Apple likes to emphasize how easily you can controlAirPodswith touch gestures or Siri, but let’s face it – sometimes they’re a little unreliable or imprecise. On top of that, a few options simply aren’t accessible without an iPhone or iPad. So while it’s technically possible topair AirPods with an Android deviceor a Windows PC, there’s no good reason to try it unless you got the AirPods for free.
If you want maximum control over your AirPods, here’s how to change any and all settings from your iPhone. These instructions should apply to iPads as well. In both cases, though, we’re assuming your AirPods are already paired and connected. We’ve got a quick primer if you need to know topair AirPods to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
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How to adjust AirPods volume
Two quick options
Whenever you want to raise or lower volume, the most reliable (and easily accessible) option is the iOS Control Center. In iOS 18 or later:
In some situations, you may also see a volume slider on the iOS lockscreen’s media controls, say if you’re playing a podcast or listening toApple Music. Dragging that slider will affect general volume for your AirPods, not just the media you’re listening to.
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How to change AirPods noise cancelation modes
Your options may vary wildly
Only some AirPods models support active noise cancelation (ANC), such as theAirPods ProandAirPods 4 with ANC. When they do, though, there are two methods of toggling ANC settings. The quickest (and most basic) involves Control Center:
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For full control of ANC options, you’ll need to use your iPhone’s Settings app.
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How to change most AirPods settings
When in doubt, open the Settings app
There are plenty of other ways you can customize your AirPods, all of them available by going toSettings -> [AirPods name]. Here’s a breakdown of the main options I haven’t covered yet:
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