Essential Features and Setup Guide for New AirPods Pro Users

For those who have recently acquired Apple's AirPods Pro, understanding and utilizing their full range of features can significantly enhance the listening experience.

Ear Tip Fit Test

To ensure optimal sound quality and noise cancellation, it's important to achieve a proper fit. With the AirPods Pro in your ears and connected to your device, navigate to the Settings app, select your AirPods, and tap on 'Ear Tip Fit Test.' This feature will guide you in selecting the appropriate ear tip size for a secure and comfortable fit.

Listening Modes

AirPods Pro offer several listening modes to suit different environments:

• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Utilizes external and internal microphones to detect and counteract external sounds, providing an immersive audio experience.

• Transparency Mode: Allows external sounds to pass through, enabling awareness of your surroundings.

• Adaptive Audio: Adjusts noise cancellation levels based on your environment. With iOS 18 and newer, you can customize Adaptive Audio to allow more or less noise.

To switch between these modes, press and hold the force sensor on the stem of an AirPod until a chime plays. You can also customize which modes to switch between in the Settings app.

Conversation Awareness

This feature automatically lowers the volume of your audio and enhances voices in front of you when you start speaking, facilitating seamless conversations without removing your AirPods. Enable or disable Conversation Awareness in the AirPods menu within the Settings app.

Controls and Gestures

AirPods Pro are equipped with a force sensor and support head gestures for convenient control:

• Force Sensor Controls:

  • Press once to play or pause audio.
  • Double-press to skip forward.
  • Triple-press to skip back.
  • Press and hold to switch between listening modes.
  • Swipe up or down on the stem to adjust volume.

• Head Gestures:

  • Nod your head up and down to accept a call or reply to notifications.
  • Shake your head side to side to decline a call or dismiss notifications.

Customize these controls in the AirPods menu of the Settings app.

Hearing Health Features

AirPods Pro include features to support hearing health:

• Hearing Test: Conducts a test to assess your hearing and provides insights.

• Hearing Aid Mode: If mild to moderate hearing loss is detected, this mode amplifies sounds to assist hearing.

Access these features through the Health app or AirPods settings.

Microphone Modes

Adjust microphone settings to suit different environments:

• Automatic: Selects the best mode for your call or recording.

• Standard: Uses standard voice processing.

• Voice Isolation: Prioritizes your voice and blocks ambient noises.

• Wide Spectrum: Leaves ambient noises unfiltered.

During a call or recording, swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center and select the desired mode.

Find My Integration

AirPods Pro integrate with the Find My app, allowing you to locate them on a map, play a sound to help find them, and enable notifications if they are left behind. Access these features in the 'Devices' section of the Find My app.

Audio Sharing

Share audio with another person wearing AirPods or compatible Beats headphones by tapping the AirPlay button in the Now Playing screen, Lock Screen, or Control Center, then selecting 'Share Audio.'

Live Translation

With iOS 26, AirPods Pro can translate in-person conversations in real-time. Activate Live Translation through the Translate app or by pressing and holding the stems of both AirPods simultaneously.

By familiarizing yourself with these features, you can maximize the functionality and enjoyment of your AirPods Pro.