10 cool AirPods features you probably didn't know about

When AirPods archetypal deed the country successful 2016, they revolutionized the mode we perceive to euphony connected the go. 

Not lone did they seamlessly integrate with the Apple ecosystem, but immoderate models besides delivered dependable prime and noise-canceling capabilities that gave accepted audio brands a tally for their money. 

But what truly sets AirPods isolated is the array of innovative features that spell mode beyond what you'd expect from emblematic earbuds, features that mightiness conscionable astonishment you.

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A pistillate wearing AirPods (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Top 10 hidden features of AirPods

Below are features that you whitethorn oregon whitethorn not cognize astir to instrumentality your AirPods acquisition to the adjacent level. The features beneath are for original, second-generation and first-generation AirPods Pro.

Apple Watch and AirPods (Apple)

1. Go hands-free and brace your AirPods with your Apple Watch

If you privation to usage your AirPods but don’t privation to lug astir the other value of your iPhone, you tin usage your AirPods with your Apple Watch. In bid to get your AirPods acceptable up to usage with your Apple Watch:

• Go to your Apple Watch
• Press the crown connected the close broadside of your Apple Watch
• Tap Settings
• Scroll down to Bluetooth and pat it
• The ticker is now searching for your AirPods
• Grab your AirPods and assistance the lid. Press and clasp the button astatine the backmost of the case. This volition enactment the AirPods successful discoverable mode
• Tap wherever it says AirPods are not paired connected your Apple Watch. It should present say connected

2. Use your AirPods arsenic a microphone

When signaling audio (e.g., Voice Memos, calls) oregon utilizing voice-enabled apps, you tin prioritize specific AirPods arsenic the microphone. To crook connected this feature:

• Go to settings connected your iPhone
• Click Bluetooth
• Under My Devices, pat the (i) info icon next to your AirPods
• Select Microphone
• Select Automatically Switch AirPods (default), Always Left AirPod or Always Right AirPod

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Control sheet connected iPhone (Apple)

3. Share Audio with idiosyncratic else

With iOS 13.1 oregon aboriginal (required for afloat functionality), you tin temporarily stock audio from your iPhone to 2 sets of AirPods oregon Beats headphones with H1, H2 oregon W1 chips (e.g., AirPods Pro). Both devices indispensable beryllium iPhone 8 oregon later, iPad Pro 2nd Gen oregon newer, iPad Air 3rd Gen oregon aboriginal oregon iPad mini 5th Gen oregon later.

• Wear your AirPods (connected to your iPhone) and commencement playing audio (optional but recommended for visibility)
• Open Control Center
• Tap the AirPlay icon (triangle with circles)
• Select Share Audio
• Bring the different person’s headphones adjacent your iPhone and spot AirPods successful their case
• Open the lid
• Hold the pairing button until the punctual appears
• If undetected, guarantee their headphones are in pairing mode (Hold lawsuit button)
• Select their headphones from the Share Audio menu
• The person whitethorn request to tap Join connected their instrumentality if sharing via iPhone proximity
• Adjust volumes separately via Control Center’s measurement slider

4. Find your mislaid AirPods

The situation of wireless earbuds is however casual it is to misplace oregon suffer them oregon the lawsuit they are housed in. Apple has provided an casual mode to assistance you support way of some your lawsuit and AirPods with the "Find My" feature. To usage this diagnostic to find your AirPods oregon case:

• Open the Find My app connected your iPhone
• Select the Devices tab
• Choose your AirPods. Under each device, you spot a determination oregon "No determination found"
• If you deliberation your AirPods are adjacent you, click Play Sound

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5. Announce callers

Instead of fumbling to find your telephone to find retired who is calling you, you tin person your AirPods denote who is calling you. To crook connected this feature:

• Go to Settings connected your iPhone
• Tap on Apps
• Tap Phone
• Tap Announce Calls
• Select Headphones Only

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6. Customize controls connected your AirPods

Most users cognize that double-pressing the AirPods stems erstwhile oregon doubly plays oregon pauses immoderate audio you’re listening to oregon answers a call. You can, however, customize AirPods settings to supply a antithetic function. If you privation to customize each stem to bash thing else:

• Go to Settings on your iPhone
• Tap your AirPods
• Under Press and Hold AirPods, select Left or Right and take what happens erstwhile you double-press that AirPod: Noise Control, Siri, Answer Call, Mute & Unmute or End Call

Steps to customize controls connected AirPods (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

7. Find retired what the antithetic colored lights mean

The presumption airy connected your AirPods lawsuit uses colors and flashing patterns to bespeak artillery levels, charging presumption and pairing states. Location varies by exemplary (front for AirPods Pro/3/4/Wireless cases; wrong for Lightning cases connected AirPods 1/2).

Steady lights

• Green (AirPods successful case, lid open): Both AirPods and lawsuit are afloat charged
• Green (AirPods retired of case, lid open): The lawsuit unsocial is afloat charged
• Amber/Orange (AirPods successful case, lid open): AirPods are presently charging (not yet full)
• Amber/Orange (AirPods retired of case, lid open): Case has little than 1 afloat complaint (not needfully "one complaint left")

Flashing lights

• Flashing White: AirPods are successful pairing mode (ready for setup)
• Flashing Amber/Orange: Indicates a pairing mistake requiring a reset, not conscionable re-setup
• No Light: Case oregon AirPods are wholly drained

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Charging behavior

• Plugged in/Wireless charging: Amber = actively charging; Green = afloat charged
• Optimized Charging (Pro/3/4): Pauses charging astatine 80% if enabled (Settings > Bluetooth > AirPods)

8. Use AirPods arsenic a proceeding aid

One of the astir awesome features of AirPods is the quality to crook your iPhone into a distant listening instrumentality and AirPods into proceeding aids. If you’re successful a large situation and can’t perceive the idiosyncratic lasting adjacent to you, you tin spot the iPhone adjacent the idiosyncratic you privation to perceive and the iPhone microphone volition transmit immoderate they accidental to the AirPods connected to the iPhone, making it easier for you to perceive them. To alteration this feature:

• Open the Control Center connected your iPhone (usually accessed by swiping down connected your phone’s screen)
• Tap the Hearing icon
• Tap Live Listen
• Place the iPhone adjacent the dependable root (works up to 50 feet)

Step to usage AirPods arsenic a proceeding aid (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

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9. Reach Siri without pulling retired your phone

Most AirPods fto you entree Siri hands-free erstwhile connected to an Apple instrumentality with Siri enabled. If your hands are full, oregon you don’t privation to usage your iPhone, conscionable say, "Hey, Siri," to nonstop texts, cheque artillery life, skip songs, acceptable timers and more. Note: On AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, you tin besides conscionable accidental "Siri" without needing to accidental "Hey, Siri." To usage Siri with AirPods:

• Make definite Siri is enabled connected your instrumentality (Settings > Siri)
• With AirPods successful your ears, say "Hey Siri" (or just "Siri" connected supported models)
• You tin besides activate Siri by pressing oregon tapping your AirPods (double-tap, press-and-hold or Digital Crown (depending connected model)

10. Answer oregon diminution calls without making a dependable oregon pressing a button

You tin reply oregon diminution calls without saying a connection oregon pressing immoderate buttons by utilizing the Head Gestures diagnostic with your AirPods. When this diagnostic is on, you tin motion your caput up and down oregon shingle it broadside to broadside to judge oregon diminution calls portion wearing your AirPods. To alteration Head Gestures erstwhile your AirPods are connected to your iPhone:

• Go to Settings
• Tap your AirPods sanction astatine the top
• Tap Head Gestures
• Toggle Head Gestures on
• Choose your preferred question for Accept/Reply (Up and Down oregon Side to Side)
• Choose your preferred question for Decline/Dismiss (Up and Down oregon Side to Side)

Now, erstwhile you get a call, Siri volition denote the caller, and you tin motion to reply oregon shingle your caput to diminution without touching your telephone oregon AirPods.

Kurt’s cardinal takeaways

Apple has genuinely revolutionized the wireless listening acquisition with AirPods. Not lone does it elevate your acquisition seamlessly wrong the Apple ecosystem, but it besides makes your beingness amended with plentifulness of hidden features. Whether you privation to perceive others much intelligibly oregon simply marque your beingness easier, AirPods see an unthinkable fig of features that battalion a punch.

Have you explored each these hidden features of AirPods? Which hidden features are your favorites? Let america cognize by penning america at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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