Innovation |

6 AirPods hacks you need to know about

A person holds an open white case containing a pair of wireless earbuds. In the background, there is a blurred view of a laptop and a smartphone placed on a white table, perfect for exploring AirPods tips.
AirPods 3

Apple changed the game when it introduced AirPods back in 2016, and today they’re an essential accessory for anyone who wants to listen to music and chat to friends when they’re out and about. Whether you’ve had a pair since day one or you’re a late convert, we’ve put together six hacks you probably didn’t know about…

Use with other devices

An edited image of Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream," featuring the iconic screaming figure with a pair of white wireless earbuds in its ears, seamlessly integrates must-know AirPods tips against a vibrant bright yellow background.

Though Apple created AirPods primarily to work with iPhones and iPads, they can be paired with third-party devices, too. Just head to the Bluetooth settings of your device and connect, and you’re good to go. Obviously, some functionality, like Hey Siri, won’t work when you’re connected to a non-Apple device, so bear that in mind!

Change their commands

Close-up of a person wearing a white wireless earbud. Thin, white beams of light emanate from the earbud towards the person's face, suggesting sound projection or voice recognition technology. The background is blurred and light-colored, hinting at impressive AirPods tips for enhanced usage.

If you don’t want to activate Siri when you tap on your AirPods, you don’t have to. Head into your Settings menu, click on Bluetooth, then your AirPods settings, then ‘i’. From there, you can make changes to your commands and choose from a whole host of options, like pausing a track, skipping to the next track, and more. Oh-so convenient!

Turn off playback

A man in a police officer's uniform is sitting in a car, looking to his left with a surprised expression. The word "What?" appears in text at the bottom of the image. Perhaps he's overheard some unexpected AirPods hacks. The background shows a blurred outdoor scene.

Always get a shock when you pop your AirPods in your ear and have them play immediately? Turn off the Automatic Ear Detection feature from the settings menu, and you can manually play your favourite music or YouTube videos, without being freaked out by a loud song playing as soon as you put your AirPods in!

Listen to people

A man in a dark shirt is giving a presentation on the right side of the image, with a pair of wireless earbuds and their charging case on the left side. Text next to the earbuds reads "5 hours listening" on a black background, hinting at some handy AirPods tips for maximizing battery life.

Apple introduced a new feature in 2018 called Live Listen, allowing users to turn their iPhone microphone into a listening device. Pop in your AirPods, put your iPhone in another room, and listen to what’s happening. To turn this on, go to Settings -> Control Center -> Customize Controls and add the Hearing control. You can then tap the hearing control in your Control Center whenever you want to have a nosy and hear what people are saying!

Watch TV in silence

A person with blonde hair, wearing a purple and yellow jacket, energetically dances in an elevator. AirPods in their ears, they move to the beat with lively and dynamic movements. The metallic walls, control panels, and mirrors reflect the excitement of the moment like a contagious rhythm hack.

Want to watch TV after dark? Connect AirPods to your Apple TV device, and you’ll be able to stream away until your heart’s content. Go to Settings -> Remotes and Devices -> Bluetooth and hold your AirPods button on to start the pairing process. From there, you’ll be able to watch TV shows and movies when your kids are asleep.

Listen with someone else

A man wearing glasses, a blue neck pillow, and a suit jacket is sitting on an airplane. He's listening to something through an earbud and has a slight, contemplative expression on his face—perhaps pondering some AirPods hacks. The airplane interior with its seats and lighting is visible in the background.

With iOS 13, Apple introduced Audio Sharing, allowing two people to listen to one device from two sets of AirPods. Go to Control Center, click on Now Playing, tap AirpLay, and then connect both pairs of AirPods. This is a great option for flying and long car journeys, and means you don’t have to have to settle for an AirPod each!

Do you have any other AirPods tips? Let us know on social media and check back soon for more from AppleMagazine.

Newsroom
About the Author

News content on AppleMagazine.com is produced by our editorial team and complements more in-depth editorials which you’ll find as part of our weekly publication. AppleMagazine.com provides a comprehensive daily reading experience, offering a wide view of the consumer technology landscape to ensure you're always in the know. Check back every weekday for more. Editorial Team | Masthead – AppleMagazine Digital Publication

You May Also Like