The best AirPods tips and tricks everyone should know about

We all love Apple’s AirPods. Whether you are a long-time user or just got your first pair of AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, or AirPods Max, several tips and tricks can help you make the most out of these earbuds and headphones.

In this article, we’ll teach you some of the best AirPods tips and tricks that might not be obvious at first, including the latest features available with iOS 18.

Set different touch controls: Most AirPods models let you customize the different touch controls. With the AirPods on or the case open, go to Settings, then the Bluetooth menu, and find the “i” icon next to the AirPods. Then, you can select Left or Right to choose the bud you want to customize. You’ll be able to set touch commands from the following menu for each bud. You can invoke Siri by voice, so don’t waste a touch control for the assistant.

Share audio with another pair of AirPods: You can connect another pair of AirPods to the same source. You might want to listen to music with a friend at the same time. To do that, head to Control Center, tap the AirPlay button (the circle-like icon), look for Share Audio, and then bring your friend’s iPhone close. Your friend will have to tap Join on their device. And that’s how you beam music to two sets of AirPods simultaneously.

Set a battery widget: It’s really easy to monitor the AirPods battery. The best way is by setting up a widget. Tap and hold on the iPhone screen until the icons start to jiggle. Look for the + symbol and tap it. Look for the Batteries widget, set up its appearance, and add it to the screen. It’ll show the battery status of all your iPhone-connected devices and the iPhone itself.

Ear tip fit test: Put the AirPods Pro in your ears and head to the Bluetooth section of the Settings app. Tap on the “i” next to the AirPods Pro’s name to access the settings. From there, look for the Ear tip fit test menu. This will help you decide which size to choose for AirPods Pro tips. It’s important to get the right size to ensure that you get the best possible Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) experience.

Hearing test feature: Exclusive to AirPods Pro 2, it’s possible to take a hearing test using your AirPods. Here’s how to take an AirPods Pro 2 hearing test.

Adaptive Audio: Apple’s latest AirPods models offer Adaptive Audio, which Apple says “dynamically blends Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation together based on the conditions of a user’s environment to deliver the best experience at the moment.” You can switch between ANC, Transparency, and this new mode.

Nod to answer: AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 offer the ability to nod to answer. If you’re in a crowded environment or you can’t reach your phone, you can nod yes or shake your head no to an incoming call or a message you just received.

Image source: Christian de Looper for BGR

Conversation Awareness: Conversation Awareness is another feature that comes alongside Adaptive Audio. AirPods Pro 2 owners can easily start a conversation while listening to a song. This reduces background noise and amplifies the voice of the person in front of you. On AirPods’ Control Center toggles, ensure Conversation Awareness is on.

Find your AirPods: One of the best features of AirPods Pro 2 is the ability to find your MagSafe case with the Precision Find feature under the Find My app. AirPods 4, for example, uses a Bluetooth find to locate your case, but it’s also available and better than the other solutions for other AirPods.