AirPodsare one of the best products Apple has ever released, hands down. They may not have been the first truly wireless earbuds on the market, but it’s impossible to argue that Apple wasn’t the company that popularized them. I remember working for a telecom carrier when AirPods first hit store shelves and calling my manager to hold a pair for me until the end of my shift while covering at another location. Since the first generation of AirPods was released in 2016, Apple has continuously shipped new and valuable features year after year.
Here are seven awesomeAirPods Pro (1st generation and 2nd generation)features, the first five of which also supportAirPods (3rd generation), that are very underused.
Why Apple adding a touchscreen to AirPods would chase me away
I have enough screens to interact with. I just want AirPods to focus on the sound.
1Rename your AirPods
Something to make them easy identifiable
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
TheApple AirPods Pro 2nd Gencome with improved noise cancellation, spatial audio, and a USB-C charging case.
Put in your AirPods and go toSettings > Bluetooth > tap the ‘i’ to the right of your AirPods > Name. Here, you can rename your AirPods to whatever you’d like. Personally, I recommend yourenamethem to something that makes them easily identifiable and unique for you. Plus, if you purchased (or intend to purchase) an engraved pair of AirPods, rename them to something to match.
I automatically adjust these 5 AirPods Max settings to make the most out of my listening
From toggling on ANC to automatic head detection, these settings are simple yet powerful.
2Pause and play audio without pressing a button
Just take a pod out and put it back in
When someone walks up to have a conversation with you, do you pause your audio before taking out your AirPods? One of the most magical experiences of AirPods is taking a single AirPod out of your ear and having whatever audio you’re listening to pause. Then, when you’re finished with your conversation, put it back in, and your audio immediately resumes playback. This feature is called Automatic Ear Detection, and it’s enabled by default. Still, you may verify the feature is on by navigating toSettings > tap your AirPods > verifying Automatic Ear Detectionis toggled to green.
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Apple has yet to make completely rugged headphones, but there are some iterations of AirPods that are at least water-resistant.
3Answer phone calls
Also, end them
After podcasts, the single greatest use of my AirPods is taking phone calls with them. If you also don’t use your AirPods for phone calls, you absolutely should. Suppose you’re listening to something on your AirPods when you get a phone call – press once to answer the call and twice to end it. you may also change the end call to a single press by navigating toSettings > tap your AirPods > End Call > select Press Once.
Samsung exec says he doesn’t care if people say the Galaxy Buds 3 copy Apple’s AirPods
Adding ‘blades’ helped improve features and sound quality.
4Mute yourself during calls
With a single press
When you’re on a call with your AirPods, you canmute yourselfwith a single press. If you’ve changed the end call to a single press, mute becomes a double. If you’d like to change the single press to a double, as I have, go toSettings > tap your AirPods > Mute & Unmute > select Press Twice.
Fun fact, muting yourself with your AirPods also works with Zoom.
Best Apple AirPods cases for adding a layer of protection and style
Protect your pricey AirPods from drops and scratches with these stylish cases.
5Customize your tap gestures
Press and hold
If you haven’t already, you need to hop intoSettings > select your AirPods > tap Left and Right under Press and Hold AirPods.Within each of those menus, you can change whether a long press of your AirPods activates Siri or toggles between two noise cancelation modes.
I opt to use ‘Hey Siri’ to activate Siri and switch between Transparency and Noise Cancelation modes. Change these up to fit what’s best for you.
I made my AirPods mic louder by trying these 7 things
If your voice is too quiet when using the mic on your AirPods, there are several ways you can go about fixing them.
6Personalized volume
Automatically volume based on your environment
Personalized volumeis a neat AirPods Pro feature where volume automatically adjusts based on the noise of your environment. You can toggle this feature on by navigating toSettings > select your AirPods > scroll down and toggle Personalized Volumeto on. Now, when near loud environments, your volume will automatically increase and decrease when in quieter ones.
Apple is unexpectedly giving AirPods several subtle updates
Nodding to answer a phone call or shaking your head to decline can either be a massive help or inconvenience.
7Conversation awareness
Lower volume when you speak
Like Personalized Volume,Conversation Awarenessis another feature that automatically adjusts audio based on your environment – it’s also exclusive to AirPods Pro. But this time, the volume is adjusted based on hearing voices. When voices are detected, your volume is dramatically reduced and then increases again when the conversation is over. You can turn Conversation Awareness on by navigating toSettings > select your AirPods > scroll down and toggle it on.
Most of the time I prefer my AirPods Max, but the AirPods Pro are better for these 5 activities
Apple’s over-the-ears are obviously my headphones of choice, but the AirPods Pro prove to be better in these five circumstances.
