AirPods , the brand for Apple ’s wireless headphones , now spans three products : AirPods , AirPods Pro , and AirPods Max . They ’re priced at $ 159 , $ 249 , and $ 549 respectively , though you may often find them on sale .
This FAQ will help you better understand the feature of AirPods , how the three modelling dissent from one another , and how they shape together with your Apple gear . For those about to John Rock , an AirPods guidebook .
Updated 12/22/20 : Updated FAQ with information on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max , spatial audio , and more .
What’s the difference between AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max?
AirPods are Apple ’s original true wireless earbuds . They derive in a niggling charge case about the size of it and shape of a pack of dental dental floss , and were first inclose in 2016 with a very slightly improvedsecond - generation versionin 2019 .
AirPods Profeature a slimly interchange design with shorter stems and earpieces with cushy golosh tips to create a seal in your capitulum . They have active noise cancellation applied science , support Apple ’s spatial audio , and always come with a wireless charging face ( which is an optional ascent on even AirPods ) .
AirPods Maxare Apple ’s top - of - the - phone line luxury headphones . They ’re big over - the - ear buttocks made to proffer superior randomness cancel technology and sound timber .
How much do AirPods cost?
RegularAirPodscost $ 159 , or $ 199 with a Wireless Charging Case .
AirPods Procost $ 249 , and always admit a Wireless Charging Case .
AirPods Maxcost $ 549 and do n’t have a consign case as they are larger , over - the - capitulum headphones .
It ’s quite vernacular to discover AirPods and AirPods Pro on sale from online retailer ( but not Apple ) for around $ 30 to $ 50 off . At the clock time of this writing , AirPods Max are intemperate to findat all , but once supplying catches up we would n’t be surprised if it was frequently on sale from online retailers , as well .
What’s this Spatial Audio thing?
If you have AirPods Pro or AirPods Max , you could get a surround - strait experience in sure circumstances . You need at least an iPhone 7 or an iPad made in the last few years , you have to be running iOS / iPadOS 14 , and you require to dally audio from a tolerate source .
OpenSettings > Bluetooth , tip on the ( i ) symbol next to your AirPods Pro or Max , and enable Spatial Audio . Then , when heed to multichannel audio ( 5.1 , 7.1 , or Dolby Atmos ) from a stand app , your AirPods will make a really very telling imitation surroundings experience .
It even expend accelerometers and gyroscopes to turn out the level-headed point as you wrick your head , so “ frontwards ” always go like it ’s place toward your iPhone or iPad screen and not just in front of your chief . swell !
you could toggle Spatial Audio in the Control Center volume mastery , too .
Spatial Audio unfortunately does not yet puzzle out on a Mac or Apple TV , though . Apple tv set supporting would be peculiarly welcome , as that machine exists in the main to watch exactly the kind of substance that Spatial Audio is made for .
How to pair AirPods to an iPhone and Apple Watch
copulate your AirPods to an iPhone or iPad for the first time is preposterously easy . All you have to do is flip get to the lid of the AirPods charge case near your iPhone and you ’ll see a content asking if you need to link up . If your sound is locked , you have to unlock it first and then tap the Connect button .
For AirPods Max , take them out of their Smart Case and hold them near your iPhone to get the prompt . ( If you have n’t updated toiOS 14.3yet , you ’ll need to do that first . )
That ’s it , you ’re done . Your AirPods will stay paired to that iPhone — and the Apple Watch that is paired with it if you have one of those . If you bug out recreate a song on your iPhone , and then you start another birdcall play on your Apple Watch , the AirPods will change to the Apple Watch .
How to pair AirPods with a Mac
If you ’ve already paired the AirPods to your iPhone , and it ’s signed into the same iCloud account as your Mac ( running at least macOS 10.12 Sierra ) , you do n’t have to go through the union operation again . Just click the Bluetooth ikon in your Mac ’s menu legal profession and you ’ll see the AirPods there .
creep down over them and click the wordConnectwhen it comes up . Or you’re able to Option - flick the volume icon in the menu bar ( System Preferences > Sound > Show book in menu barif you do n’t see it already ) and chooseAirPodsas your Mac ’s output machine .
How to use AirPods with Apple TV
need to hear to your Apple TV ( the hardware boxful , not the app ) without disturbing others ? Use your AirPods ! They pair off to your Apple idiot box just like all your other Apple product with the same Apple ID .
All you have to do isswitch the sound output signal to your AirPods : hold down the romp / pause button on the Siri remote and select your AirPods .
Press and hold Play / Pause to select your healthy output source .
How to switch AirPods between Apple products
As long as your Apple products are signed in to the same iCloud report and you ’ve update to iOS 14 , iPadOS 14 , tvOS 14 , or macOS Big Sur , your AirPods willautomaticallyswitch between devices . If you ’re listening to something on your Mac and you want to mind on your iPhone , just bug out playing medicine or watching a video or whatever on your iPhone and your AirPods will switch over .
you could hop-skip over to the Bluetooth configurations and exploit the ( i ) button next to your AirPods to incapacitate this feature if you like .
If you require to throw devices manually , you ’ll regain your AirPods list in the Bluetooth sound gadget of all your Apple product signed in to the same Apple ID . Just pick out them as you would any Bluetooth headset .
How to pair AirPods to anything else
What if you need to use the AirPods with an Android phone , or a Kindle Fire tablet , or other non - Apple product ? you may ! The AirPods do n’t have a geminate button on them , but the lodge example does . Stick the AirPods in the charging case , and then reckon for a rotund , white , barely seeable clit on the back of the subject .
This little inset push button is used to pair AirPods with non - Apple machine .
With the case ’s lid open , press and hold that push , and you ’ll see the teeny - tiny LED inside the font turn over blank . That imply the AirPods are in copulate modality , so you should be able to use the menus on the machine you ’re trying to pair with to get them connected .
u003carticleu003entu003csection class=u0022pageu0022u003enu003cpu003eYou don’t buy AirPods (or AirPods Pro) because they deliver the ultimate listening experience. You buy them because they sound good, are super easy to connect to all your Apple gear, are incredibly compact, work hands-free with Siri, and are incredibly comfortable.u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eIt’s not hard to find wireless earbuds that do one or two things better than the AirPods Pro, but for users of Apple products, it’s really hard to find earbuds that do so many things so right.The AirPods Pro live at the sweet spot of comfort, ease of use, features, and sound quality. u003c/pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePros: u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eExcellent fit and comfortu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eCompact wireless charging caseu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eGood active noise cancellationu003c/liu003enu003c/ulu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eCons:u003c/strongu003eu003c/pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eSound quality is a little bland for the priceu003c/liu003enu003cliu003eBattery life is just okayu003c/liu003enu003c/ulu003enu003cpu003e u003c/pu003enu003cpu003e u003c/pu003entu003c/sectionu003enu003c/articleu003e
For the AirPods Max , pressing and hold the noise control push button until you see the piffling status light blink white to put them in pair off mode .
How to check the AirPods battery
There are a couple of way to check into the bombardment level on your AirPods . you may ask Siri by saying “ Hey Siri , what ’s my barrage level ? ” Siri will say you if any of your devices — iPhone , Apple Watch , and AirPods — is running depleted on stamp battery .
If both AirPods are in the charging event , you’re able to flip give its eyelid and you ’ll see a pop - up on your partner off iPhone that exhibit the battery living of each AirPod , plus the slip .
you could also check on your iPhone itself , with theBatteries thingmajig .
Or , swipe down from the top - right corner of your iPhone to show Control Center , and prospicient - press on the loony toons that designate your Music app . If your AirPods are connected , you ’ll see them above the playback controls with a blueish connection image to the right . Tap that icon , as if you were going to alter the playback gimmick , and you ’ll see how much battery each AirPod has leave behind .
How to invoke Siri
The nonpayment way to invoke Siri on regular AirPods is to three-fold - tap on either AirPod with your finger’s breadth . On AirPods Pro , you may change the “ press and hold ” military action for the force sensor on the stem to active Siri . On AirPods Max , press and curb the digital crownwork .
On any model of AirPods , you may plainly say “ Hey Siri ” to arouse it , too .
InSettings > Bluetooth , then beg the gloomy - case ( i ) icon next to your AirPods in the list of Bluetooth devices . This is where you may change restraint for double - tapping or press - and - hold functions of your AirPods .
How to control playback and volume
you’re able to take one AirPod out of your ear to pause the medicine , and then stick it back in your ear to start it playing again .
you could apply whichever Apple twist you ’re using your AirPods with to command volume , or use Siri . Here are a few Siri statement you may use , and these work whether you ’re listening to the Music app or another app like Spotify .
If you are listening to the Music app , you may expect for specific Sung dynasty , record album , artists , and play list ( in your depository library if you are n’t an Apple Music reader , or across the whole Apple Music service if you are ) , and you get more Siri commands .
Obviously , using Siri to control playback has some lag . First you have to double - tap or press - and - hold on the AirPod and waitress for the chime that lets you know Siri is listening . Then you have to speak your inquiry and wait for the iPhone to parse it .
How to charge the AirPods and their case
The AirPods will last for about five hours ( give or take ) , but the case has a bombardment in it , too . You stick the AirPods back in the case to charge them . The piddling light inside the slip glows orange when the AirPods are charging . Each AirPod fits exactly in one of the two opening , so as long as they ’re in there and you may fold the lid , they should be by rights seat for charge .
With the original case , just unite a Lightning cable to the port on the bottom . Then touch base the other end to an AC power adapter or a USB port on a Mac .
With the Wireless Charging Case or AirPods Pro case , you may either plug in a Lightning cable television service or place the vitrine back - side - down on any wireless charging pad that uses the Qi standard . If your AirPods are in the font , you ’ll see an orangish luminousness if they ’re charge , or a green light when they ’re nearly fully excite . If no AirPods are in the instance , the light still go on when you unfold the palpebra , but it signal how much battery life is get out in the case itself : orange for needs excite and immature for right life left .
To shoot AirPods Max , just plug in a Lightning cable .
What if you lose one?
You ’ll be pretty sad , but it ’s not the end of the populace . Apple willsell you a replacement AirPodfor $ 69 , or AirPod Pro for $ 89 . you could bribe just a replacement saddle character , too .
Okay, I didn’t lose my AirPods, I misplaced them. How can I locate my AirPods?
There ’s an app for that . Really . TheFind My appon your iPhone , iPad , Mac , or Apple Watch can locate your AirPods . opened Find My , move to the Devices tab , and scroll down to select your AirPods . you may make then take on a sound or get direction to their last known location .
find oneself My works with all AirPods models , but you may not get the ability to play a sound through them until your iPhone or iPad gets close enough to connect .
AirPods (2nd-generation)
Apple AirPods Pro
u003carticleu003entu003csection division = u0022pageu0022u003enu003cpu003eYou do n’t corrupt AirPods ( or AirPods Pro ) because they deliver the ultimate listening experience . You buy them because they sound good , are super loose to link up to all your Apple gear , are improbably compact , work hand - spare with Siri , and are incredibly comfortable.u003c / pu003enu003cpu003eIt ’s not hard to encounter wireless earbuds that do one or two thing good than the AirPods Pro , but for substance abuser of Apple products , it ’s really hard to come up earbuds that do so many things so mighty . The AirPods Pro live at the sweet spot of comfort , simpleness of purpose , features , and sound timber . u003c / pu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003ePros : u003c / strongu003eu003c / pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eExcellent fit and comfortu003c / liu003enu003cliu003eCompact receiving set charge caseu003c / liu003enu003cliu003eGood combat-ready interference cancellationu003c / liu003enu003c / ulu003enu003cpu003eu003cstrongu003eCons : u003c / strongu003eu003c / pu003enu003culu003enu003cliu003eSound quality is a little bland for the priceu003c / liu003enu003cliu003eBattery life-time is just okayu003c / liu003enu003c / ulu003enu003cpu003e u003c / pu003enu003cpu003e u003c / pu003entu003c / sectionu003enu003c / articleu003e
