Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are still some of the best wireless earbuds on the market, a year and a half after their launch. This is because Apple has added many new features in iOS 17 such as adaptive sound, conversation awareness and custom volume levels. More AirPods Pro 2 features may be announced at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10.
Meanwhile, there are many lesser-known AirPods Pro 2 features that you can try out right now. I’ve been using the AirPods Pro 2 since they came out, both the original model and the “new” version with USB-C charging that launched alongside the iPhone 15.
The main part? Some of these tips work with previous versions of AirPods and even AirPods Max, just make sure you update to the latest iOS 17.
Hidden control center option
Control Center is a quick way to access many AirPods settings. While your AirPods are connected to your iPhone, press and hold the volume button. A list of options will appear below, such as: B. Noise cancellation mode, conversation detection and spatial audio switching.
But you can add more to Control Center in just two easy steps. First, go to Add Listening Options Settings > Control Center. Then go back Settings > Accessibility > Hearing Control Center Click the green plus icon next to any or all options, such as B. Background Noise and Live Listening. Background sounds play other sounds like rain, ocean and white noise in your headphones to help you concentrate. For more information on the live listening feature, see below.
Now swipe down to open Control Center again. You should see the hearing icon that looks like an ear. You can see the battery level of your AirPods and control all the options enabled in the previous step, such as: B. Live list.
listen live
Live Listening lets you amplify what your iPhone’s microphone picks up and send it directly to your ears using any model of AirPods. This is primarily an accessibility feature, but you’ll probably use it to hear what’s going on in an adjacent room, such as an audio-only baby monitor.
This feature can also be found under Listening options in Control Center. Once turned on, swipe down and tap the Listening icon in Control Center, then tap Live Listen.
Look at that: Tips and tricks for AirPods Pro 2
Adjust the sound with headphones
Do you want to change the default sound profile of your AirPods? If you use Apple Music, you can go and start adjusting the equalizer Settings > Music > Equalizer. Other streaming apps like Spotify have their own equalizers that you can customize to your liking.
You can further refine the sound with Apple’s headphone storage options. go Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Headphone Adjustments. Now you can use the slider to choose between balanced sound, voice, brightness or quiet sound.
You can add a custom audio setting in the headphone adjustment menu. Tap the Custom Audio option, then your AirPods will enter noise cancellation mode and you’ll be asked if you can hear softly spoken sounds. Two audio samples will be played and you can choose which one is best.
personal spatial terms
The iPhone’s TrueDepth camera isn’t just useful for FaceID. You can actually use it to get customized spatial sound that fits the shape of your ears.
go Settings > AirPods > Custom Spatial Audio Then follow the instructions to set it up. You will be asked to hold the phone in front of your face and then turn your head left and right to see the image of your ear. Now make sure spatial audio is enabled in Control Center and try it with supported movies and music.
Share audio with friends
Remember the old days when you shared music with a friend via wired earbuds? And here’s the 2024 version: Swipe down to open Control Center, then tap the AirPods icon on the top right in the music playback panel. Click Share Audio.
Grab another AirPods or Beats nearby, open the lid, and then press and hold the case’s pairing button. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect another pair to your phone and you can listen to the same song.
Siri can describe images received in messages
I recently discovered the Siri tablet describe The photos I get in the Messages app when I’m wearing my AirPods Pro 2 and my phone is locked For example, one day I was waiting for a bus and Siri announced that my best friend had sent me a photo of a brown dog lying on the floor in a black and white square. I pulled out my phone to check and Siri was there immediately.
I haven’t yet found the magic trick to get Siri to do this for every single photo, but so far it works for photos of people and pets that are in the center of the frame and have a clear background. I’ve reached out to Apple for more information about this feature and will update this story with more details.
To reproduce this yourself, make sure you turn on promotional notifications by going here Settings > Notifications > Notification NotificationsAnd the headphone option is also enabled. Scroll down this page to make sure the Messages app is turned on Now all you have to do is send a picture to one of your friends – both SMS and iMessage worked for me – to see if it works!
Open more AirPods settings using the Shortcuts app
The Shortcuts app for iPhone is a powerful tool that helps you get the most out of your AirPods. One of my favorite combinations is that every time I connect my iPhone, the AirPods automatically switch to my preferred setting: noise cancellation mode at 40% volume.
First, make sure you have your AirPods in your ears and connected to your iPhone. Open this Shortcut App > Plus icon > Add action. Here you need to search for “Set Sound Protection Mode” and then click on the gray box that says “Road”. From this list, select your AirPods and then the name of your mode (in this example, it’s Noise Cancellation mode).
Next you need to add another action. In the “Search for apps and actions” bar, type the following and select “Adjust volume”. Now change the volume to 40% (or desired volume). Give your shortcut a short name and then click ready.
Now let’s put this shortcut to work automatically When you put AirPods in your ears. Go to the “Automation” tab, click “New Automation” and search for “Bluetooth”. Where it says “Device,” find the name of your AirPods, make sure “Connected” is checked, and then click “Turn On Instantly.” Click Next and then select the shortcut you created. The next time you put your AirPods in your ears and connect them to your phone, this shortcut will work and you can test it.
At Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, you’ll learn more about Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, how they differ from the AirPods 3, and any rumored iOS 18 updates we might get.