirPod and power to summation speech time

The archetypal procreation AirPods volition connection astir 2 hours of speech time. The 2nd procreation connection astir 3 hours of speech clip and 5 hours of listening time. The 3rd procreation connection astir 4 hours of speech clip and six hours of listening time. The AirPods Pro connection astir three-and-a-half hours of speech clip and betwixt 4 and 5 hours of listening time, depending connected the mode you are in. 

As you tin deterioration 1 AirPod oregon 2 AirPods astatine immoderate time, we sometimes deterioration conscionable 1 AirPod if we person tons of telephone calls that day, switching to the different AirPod erstwhile the five-minute informing beeps for debased artillery connected the 1 we are wearing.

It offers that small spot of foodstuff and 1 tin complaint portion you're talking connected the other.

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro usage tips and tricks

How to rename AirPods

Any AirPods you link to your iPhone volition automatically instrumentality your archetypal sanction and adhd AirPods afterwards, similar Britta's AirPods/Britta's AirPods Pro/AirPods Max. If you privation to alteration the sanction of your AirPods:

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Click connected Name > Change the sanction of your AirPods > Tap Done.

How to alteration the double-tap default for archetypal and 2nd procreation AirPods

By default, double-tapping the broadside of each AirPod volition motorboat Siri connected your iPhone oregon iPad for the archetypal procreation AirPods. The 2nd procreation of AirPods person adjacent way arsenic the default for treble tap.

You tin alteration the default connected some though, crook the diagnostic disconnected wholly and person 1 diagnostic for the close AirPod and a antithetic 1 for the left. To bash this:

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Choose the diagnostic you privation for the near AirPod > Choose the diagnostic you privation for the close AirPod.

How to play and intermission connected the AirPods Pro and AirPods (3rd Gen)

The AirPods (3rd generation) and AirPods Pro person a Force Touch sensor successful their stem, moving power distant from a pat and into a squeeze. To play oregon intermission audio, compression the stem connected your AirPods (3rd Generation) oregon AirPods Pro once.

How to play and intermission connected the AirPods Max

The AirPods Max person a Digital Crown astatine the apical of the close earcup. Tap the Digital Crown erstwhile to play oregon pause.  

How to skip a way connected the AirPods (3rd Gen) oregon AirPods Pro

To skip a way connected the AirPods (3rd Gen) oregon AirPods Pro, you'll request to compression the Force Touch Sensor connected the stem of your AirPods twice.

How to skip a way connected the AirPods Max

To skip a way connected the AirPods Max, treble property the Digital Crown astatine the apical of the close earcup.

How to spell backmost to the erstwhile way connected AirPods (3rd Gen) oregon AirPods Pro

To spell backmost to the erstwhile way connected AirPods Pro, compression the Force Touch sensor connected the stem 3 times connected your AirPods.

How to spell backmost to the erstwhile way connected AirPods Max

To spell backmost to the erstwhile way connected AirPods Max, triple property the Digital Crown astatine the apical of the close earcup.

How to alteration betwixt Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes connected AirPods Pro

To rapidly alteration betwixt Active Noise Cancellation mode and Transparency (where you tin perceive the situation you're in) mode, propulsion and clasp the Force Touch sensor connected the stem of your AirPods. 

You tin besides swipe down from the apical close of your iPhone's location surface oregon swipe up connected models with a location fastener to propulsion up the Control Centre. Depending connected which iPhone you have, Haptic Touch oregon 3D Touch the measurement barroom erstwhile your AirPods Pro are connected and you'll spot an enactment to power betwixt the 2 modes.

How to alteration betwixt Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency modes connected AirPods Max

To power betwixt Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode connected AirPods Max, propulsion the sound power fastener astatine the apical of the close earcup.

As with the AirPods Pro, you tin besides swipe down from the apical close of a Face ID iPhone, oregon swipe up from the bottommost of a Touch ID iPhone to entree Control Centre. Press down connected the measurement barroom erstwhile the AirPods Max are connected and you volition beryllium capable to power betwixt the modes. 

How to crook connected Spatial Audio for AirPods (3rd Gen), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max

AirPods (3rd Generation), AirPods Pro and AirPods Max person Spatial Audio - which is three-dimensional audio from supported videos and euphony that usage the accelerometer and gyroscope successful your iPhone to travel the movement. 

To crook it on, enactment the AirPods connected and unfastened the Control Centre. Press and clasp connected the measurement barroom (when AirPods are successful your ear) and pat connected the Spatial Audio icon astatine the bottommost of the screen.

How to motorboat Siri connected AirPods

To motorboat Siri connected the archetypal procreation AirPods, you tin treble pat either the close oregon the near AirPod, unless you person changed the default. Siri volition past motorboat connected your iPhone oregon iPad.

To motorboat Siri connected the 2nd procreation AirPods, 3rd procreation AirPods oregon AirPods Pro, simply accidental "Hey Siri". You'll request to marque definite you are utilizing the latest bundle for it to enactment though.

To motorboat Siri connected the AirPods Max, property and clasp the Digital Crown connected the apical of the close earcup and accidental "Hey Siri".

What tin you inquire Siri connected AirPods?

Once you've launched Siri connected your 2nd procreation AirPods, 3rd procreation AirPods, AirPods Pro oregon AirPods Max, you tin inquire a fig of things, including immoderate of the examples below: 

• "Play my Favourites playlist"
• "Send a connection to [contact name]"
• "Turn up the volume"
• "How bash I get location from here?"
• "Skip to the adjacent song"
• "Pause music"
• "How is the artillery connected my AirPods?"

How to alteration oregon disable Automatic Ear Detection

Automatic Ear Detection volition automatically transportation the audio from connected devices to the AirPods oregon AirPods Pro erstwhile you enactment 1 oregon some successful your ears. To crook on/off Automatic Ear Detection:

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Automatic Ear Detection > Toggle connected oregon off.

How to alteration oregon disable Automatic Head Detection

Automatic Head Detection volition automatically transportation the audio from connected devices to the AirPods Max erstwhile you spot them connected your head.

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods Max are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Automatic Head Detection > Toggle connected oregon off.

How to alteration the progressive AirPod microphone

By default, the progressive microphone automatically switches betwixt near and close AirPods, but you tin alteration it truthful it is fixed to 1 side.

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Microphone > Select your preference.

How to crook the measurement up connected AirPods

There are nary measurement controls connected the AirPods themselves, but the AirPods Max. To crook the measurement up oregon down connected the AirPods and AirPods Pro, you'll request to usage the instrumentality your AirPods are connected to.

For example, if you are utilizing your AirPods with your iPhone, simply set the measurement arsenic you would if you were talking connected your iPhone with the measurement rocker connected the near of your device.

To set the measurement connected AirPods Max, crook the Digital Crown connected the apical of the close earcup. If you unfastened up Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone and pat connected the "i" adjacent to AirPods Max, you volition spot Digital Crown successful the list. From here, you tin take your penchant for which mode to rotate the Digital Crown to crook the measurement up oregon down.

How to find retired who is calling without looking astatine your iPhone

You tin acceptable up your AirPods to denote who is calling you without having to get your iPhone retired of your pouch oregon handbag by enabling the "Announce Calls" diagnostic connected iPhone.

Go to Settings > Phone > Announce calls > Select Headphones Only oregon Headphones & Car.

How to get Siri to work your notifications without unlocking your iPhone

If you're moving iOS 15 oregon later, you tin crook connected Announce Notifications. It volition lone enactment with the 2nd procreation AirPods, 3rd procreation AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max but erstwhile on, Siri volition work retired immoderate incoming Messages and notifications from apps you person selected. 

Our how to diagnostic volition usher you done the full process, arsenic good arsenic what different headphones are compatible, but successful a nutshell:

Go to Settings > Notifications > Announce Notifications with Siri > Toggle on.

How to reply a telephone utilizing your AirPods

It's imaginable to reply a telephone straight from your AirPods, though we urge switching the Announce Calls diagnostic connected truthful you cognize who you're astir to talk to.

To reply a call, conscionable treble pat 1 of your archetypal oregon 2nd procreation AirPods erstwhile you perceive the incoming telephone chime successful your ear. For AirPods (3rd generation) and AirPods Pro, compression the Force Touch sensor.

On AirPods Max, propulsion the Digital Crown connected apical of the close earcup erstwhile to reply a call.

How to extremity a telephone utilizing AirPods

To extremity a call, treble pat 1 of your AirPods (first oregon 2nd generation). Be cautious if adjusting AirPods whilst connected a telephone arsenic we person accidentally ended a telephone mid mode done before.

For 3rd procreation AirPods oregon AirPods Pro, compression the Force Touch sensor connected the stem to extremity a call.

For AirPods Max, propulsion the Digital Crown connected apical of the close earcup erstwhile to extremity a call.

How to power your AirPods from iPhone to Mac

If you person the measurement shortcut acceptable up successful the paper barroom of your Mac, it's imaginable to prime your AirPods from the driblet down paper that appears erstwhile you click the measurement icon. You'll past beryllium capable to play euphony connected your AirPods erstwhile listening to euphony connected your Mac.

To alteration the measurement shortcut connected your Mac, caput to System Preferences > Sound > Tick the "Show Volume successful Menu Bar" option.

How to marque AirPods power automatically betwixt your Apple devices

If you person iOS 14 oregon later, AirPods automatically power transportation betwixt each your Apple devices. You tin take erstwhile you privation AirPods to link to your iPhone and transportation the audio way though.

Open Bluetooth settings connected your iPhone > Make definite your AirPods are connected > Click connected the "i" awesome connected the AirPods tab > Scroll down to Connect to This iPhone > Select betwixt Automatic oregon Last Connected to This iPhone.

How to usage AirPods

Once connected to your device, each you request to bash is popular 1 oregon some AirPods successful your ear(s), oregon the AirPods Max connected your caput and they volition play immoderate audio is connected your iOS device, whether a telephone call, music, oregon video.

If you instrumentality an AirPod retired of your receptor oregon instrumentality the AirPods Max disconnected your head, the audio volition automatically pause. Place the AirPod backmost successful your receptor oregon the AirPods Max backmost connected your caput and the audio volition play again.

Phone telephone audio automatically transfers backmost to your iPhone if you instrumentality the AirPods oregon AirPod retired of your receptor oregon disconnected your head.

How to find mislaid AirPods

If you suffer your AirPods, you tin use the Find My app to find them. If you mislaid your AirPods nearby, successful your location for example:

Open Find My app connected an iOS instrumentality oregon iCloud.com > Tap connected the Devices tab astatine the bottommost > Find your AirPods successful the database > Tap Play Sound. If lone 1 AirPod is missing, you tin mute the dependable from the AirPod you haven't lost.

If you don't cognize wherever you mislaid your AirPods:

Open Find My app connected an iOS instrumentality oregon iCloud.com > Tap connected the Devices tab astatine the bottommost > Find your AirPods successful the list. The past spot they were connected to an iPhone implicit Bluetooth volition beryllium displayed. You tin past pat Directions to get directions to the past known location.

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro wide tips and tricks

How to cleanable AirPods

It's by nary means the authoritative mode to cleanable AirPods, but we find Blu-tak works brilliantly to get immoderate ungraded disconnected the AirPods case.

We usage babe wipes too, but ungraded sticks to Blu-tak, pulling it disconnected the articulator wherever you unfastened and adjacent the AirPods lawsuit and astir the pairing fastener connected the rear of the case.

The authoritative mode to cleanable them is with a soft, lint-free cloth oregon a soft-bristled brush. The microphone and talker meshes tin beryllium cleaned with a adust fabric swab and you tin region immoderate debris from the meshes with a clean, dry, soft-bristled brush.

Are AirPods waterproof?

Neither the archetypal oregon 2nd procreation of AirPods, oregon the AirPods Max are waterproof truthful don't deterioration them swimming oregon successful the shower. The 3rd procreation AirPods and the AirPods Pro are h2o resistant - IPX4 - which means they tin grip a splash but not submerging.

The archetypal and 2nd procreation models aren't said to beryllium sweat impervious either, though they are tested for mundane usage and a mode of activities. We deterioration them for a tally and to the gym without an issue, but enactment distant from immoderate waterfalls oregon swimming pools. The AirPods Pro and 3rd procreation AirPods are sweat resistant.

Do AirPods person sound cancelling?

The first, 2nd and 3rd procreation AirPods bash not connection sound cancelling.

The AirPods Pro and AirPods Max person Active Noise Cancellation connected board.

Which devices are compatible with AirPods?

Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max enactment with iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Macs. You'll request an iPhone 5 oregon aboriginal for the archetypal oregon 2nd procreation models and an iPhone 6S oregon aboriginal for the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Max and AirPods (3rd generation) necessitate an iPhone 8 oregon later. The AirPods 2 request iOS 12.2 and WatchOS 5 to connection each their features and the AirPods Pro request iOS 13.2. The AirPods Max request iOS 14.3 oregon aboriginal to entree each their features. The AirPods (3rd generation) request iOS 15 oregon aboriginal to entree everything.

AirPods besides enactment with PCs and Android devices, including Samsung and Huawei, though some these companies person their ain alternatives to AirPods.

You tin work much astir the features offered by AirPods connected Android devices successful our abstracted feature.

What colours bash the AirPods travel in?

Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro are lone disposable successful white. There were immoderate rumours of achromatic AirPods but they person yet to appear.

AirPods Max travel successful Space Grey, Silver, Green, Sky Blue and Pink. 

How overmuch are AirPods?

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Apple lone sells the 2nd procreation AirPods, 3rd procreation and AirPods Pro now. The archetypal procreation person been discontinued.

The AirPods 2 commencement astatine £119 for the modular charging case. The AirPods 3 outgo £169 with a wireless charging case.

It's besides imaginable to bargain the wireless charging lawsuit separately for £79. The wireless charging lawsuit is compatible with the archetypal procreation AirPods and 2nd procreation AirPods.

The AirPods Pro outgo £249 and travel with a wireless charging lawsuit arsenic standard.

The AirPods Pro Max outgo £549.

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Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 28 March 2019.