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How to Use AirPods and AirPods Pro

The best Apple AirPods tips and tricks no matter the version

By Sam Costello Sam Costello Writer Ithaca College Sam Costello has been writing about tech since 2000. His writing has appeared in publications such as CNN.com, PC World, InfoWord, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 8, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section How to Use AirPods and AirPods 2 How to Work with AirPods Pro How to Fix Problems with AirPods

What to Know

AirPods: Double-tap to play or pause audio, or answer phone calls.AirPods Pro: Select stem to start/pause audio and answer calls; double-click for next track; triple-click for previous.To activate Siri, double-tap stem (AirPods) or say, "Hey, Siri" (AirPods 2 and later). This article shows how to control music with AirPods, along with other features and what to do when your AirPods stop working.

How to Use AirPods and AirPods 2

Once your AirPods are set up and connected (or your AirPods Pro are set up), here's how to use the most common features of the original AirPods or the second-generation AirPods 2.

AirPods Audio Controls

Play or Pause Audio: By default, double-tapping AirPods causes audio to start playing, or if it's already playing, to pause. You can also pause the audio playing by taking the AirPods out of your ears.Skip to the next track: Double-tap AirPods (this varies based on your settings. More on that in a second).Go back to the previous track: Double-tap AirPods (this varies based on your settings, too).Answer or End a Phone Call: Double-tap either AirPod. If you're currently on a call and have another coming in, double-tap to switch to the new call. You can set each AirPod to perform a different action when you double-tap it. All you have to do is customize AirPods actions in Settings.

AirPods and Siri

How you activate Siri with AirPods depends on what model you have. AirPods: Double-tap either AirPod and, once Siri is active, speak your command the way you usually would.AirPods 2: Assuming you chose it while setting up your AirPods, you can activate Siri simply by saying "Hey Siri," followed by your command.

Change Audio Outputs to AirPods

Change iPhone and iPad Audio Output to AirPods: If the audio from your iPhone or iPad isn't playing to your AirPods, you can change that. Open Control Center, then tap the media playback controls. Tap the AirPlay icon at the top corner of the panel to reveal the list of output options, then tap AirPods. Use AirPods on a Mac: Pair your AirPods to your iPhone or iPad, and make sure you use the same iCloud account on your Mac as on your iOS device. Turn on Bluetooth on the Mac, click the speaker icon in the menu bar, then choose your AirPods.

Turn Off AirPods

You can also turn off your AirPods if you know you're not going to be using them for a while.

How to Work with AirPods Pro

If you've got AirPods Pro, the controls are different than the first two generations of AirPods. Here's what you need to know. Apple Inc.

AirPods Pro Audio Controls

Play or Pause Audio: To start playing audio, or pause audio that's already playing, press (or click) the stem of either AirPod.Skip to next track: Double click the stem of either AirPod to skip to the next track.Go back to the previous track: Triple-click the AirPod stem to skip to the last track.Answer or End a Phone Call: To answer an incoming call, or end an active call, click the stem of either AirPod. To switch from one call to another incoming call, click the AirPod stem.

AirPods Pro and Siri

Activate Siri: If you configured "Hey Siri" when setting up your AirPods Pro, activate Siri simply by saying "Hey Siri." Depending on your settings, you may also be able to activate Siri by clicking and holding the AirPod stem. Siri Commands: Once you've activated Siri, you can use any of the commands Siri supports for the AirPods. These include changing the volume, pausing music, getting a battery level check, and more.Read Incoming Messages: When you set up your AirPods Pro, you can set Siri to read your incoming text messages.

AirPods Pro Noise Cancellation

AirPods Pro offer three noise reduction settings to improve your listening experience. To access them, connect your AirPods to an iPhone or iPad, open Control Center, and tap the volume control. Your options are then: Noise Cancellation: This blocks out background noise and focuses just on the audio in your AirPods.Transparency: Reduces background noise similar to noise cancellation but lets through voices and other ambient sounds (think car sounds when you're walking).Off: Turns off both noise cancellation and Transparency. The AirPods still work, but with all of the background noise that's happening where you are.

Sound Quality Testing

To get the best listening experience with your AirPods Pro, you need to test the sound to see if there's any sound leaking in or out. To run this test, connect your AirPods to your iPhone, then tap Settings > Bluetooth > the i next to AirPods Pro > Ear Tip Fit Test > Continue > Play button. The test results will tell you whether your AirPods Pro fit as well as they can or if you need a new fit.

Changing AirPods Tips for a Better Fit

If the Ear Tip Fit Test suggests you need a better fit, switch the default tips to some that fit better. To do this, pull off the current tip (it requires more force than you may expect, but it will pop up off), then press the new ones on until they snap into place. Learn More About Replacing the Ear Tips on Airpods Pro Curious about how the batteries in the AirPods work? Learn how to Charge Your AirPods or AirPods 2.

How to Fix Problems with AirPods

Most of the time, AirPods work. But if your AirPods aren't working, you may try troubleshooting the connection or resetting the AirPods. Or, if you've lost them, you can use Find My app to locate them. Does the iPhone 12 Come With AirPods? Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What Are AirPods and How Do They Work? How to Change AirPod Pro Tips for the Perfect Fit How to Skip Songs on AirPods How to Use AirPods Pro Transparency Mode How to Pause AirPods How to Tell the Difference Between Airpods 1 and 2 How to Connect AirPods to Kindle Fire How to Answer (or Reject) Phone Calls on AirPods How to Check AirPod Battery Levels on an Android Phone How to Connect AirPods to Zoom How Do AirPods Pro Work? How to Connect AirPods to PS4 How to Connect AirPods to PS5 How to Turn Off Your AirPods The 13 Best AirPods Tips and Tricks of 2022 How to Connect AirPods to an HP Laptop Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies